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comment by OftenBen
OftenBen  ·  440 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: The Unexpected Heaviosity of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

This is tangentially related.

Confession: I've never actually seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I've also never seen Back To The Future, or any sequel.

It's gotten to a point now where I never even WANT to see them, because I know my response will be blase and it will be another emotional touchstone that just leaves me feeling cold and isolated because it doesn't evoke anything in me while meaning so much to most everyone else.

The art created in the 70's and 80's, even into the early 90's feels like it comes from a completely different society. I have such a hard time believing so many of the people who were contemporary to it can bear living in the present world. You can't depict a single-income household now without it seeming like obscene luxury.

I don't even know what point I wanted to make originally. I think I just hate all entertainment now that isn't live and in person, not associated with ticketmaster. I think I was trying to say something about how there is a societally norming effect of people consuming and valuing similar media, and the lack of exposure to such creates distance/tension.





user-inactivated  ·  438 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I'd recommend Back to the Future. I've never seen Ferris Bueller, so can't/won't comment on it. My (chronically depressed) partner had never seen any of the BTTFs till we got together, now at least one is on her winter-depression-movie list.

    I think I was trying to say something about how there is a societally norming effect of people consuming and valuing similar media

I have a pal who refuses to listen to or watch anything that someone suggests to him. The last time I tried, it was the tv show Arcane. I knew he'd like it. It's solid storytelling in a lore-rich world, with amazing animation that absolutely nailed the sense of weight. I sent him a message saying we had just finished it, loved it, and that I think he'd really like it.

He replied "Nah I don't do mainstream shit." So I left it. He does this with most things.

About 6 months later he messaged me "Bro, you seen Arcane? It's nuts. Flying under everyone's radar."

The fact that it was suggested to him, completely put him off. He saw it as something everyone was enjoying, and thus to be avoided. However I'm not saying you two are similar, I know he wants/needs to be the person to find the "cool" thing. His desire to be on the edge and beating everyone to the new thing is what fuels him. And sure, sometimes everyone enjoying a thing, raises an eyebrow - makes you wonder how milquetoast is it going to be, to be able to appeal to so many different folks?

Sometimes though, it's well loved because it's really fucking good.

goobster  ·  435 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    "...there is a societally norming effect of people consuming and valuing similar media, and the lack of exposure to such creates distance/tension."

Only if you want to be a part of that social group. To be a member of any social group, you need to partake of that group's social activities and cultural heritage. Choosing not to see hugely popular films is not the wrong decision, but then you don't get to complain about how the social group you want to associate with has cultural touchstones you refuse to engage with. That's your choice.

These films are fun and clever, and have withstood the test of time. That right there makes them a valuable key to the baseline experiences of a certain social group; they have this shared experience, and it holds up and is still enjoyable decades later.

I also am resistant to some aspects of popular culture - especially movies - and have never seen Goonies or Titanic or Twilight or any Avengers film, to name a few.

So I understand the desire to avoid falling to crass consumerism, and the pablum that is today's superhero movie franchises.

But I also know that will leave me out of some conversations. I won't get some memes. I have no idea who Thanos is, or what the stones he wants, can do.

    "...that just leaves me feeling cold and isolated because it doesn't evoke anything in me while meaning so much to most everyone else."

Ok. So what? That's your choice. Enjoy it. Or don't. It's yours to do with as you please.

kleinbl00  ·  440 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  

Dude you just hate everything and have done for years. The smug thing is you look out, decide the whole world and everyone in it sucks, and then instead of thinking "huh, maybe this is a function of my well-earned chronic depression" you go "it must be because everything is terrible and I'm the only one who has cracked the code." You're literally sitting there going I wonder if I can bait anyone into fighting about... the existence of culture.

I'm not going to tell you to watch Ferris Bueller. I'm not going to tell you to watch Back to the Future. I am going to point out that you took a discussion of a movie you've decided to never watch and used it to shit on everyone who ever has just to give yourself that little edgelord troll-hit of endorphins so... yeah. Good talk. What else haven't you seen, read or heard that you need to pronounce condemnation on? We'll start a list and whenever you have the downzies we'll post something!

user-inactivated  ·  438 days ago  ·  link  ·  
This comment has been deleted.
kleinbl00  ·  438 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I want you to remember every PM and email you ever sent me. Under every sockpuppet.

Then I want you to imagine that there are other people on this website who also PM and email me.

Then I want you to compare those two constructs in your head and contemplate

Just for a moment

If it really and truly is all about you.

user-inactivated  ·  438 days ago  ·  link  ·  
This comment has been deleted.
kleinbl00  ·  437 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Thanks for simplifying a complex situation.