Hacker Cinema
The Wave
Die Welle
2008 · Film · 107 min
Directed by Dennis Gansel
A school teacher discusses types of government with his class. His students find it too boring to repeatedly go over national socialism and believe that dictatorship cannot be established in modern Germany. He starts an experiment to show how easily the masses can become manipulated.
7 positive3 neutralfrom 10 commenters
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10 comments on Hacker News
those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it ... go watch Die Welle excellent movie
For a more mature dramatization of the same events, the German movie Die Welle (2008) is great.
I watched the 2018 German film "The Wave" about some students that spend a week learning about fascism by gradually becoming fascists without knowing it.
And it's similar to a startup:
- One of the first stages in their indoctrination is wearing a uniform. In startups you get company t-shirts.
- Then there's the autocracy... a central figure that has supreme power, the movement leader. In a startup, you have the founders.
- And once startups become a cohesive group, they become a groupthink collective that thinks they're the invincible chosen few destined to rule the world.
There's even an exceptionally good German movie about this entire phenomenon (it was discovered first in Germany): Die Welle (The Wave)
The book is so well known in many countries as it's part of the standard curriculum (I had to read it when I was 16), so I think the German film makers felt it needed no particular references to the story. It's right next to Animal Farm, Brave New World, and 1984.
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wave_(2008_film)#Differences_from_the_1981_film
This must have been a strong ispiration for the aptly named "The Wave" (2008), although I couldn't find any reference either side.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1063669/
This sounds similar to a real experiment: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_Wave_(experiment)
There is an amazing movie based on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wave_(2008_film)
> While the adults are complacent, jaded, and disparaged, teenagers are ignited, spirited, and take no prisoners. ... Do not get in their way: they will crush you.
This is scary. Do we expect violence?
Also, aren't millennials more pro gun than others?
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/10/12/are-millennials-moving-right-on-guns-215703
According to Gallup’s version of the question in 2004, the notion that concealed guns made for safer spaces polled at 25 percent; 11 years later, it registered at 55 percent nationally. The greatest support came from those ages 18-29, at 66 percent, a full 10 points greater than the next highest scoring demographic.
The Wave, a novel[1] and film[2] explores this idea and is great reading/watching. I really wish it were part of high school English or history classes since it provides some real insight into how these kinds of movements start -- once you've seen it, you can almost recognize the signs anywhere, even in yourself, as long as you keep an open mind.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wave_(novel)
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wave_(2008_film)
I second the film recommendation. It's a very well made, and very heavy film. In addition, to anyone hearing about it for the first time, it's based on the real life social experiment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_Wave
This reminds me of the German-produced movie 'Die Welle', or 'The Wave'.[0] It demonstrates the creation and execution of some of these dynamics and how individuals may be susceptible to strong leaders even though their ideals and morals differ. It can be found on Netflix and I recommend it to anyone who found the article interesting.
[0] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1063669/