Jason Bourne

While it is fashionable among thinking persons to discredit conspiracy theories generally it is difficult to deny the hidden objective behind Jason Bourne movies.  Robert Ludlum (May 25, 1927 - March 12, 2001) was the American author of 27 thriller novels best known as the creator of Jason Bourne from the original The Bourne Trilogy series. Ludlum's background as an Alpha Delta Phi fraternity member and theatrical experience contributed to his understanding of energy, escapism and action that the public wanted in a novel. The number of copies of his books in print is estimated between 300 - 500 million, published in 33 languages and 40 countries.

Though I have a decided distaste for Jason Bourne movies - primarily because of their endless and meaningless and gratuitous violence but also because of their lack of intellectual depth of any order other than a curiosity about who watches this stuff - they at least inspire an insight into the vacuity and despair of the popular mind (sadly predominantly youth). In addition it is no accident that Ludlum's novel The Matarese Circle was inspired by rumours about the Trilateral Commission. The Trilateral Commission is a non-governmental, non-partisan discussion group founded by David Rockefeller in July 1973 to foster closer cooperation among Japan, Western Europe and North America. Social critic Noam Chomsky has criticized the Commission as undemocratic, an internal discussion where members "let their hair down" and talk about how the public needs to be reduced to its proper state of apathy and obedience. The description is clearly apt to the fictional character of Jason Bourne who was a trained elite assassin of lost identity (dissociative amnesia).

Not far removed from the discussion of conspiracy theories is Karl Christian Rove (born December 25, 1950) who is an American Republican political consultant and policy advisor.  Since leaving the White House, Rove has worked as a political analyst and contributor for Fox News. Pointedly on June 24, 2008 Rove said of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, "Even if you never met him, you know this guy.  He's the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone."

The relevance of Jason Bourne to the current model of political activity is inescapable.  Trump - though in his mind a leader - is manifestly a puppet of higher powers.  The entertainment success of both Trump and Bourne is fashioned upon the appetite of the masses for vengeance and dominance.  The inexcusable shallowness of Trump's mind - combined with the sharpness of his tongue - is illustrative only of the theatrical allure of immediacy and violence. The similarity between Bourne's and Trump's frequent alliances (and fisticuffs) with dictators in remote Asian and Eastern societies is unsettling. Bourne's latest brawl at the outset of his film is reminiscent of the drinking bout between Indiana Jones' ex-lover and the Asian pub cronies where the masses are noisily tossing coins to invest in the winner.

Hollywood is to be thanked for its rendition of these secretive manipulations. Lately the production of HBO television series Succession is doing the same work (specifically attacking the Trumpian clamour to the level of a modern dynasty).  Meanwhile it is judicious to recall the efforts of those who seek to advance the cause of health, education and employment - none of which is spared the insinuation of avaricious interests (whether insurance, religious or fiscal). Tranquillizing the popular mindset is the most convenient way to side-step these issues. It is paradoxical that Jason Bourne is the demonized version of such intended reformation.