Friday, January 06, 2006
Things I don't "get"
This won't be a rant, just a list of things for which I do not understand the appeal...
(1) The music of Wilco and Radiohead.
Wilco. Why is "alt-country" so popular? Is the appeal that it's country without the mullets and half the twang of regular country? It's country-lite?
Radiohead. Are they brilliant? Many people think so. I can't invest myself in concept albums anymore. Time in college spent in a dark room listening to Pink Floyd's The Wall and Wish You Were Here cured me of that. I just want to hear a good song. I don't need them all interconnected by a theme too big for a pop song.
(2) The "fuck you others" side of religion.
I'm not going to make any broad generalizations, so don't get offended yet. But why can't people see the inherent personal insecurity in the extreme forms of religion around the world that look at others with distrust, smug superiority, and secret (or not-so-secret) hatred? Pat Robertson saying Sharon's stroke was a punishment from God... It's idiots like him that make me believe in the "watchmaker" theory of religion: God made the world, then let it go, looking in now and then to see what we're doing, but generally not bothering with the day-to-day workings of things. I would become a true believer if Robertson had a massive stroke of his own this weekend. That would be the sort of ironic justice I could get behind. The majority of people (I like to believe) are tolerant, but allow idiots like him to spew his hatred unchecked, looking on him with bemusement, like you would a crazy uncle that screams obscenities in the grocery store, as if Robertson can't help it. But he can help it, and I think, if there is some sort of "judgment" someday, you'll be judged as harshly as you judged others. That would be fair.
Here's a good place for a quote from Woody Allen's Hannah and her Sisters. Max von Sydow's character says it:
But the worst are the fundamentalist preachers. Third grade con men telling the poor suckers that watch them that they speak with Jesus, and to please send in money. Money, money, money! If Jesus came back and saw what's going on in his name, he'd never stop throwing up.
(3) The continued appeal of Tom Cruise.
Scientology beliefs and six-year-old antics on Oprah aside, who actually thinks this man is a decent actor? Playing the same character in every movie may be comforting, as you certainly know what to expect from a Tom Cruise movie, but it's not particularly interesting.
(4) The majority of SUVs
Yes, I'm going to sound like an enviro-hippy soccer mom hater, but why do so many people need the really big SUVs? You have one child, and you don't move pianos for a living, so what's the deal? Maybe you buy into the "safety" myth. Yes, if you are in an SUV and you hit a small car, the person in the car is more likely to be mangled, but in single car accidents, SUVs are no safer than cars, and likely less safe, due to their tendency to roll. Montgomery County, Maryland had a string of high school kids dying in single car accidents in the last year. It seemed like every weekend. And the number of those flipping SUVs was astounding. The parents bought them the SUVs thinking they were the safest things on the road.
(1) The music of Wilco and Radiohead.
Wilco. Why is "alt-country" so popular? Is the appeal that it's country without the mullets and half the twang of regular country? It's country-lite?
Radiohead. Are they brilliant? Many people think so. I can't invest myself in concept albums anymore. Time in college spent in a dark room listening to Pink Floyd's The Wall and Wish You Were Here cured me of that. I just want to hear a good song. I don't need them all interconnected by a theme too big for a pop song.
(2) The "fuck you others" side of religion.
I'm not going to make any broad generalizations, so don't get offended yet. But why can't people see the inherent personal insecurity in the extreme forms of religion around the world that look at others with distrust, smug superiority, and secret (or not-so-secret) hatred? Pat Robertson saying Sharon's stroke was a punishment from God... It's idiots like him that make me believe in the "watchmaker" theory of religion: God made the world, then let it go, looking in now and then to see what we're doing, but generally not bothering with the day-to-day workings of things. I would become a true believer if Robertson had a massive stroke of his own this weekend. That would be the sort of ironic justice I could get behind. The majority of people (I like to believe) are tolerant, but allow idiots like him to spew his hatred unchecked, looking on him with bemusement, like you would a crazy uncle that screams obscenities in the grocery store, as if Robertson can't help it. But he can help it, and I think, if there is some sort of "judgment" someday, you'll be judged as harshly as you judged others. That would be fair.
Here's a good place for a quote from Woody Allen's Hannah and her Sisters. Max von Sydow's character says it:
But the worst are the fundamentalist preachers. Third grade con men telling the poor suckers that watch them that they speak with Jesus, and to please send in money. Money, money, money! If Jesus came back and saw what's going on in his name, he'd never stop throwing up.
(3) The continued appeal of Tom Cruise.
Scientology beliefs and six-year-old antics on Oprah aside, who actually thinks this man is a decent actor? Playing the same character in every movie may be comforting, as you certainly know what to expect from a Tom Cruise movie, but it's not particularly interesting.
(4) The majority of SUVs
Yes, I'm going to sound like an enviro-hippy soccer mom hater, but why do so many people need the really big SUVs? You have one child, and you don't move pianos for a living, so what's the deal? Maybe you buy into the "safety" myth. Yes, if you are in an SUV and you hit a small car, the person in the car is more likely to be mangled, but in single car accidents, SUVs are no safer than cars, and likely less safe, due to their tendency to roll. Montgomery County, Maryland had a string of high school kids dying in single car accidents in the last year. It seemed like every weekend. And the number of those flipping SUVs was astounding. The parents bought them the SUVs thinking they were the safest things on the road.
That's all for today. Restrained, and not filled with hate. Just shrugging this morning.
# posted by smacky @ 8:06 AM 
Comments:
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1) You got me. Me no understand it either, but me know and agree with you on that whole concept album thing.
2) Preach brother preach! Me would also like to add good quote from George Carlin: "People need religion like they need a lift in their shoe. If it makes them feel a little taller and happier about themselves, fine. But if you keep that lift in your shoe all the time, as you walk, jog, play sports, etc., you can wind up sore, or maybe even crippled...And, PLEEEEASE, let's not send folks to other countries to nail lifts onto the natives' feet!"
3) You hear of chick movie... him chick actor.
4) Enviro-hippy soccer mom hater? No. Sane man in insane society? Yes.
2) Preach brother preach! Me would also like to add good quote from George Carlin: "People need religion like they need a lift in their shoe. If it makes them feel a little taller and happier about themselves, fine. But if you keep that lift in your shoe all the time, as you walk, jog, play sports, etc., you can wind up sore, or maybe even crippled...And, PLEEEEASE, let's not send folks to other countries to nail lifts onto the natives' feet!"
3) You hear of chick movie... him chick actor.
4) Enviro-hippy soccer mom hater? No. Sane man in insane society? Yes.
Item#2
Many people are insecure about what they believe in. Those who truly believe that stuff don't have to preach it to other people the way them hardcore preachers do.
Also, if you've noticed, the younger the religion / cultural concept the more defensive it is of it's existence.
For example, the practitioners create this whole cool timeline to firmly entrench themselves in the wheel of history (prehistory even) and then expect the rest of the world (their followers esp.) to lap it up like the good sapiens they are.
Yeah, and I'm Chuck Norris!
Item#3
Actually I don't mind the guy as a serious actor but absolutely cannot stand his romantic BS movies.
Item#4
Herdthink. A bunch of influential people do something, almost every Joe and Jill has gotta get one of their own..to prop up their illusion of The American Dream. Whether it makes any goddamn sense or not. This applies to other countries too.
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Many people are insecure about what they believe in. Those who truly believe that stuff don't have to preach it to other people the way them hardcore preachers do.
Also, if you've noticed, the younger the religion / cultural concept the more defensive it is of it's existence.
For example, the practitioners create this whole cool timeline to firmly entrench themselves in the wheel of history (prehistory even) and then expect the rest of the world (their followers esp.) to lap it up like the good sapiens they are.
Yeah, and I'm Chuck Norris!
Item#3
Actually I don't mind the guy as a serious actor but absolutely cannot stand his romantic BS movies.
Item#4
Herdthink. A bunch of influential people do something, almost every Joe and Jill has gotta get one of their own..to prop up their illusion of The American Dream. Whether it makes any goddamn sense or not. This applies to other countries too.
# posted by 
: 11:10 AM
: 11:10 AM << Home
