How important is the name Ewing Oil?

[stevew]

Despite Jock’s “if I gave you power” speech, he DID appoint Bobby the head of Ewing Oil. And as the head, no one (including Jock) should have the right to dip into Ewing Oil assets without consulting Bobby first.

There are a lot of legal and tax complications to this too, depending on the company structure, and I agree with you, but I think it’s bigger than “should have.” Real power is always given freely. When you take power, like a dictator, you’re constantly waiting for it to be taken from you, and probably by those closets too you. But when people give you power, as Jock did, or in the extreme when cult followers give it to a cult leader, they really have power. People give power all the time, and Bobby knew this from his political days. You can run or own a company, a big and successful one, but your investors and creditors are the people you give power to and they can often control you. Jock has a point, one JR learned well, but a way to simplistic view of the truth regarding power. But sure was a great scene.

 

[Seaviewer]

Despite Jock’s “if I gave you power” speech, he DID appoint Bobby the head of Ewing Oil. And as the head, no one (including Jock) should have the right to dip into Ewing Oil assets without consulting Bobby first.

One could make an argument that no one, especially an officer of the company, or even its founder should ever remove money for personal use.

 

[bmasters9]

Bobby is asked to take over Ewing Oil. He doesn't want to do it. Jock convinces him to do it for the good of the family. Later, when Bobby has the confidence to start making decisions the very person who asked him to take over is now questioning his decisions.

Which is why it should have been made clearer, all the ramifications of what Bobby would be doing; Bobby should not have been left to shoot in the dark, and be yelled at if he missed.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

One thing that was great about the scene has much to do with the title of this thread: "How Important is the Name Ewing Oil?"

There is one three letter word that was chosen very carefully and it sets the tone for the whole season.

Imagine this in Jock's gravely (and in this case angry) voice:

"And who in the hell do you think Ewing Oil is? It's ME!"

Now, let's notice the little three letter word that changes everything. Jock did NOT say, "What the hell do you think Ewing Oil is?"

He said, "Who the hell do you think Ewing Oil is?"

The subtle difference changes everything. "What do you think Ewing Oil is?" is one thing. "Who do you think Ewing Oil is? shows that Ewing Oil is an extension of Jock. It is part of him. It is in his life blood.

Jock is Ewing Oil and Ewing Oil is Jock. The two cannot be separated.

 

[bmasters9]

The subtle difference changes everything. "What do you think Ewing Oil is?" is one thing. "Who do you think Ewing Oil is? shows that Ewing Oil is an extension of Jock. It is part of him. It is in his life blood.

And I think what Jock said afterwards further clarifies it: "Ewing Oil belongs to me, and don't you forget it, boy!"

 

[stevew]

One could make an argument that no one, especially an officer of the company, or even its founder should ever remove money for personal use.

Or legally can without implications.

 

[bmasters9]

Or legally can without implications.

Kind of crazy how the founder of a company can be punished just as much for embezzlement as any other worker/employee of that company (at least IMO).

 

[stevew]

One thing that was great about the scene has much to do with the title of this thread: "How Important is the Name Ewing Oil?"

There is one three letter word that was chosen very carefully and it sets the tone for the whole season.

Imagine this in Jock's gravely (and in this case angry) voice:

"And who in the hell do you think Ewing Oil is? It's ME!"

Now, let's notice the little three letter word that changes everything. Jock did NOT say, "What the hell do you think Ewing Oil is?"

He said, "Who the hell do you think Ewing Oil is?"

The subtle difference changes everything. "What do you think Ewing Oil is?" is one thing. "Who do you think Ewing Oil is? shows that Ewing Oil is an extension of Jock. It is part of him. It is in his life blood.

Jock is Ewing Oil and Ewing Oil is Jock. The two cannot be separated.

Then Ewing Oil must die as a “who” it cannot go on forever, which sadly it does not. He built a company, not a family. The ranch is a “what”, something the Southworth’s built and Jock saved and goes on beyond any single life. Yes a “what” can be destroyed or changed, hence the TNT house, but it can go on. A “who” never can. Hence the reason for the thread, must Ewing Oil be laid to rest and another another company take its place with the family if the show is to continue?

Let’s examine a far more success businessman, Bill Gates. His company is not an extension of his father’s wealth. His company is not an extension of him. From day obe it going public he began to sell his shares, such a small piece ever day no one noticed. Today he owns very little of the company, a conks year focused on software which will live beyond him. His money instead has gone into a private company of his, a company of diversified investments, which may not out live him long as he’s promised to give away his wealth.

Or another man, Henry Ford, and in this case with his son Edsel. They gave away most of their fortune to the Ford Foundation and diversification as well and their tiny (2%) share in the company they left behind still carries with it a controlling vote with great great grandchildren involved. A company he viewed as an extension of himself until the family his son (his son having died before him) built was left to clean up the mess of his repeated machinations which lead to the company’s ruin.

Building a business “empire” didn’t make Jock “right” or even brilliant, maybe lucky, tenacious, ruthless even. To often we confuse making or having money with great wisdom. There a myriad of reasons people have a lot of money. I’ve found wisdom or even broad (beyond the area from which they made money) are seldom among them.

 

[stevew]

And I think what Jock said afterwards further clarifies it: "Ewing Oil belongs to me, and don't you forget it, boy!"

Most telling part in that, “boy.” Jock wasn’t raising his sons to be men, was he.

 

[bmasters9]

Mist telling part in that, “boy.” Jock wasn’t raising his sons to be men, was he.

He certainly wasn't. BTW, what do you mean by "Mist telling part"?

 

[stevew]

Kind of crazy how the founder of a company can be punished just as much for embezzlement as any other worker/employee of that company (at least IMO).

I don’t know about crazy. If he’s running a sole proprietorship, like a small store, he’s fine, just as long as he’s paying taxes on the income like the rest of us. But if he’s incorporated, in other words using the government’s protections to mitigate his risk, well he’s created an entity separate from himself.

 

[stevew]

He certainly wasn't. BTW, what do you mean by "Mist telling part"?

Sorry, fixed it. Was suppose to be “most” not mist.

 

[bmasters9]

I don’t know about crazy. If he’s running a sole proprietorship, like a small store, he’s fine, just as long as he’s paying taxes on the income like the rest of us. But if he’s incorporated, in other words using the government’s protections to mitigate his risk, well he’s created an entity separate from himself.

Ah! Didn't know the difference in ramifications.

Sorry, fixed it. Was suppose to be “most” not mist.

Not a problem-- we get in a hurry to post, and we hit the wrong keys a lot, and we don't even notice until a post is published.

 

[stevew]

He certainly wasn't. BTW, what do you mean by "Mist telling part"?

A man’s response, “Then fine daddy, I’ll take it. As a corporation you just embezzled funds from Ewing Oil, which isn’t you but a separate being, you created, like me, then stole from. You want a fight. You got one. You want to push me to the wall in front of your so called friends, I’ve got friends too. Let’s see who walks away from this family feud you’re hell bent on starting daddy. May the best man out live the fucking ass whole!”

 

[bmasters9]

A man’s response, “Then fine daddy, I’ll take it. As a corporation you just embezzled funds from Ewing Oil, which isn’t you but a separate being, you created, like me, then stole from. You want a fight. You got one. You want to push me to the wall in front of your so called friends, I’ve got friends too. Let’s see who walks away from this family feud you’re hell bent on starting daddy. May the best man out live the ass whole!”

Would have dearly loved to see it play out that way!

 

[stevew]

Would have dearly loved to see it play out that way!

As Bobby became more Jock like in TNT, my way or the highway kind of thing, I wanted to see John Ross do that. It was the perfect opportunity to make a man out of the boy when his father and uncle were not. Jock was a man, just not a man who made men. John Ross could have been a man, a Hamlet who took the throne and saved his mother and sacrificed himself to do so. Everything Bobby could have been. Instead he and Christopher were more children than Bobby and JR ever were. Not the story to tell and expect people to watch Imo.

 

[bmasters9]

As Bobby became more Jock like in TNT, my way or the highway kind of thing, I wanted to see John Ross do that. It was the perfect opportunity to make a man out of the boy when his father and uncle were not. Jock was a man, just not a man who made men. John Ross could have been a man, a Hamlet who took the throne and saved his mother and sacrificed himself to do so. Everything Bobby could have been. Instead he and Christopher were more children than Bobby and JR ever were. Not the story to tell and expect people to watch Imo.

No wonder that TNT reboot didn't last very long!

 

[Lastkidpicked]

This conversation might remind you of Miss Ellie's prophecy. Her motive for breaking Jock's will, her motive for wanting to break up Ewing Oil has been her hope that John Ross and Christopher could have the relationship J.R. and Bobby never had. Her prediction that John Ross and Christopher would continue the feuding over Ewing Oil seemed to have come true, as we hear as Bobby speaks with J.R. in the very first episode of Dallas TNT:

"All those fights, J.R. (Pause) Over Ewing Oil, and Southfork. Those fights changed me. Changed me in a way I don't like.
I worry about Christopher and John Ross. I want them to have the chance to be a family . . . Without the bitterness and bad blood. I don't want them to be like us."

 

[stevew]

This conversation might remind you of Miss Ellie's prophecy. Her motive for breaking Jock's will, her motive for wanting to break up Ewing Oil has been her hope that John Ross and Christopher could have the relationship J.R. and Bobby never had. Her prediction that John Ross and Christopher would continue the feuding over Ewing Oil seemed to have come true, as we hear as Bobby speaks with J.R. in the very first episode of Dallas TNT:

"All those fights, J.R. (Pause) Over Ewing Oil, and Southfork. Those fights changed me. Changed me in a way I don't like.
I worry about Christopher and John Ross. I want them to have the chance to be a family . . . Without the bitterness and bad blood. I don't want them to be like us."

Those were his words but not his actions. I wrote a fan fiction where JR has a daughter, I believe end of season 1. Bobby said she was just like her father. She replied, “No I’m not.”

“Oh and how are you different?”

“My brothers are standing beside me!” And they were, ready to beat the crap out of Bobby if he laid a hand on her. She continued, “You see if my father pitted us against each other to win Ewing Oil not one of us would take the bate. If it made my brothers happy to burn South Fork I’d bring the matches. If it made them happy to sleep with every woman in Dallas I’d line every beauty up for STD testing. There is nothing and no one that will ever come between us, Uncle Bobby, and not survive the experience.”

I liked the idea of history repeating itself but with a new twist. John Ross his brother (from Calley) and his sister (from Katherine Wentworth) as a family and an unstoppable force of nature. I found it more fun then whinny boys who should be men by now.

 

[DallasFanForever]

I always wondered how Jock’s “Power Speech” would’ve gone if that scene was with J.R. instead of Bobby. Would the scene have been written any differently? Any thoughts?