"I hate the Media" posers!!!

[Drtooth]

I am abosolutely enraged when people complain about how the media is "Hypnotising" us. Oh, puh-lease. I go to an art school, and all I hear are these posers complaining like old men. Oh no!! The media is evil. yeah, I bet. I watch TV quite a lot. and let me tell you: I still can't tell the difference between Pepsi and Coke (I preferr Root Beer, anyway!), I don't like Pokemon, Transformers, or junk like that, I have no disire to wacth Wrestling, I hate Malcom in the Middle, and I find talk shows to be redundant, filthy, and stupid. It's not the media, folks...IT'S STUPID PEOPLE WHO LET THINGS GET THIS BAD!!!! Now that I got that off my chest, who wants to disagree?

 

[matleo]

Uhm...I'll meet you halfway. I think the media does try to 'tell' us some things and yes there is some manipulation involved (the colors that are used in an ad for example) It's all marketing 101. But in terms of things like " I should watch Survivor because Survivor is good and everyone around me watches Survivor..." that kind of thing At that point, I think it's stupid people who let the media manipulate them.

Perhpas to use a better example. Two children's shows. One features a 6 foot dinosaur who sends the message "I love you" oen features a skinny guy ina cardigan who sends the message 'You are loved". Which is the more reinforcing statement "You are loved" but sadly the dinosaur sells more because as we all know the dinosaur loves us and we should love the dinosaur. It wasn't really until I saw Mr. Rogers and barney back to back once that I realized the differece in programs. And no I don't care much for Mr. Rogers but I certainly prefer the message he sends kids. Elmo does the same thing "Elmo loves you!" Do you think it's a coincidence that he's as popular? maybe I'm rambling a bit here, but I don't think it's enitirely in your classmates heads. but you're right part of the problem is people who are so stupid they let the media control them becasue then they don't have ot make decisions. it's a little on both sides. did I answer the questoin? Can I have a cookie now?

--Matt

 

[Drtooth]

Matleo, You are definately, the Man!!!!! That's what I think! I just saw a big display on a buliten board whith this stuff. It just got me crazy. That, and I was very tired. I got here early. I was supposed to do something, and someone was using the computer it was on. it had too big a memory for disk, and there was a program on that one I needed...enough of that. I just put up a small sign that reads "Do you hate TV, or do you hate not being on TV?" A little philosopical question.

 

[muppet_fan_1]

I have to say, I completley agree with Matt on this one. I'm not a very agreeable person, so this is quite a rare thing. I do however like Malcom in the Middle thank you very much... but still. Yes I think the advertisers have a bit to do with the appeal tyo the people. Again with the color scheme and everything. But it is eventually the peoples chioce who they're going to listen to.
And if they isten to the advertsisers and do exactly what they think they should do, then it basically says they have no one else to listen to, and don't feel confident in themselves enough to have their own opinion.
but hey, I'm not sure what I'm talkign about anymore, I'll probably go off on something else here in a bit....

 

[Drtooth]

It's not that I think people who think that way are stupid. Just so long as they really mean it. Half of these dudes beleive that, but then they turn around and watch their Transformers videos, and play with their old He-Man action figures. I mean, reaaly. Hypocrites really blow me off. I should talk. I use to watch the Super Mario cartoon. Besides, I just can't seem to get into Malcom. Especially with what Fox did to Futurama!

 

[muppet_fan_1]

Not to get into a huge arhgument about liking or not liking a silly show, but you shoudn't judge Malcom in the Middle because of what their station did to a completley different show.
(by the way, what DID they do to Futurama?)

 

[matleo]

Meghan

I think what Dr Tooth meant initally had nothing to do with "Malcolm" but the way Fox advertises it and how people respond to those ads either positivley (yes I must watch this show becasue Fox says it's good) or negativley (we must hate this show because Fox says i's good) I think greg the Bunny wasa recent vistim of that in some ways (read some of the threads on here regarding that! Hoo-boy! ) Personally, I'm not a big fan of Malcom. I happend to catch one episode I thought was kind of neat and I think Frankie Muniz has a pretty bright career ahead of him (good comic timing and I've seen him handle drama too!) but I don't care much for the show. my point is ultimatly it comes down to the viewer. do you like malcolm because it's a good show or because fox told it wasa good show (that's a rhetorical question BTW not an attack or a point you have to defend yourself on)

By the way, toothy, what did you mean about Futurama?

Hmm, this whole conversation is reminding me about a quote from the Monkees movie "Head" in the scene with Peter Tork and the Swami....

"We were speaking of beliefs. beliefs and conditioning. All beliefs possibly could be said to be the result of some conditioning. Thus, the study of history is simply the study of one system of beliefs deposing another. And so on and so on and so on. A psychologically tested belief of our time is that the central nervous system, which feeds its impulses directly to the brain -- the conscious and subconscious -- is unable to disern between the real and the vividly imagined experience. Is there is a difference. And most of us believe there is. Am I being clear? For to examine these concepts requires tremendous energy and discipline. To allow the unknown to occur and to occur requires clarity. Now, where there is clarity, there is no choice. And where there is choice, there is misery. But then, why should anyone listen to me, or should I speak, since I know nothing?"

thought it kind of apropos.
--Matt

 

[Drtooth]

What did Fox do to Futurama, you ask Muppet Fan? They cancelled it, because it didn't fit in to the schedual during Footbal and Nascar season. They air like five episodes a year. Malcom is, however, on soooo much. They put it on a "special" night and don't put Futurama anywhere but the cruddy time slot it has now! But what I was saying, a lot of kids here are posers, and don't reaaly believe in that stuff. The whole Transformer thing is the anti-thesis of their whole argument.

 

[muppet_fan_1]

ok, I see your point now. about the whole doing what they tell us to thing. and wasn't trying to defend malcom in the Middle. I do enjoy watching the show, not because of the fact that Fox SAYS I should like it, but because frankly, I enjoy the plot. The basic meanning of it all. symbolisim I gues you could say. not all familes are perfect. most are far from it. it's just nice to know that we're not alone. sorry, that sounds so cheesy...but anyways... that's my "defense" I'm not taking any offense to this convorsation and I hope you don't either. oh yes, and thank you for that inspiring quote matleo.

 

[frogboy4]

They canceled Futurama? I must admit that there was never a clear "hook" with the show. Some episodes were truly inspired, but it really was a hit or miss show in my opinion. I still can't believe they cancelled it, though.

It was certainly strong enough to keep around. Heck, the writing on the X-Files has been stale for over two years and they've kept that on the air. And they have given The Family Guy (also a sometimes brilliant hit or miss show) like a billion chances.

I do happen to enjoy Malcolm, but it's one of those shows I never want to watch. If I get 5 minutes into it I'll watch the whole thing, but I have never been one for family comedies. Great cast and writing, though!

How Fox promoted Greg The Bunny was rather misleading. It is a much sharper show than the pee jokes the advertisements exploited. I wonder how they'll promote The Muppets?