"24 is sometimes bad but never boring" (i forget the source on that observation).
and what's even stranger than this apparently nonsensical comment, is that it only looks nonsensical if you think about it. the truth is, we understand exactly what it means. somehow, in our culture, the criteria for a good TV show is not whether it is entertaining, exciting, and generally something we would want to watch. instead, there is a special criteria for what TV shows are called good or bad that is different from the criteria we use to decide which to watch. (more commonly instead of calling shows bad we call them trashy or junk TV or a B movie something like that).
the criteria for "quality" movies, which we are all familiar with, is approximately whether it is something elitist leftist intellectuals (think of a PhD Professor of Woman's Studies) would like. it's not generally explained this clearly, but there it is.
what's notable is that *we* often use the criteria too. our society speaks in their terms, but then decides what to watch on its own terms. isn't that hypocrisy?
i think it's more like: no one wants to argue with elitist intellectuals. so they don't. they just say "fine, you're right, whatever" and then continue on as they were.
so i don't think this is hypocritical. but i *do* think it's bad. we ought to stand up to these people and say "no, i don't agree with you, and you're a jerk so i won't argue with you either, and i won't use your terminology as if you were right" or equivalent.
and also there is a distaste not just for arguing with leftist intellectuals in our society, but for any arguing. also for philosophy and being an intellectual. just because a few idiots associated themselves with those things and thus tainted them. too many people believe that's really what arguments and philosophy and being an intellectual really are, and thus think they are actually bad things. *sigh*
Messages (3)
Good post.
Doesn't change the fact that the D&D movie was garbage, though. :P
fuck you that movie is great. especially the dungeon w/ the axes and stuff.
This is all so true. I went to a choir concert two months ago, where the organiser spoke a preamble. He announced wryly that he'd thrown in a few "lollipop" carols to keep us happy.
There's an implication that something which is fun isn't usually good for you.
Or, if it's both fun and good for you, it can only be obtained at the expense of someone else.
Draw an imaginary circle around a house with a leftist self-hating intellectual in each room. Now allow them to drift together into the kitchen. They can now enjoy a loud group whine/rant and happily affirm each other's victim status.
Where was the "challenge"?
Who was being "naive"?
Who has been wrongly exploited?