• Poogona [he/him]
    ·
    1 year ago

    I remember the first time I saw (and loved) There Will Be Blood I had an argument with a friend about it. He hated it and said he didn't understand who could enjoy a movie like that--"everyone was so shitty, who am.i supposed to root for?" I was kinda floored by that, because I remember thinking it was amazing and near-perfect. To me it was like a surgical diagram, delving much deeper than some trite ethical parable into the minds of the powerful and the power-seeking, and demonstrating the world they perpetuate.

    Not saying I was right when I disagreed, but I realized we were watching movies for different reasons. I had my foot in the real world, enjoying media for how it interacts with it, while he was enjoying movies as something to utterly submit yourself to. If a movie doesn't have a good slot for him to sit in, he's homeless in it. In some ways he probably enjoyed media more than I do.

    • UlyssesT [he/him]
      ·
      1 year ago

      Sometimes similar people to that revel in "everyone is an asshole" stories if what they get out of it is "therefore status quo good, pick your favorite ruling class monster to quote and emulate." You can often tell when those stories come about and how they'll be received when the supposed worst character is the one that is trying to improve society somewhat instead of just oinking and rolling in shit like everyone else in it.

      • Poogona [he/him]
        ·
        1 year ago

        "These are bad guys, good thing that's not us" stories hit different than "nobody can be good actually" stories, sure

        • UlyssesT [he/him]
          ·
          1 year ago

          "nobody can be good actually"

          This can sometimes miss its audience as the intended message. Look at how many people idolize and imitate Walter White walter-breakdown or even fucking Patrick Bateman. bateman-ontological

          • Poogona [he/him]
            ·
            1 year ago

            Tony Soprano is probably the best example. Undeniably a compelling character, constantly wavering in a sort of moral blind spot and making you think about the reliability of the signifiers we look for in figuring out who to trust. For some he's just an awesome dad who kicks ass and gets shit done

            • UlyssesT [he/him]
              ·
              edit-2
              1 year ago

              For some he's just an awesome dad who kicks ass and gets shit done

              The worst chuds in my biological family directly quote that character, including to their own wives. Yes, they're also wifebeating fascists.

                • UlyssesT [he/him]
                  ·
                  1 year ago

                  Location, location, location! this-is-fine

                  I work where I have to meet lots of people that are generally not happy to see me because I'm talking to them about problems their kids are having in class. Also, I have coworkers that I am friendly enough with (it makes the day more bearable) that I just sort of quietly listen to their terrible takes. Also, bookstores and other hangouts around here tend to have very opinionated people that don't hesitate to talk up strangers about their "ideas" (they want to sell you on some "hustle" or startup, both of which are abundant here).

                  Well, that and having a very chuddy biological family (in-laws are a lot better and that's where I go for the holidays now).

                  • 1nt3rd1m3nt10n4l [he/him]
                    ·
                    1 year ago

                    I work where I have to meet lots of people that are generally not happy to see me because I'm talking to them about problems their kids are having in class.

                    See, I always thought you has some kind of office job adjacent to the IT sector, or something, cause that also comes up a lot in your posts.

                    • UlyssesT [he/him]
                      ·
                      1 year ago

                      Some kind of office job adjacent to the IT sector

                      Without giving too many details, there's a lot of office jobs in the same building because of how the district is organized, and I share a break room with a fair number of them too.

                      And because of where the district is, there's a lot of enthusiasm for whatever bullshit pipes in from the Bay nearby.