Well, Technically The Fire Is On The House, But This Is No Time For Semantics
Yeah, that's right, I haven't posted in a while. Yeah, that's right, I don't care. Yeah, that's right, I am bad ass and would like you all to know. But I return today with ever more insightful snippets of interweb hoo-ha.
What have I been up to that has caused me leave of this typographical business, you may be inclined to ask, were this not such a stale, one-sided form of communicatory medium? Why, nothing, actually. Aren't you glad you didn't actually ask that, because I know I certainly wouldn't be satisfied with that answer. I really just didn't feel like writing anything, so I didn't. Simple as that. I like keeping it simple, gives me less to explain.
I have been on somewhat of a "media binge" lately. I have watched lots and lots of movies and absorbed much in the way of popular culture. This is different from binges of other sorts, the main difference being it is far less interesting. "Dude, I watched sooooooooooooo much TV yesterday... You shoulda seen me; food crumbs and ass sweat everywhere..." I believe a alcohol binge is officially defined as 4 drinks in an hour, so knowing the entirity of the human race, several binges can be easily attained in single nights. Drug binges are a little more difficult to pinpoint; I myself don't consider it a drug binge unless the terms "high-speed car chase" and "looking for a place to bury a dead hooker" are involved. Food binges usually involve the gaining of some sort of weight, or at least the loss of a good shirt. Sex binges... Well, I never consider it a binge, rather a damn good week. But media binges are classified differently. Media is an all-encompassing term, hence the letter a at the end. So while I may have abstained from frivolously checking my e-mail every six seconds over the past week, I have made up for it by watching many a motion picture. I think everyone goes on media binges all the time, they simply don't refer to them as "binges" to make themselves feel better about playing Yahoo Pool for a sixth of their life. I, however, am entirely comfortable with the term "binge"; I recognize this shit for what it is. My name is Jack Spencer, and I like to watch my ass a damn movie.
Recently this media binge has effected (a-ffected? b-ffected? I isn't none Engish) my speech habits. For instance, reading Achewood on a semi-irregular basis has rendered my speech patterns hella similarity to the characters, all talkin like that silly cat that makes me laugh.
Watching Dolemite makes me want to rhyme
And talk in bad-ass time
Base my speech on them things he said
Now, bitch, splay yo self up on dat bed!
Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo makes me want to breakdance, despite whatever lack of talent I may have. Style Wars makes me want to tag shit up, go bombin', talk back to my mama and wear hoodies, and generally be 1980's New York bad ass. The Big Lebowski makes me even lazier than I am already. After hearing one Mitch Hedberg joke, I'm talking like that cat for days.
I don't know, man, I'm starting to believe all those Christian mothers who think playing Grand Theft Auto will turn you into Charles Manson. People are hella influenced by the shows they watch and games they play, as evidenced by my incorporation of the word "hella" in the earlier part of this sentence. I don't actually think violent video games increase violence in real life, and I'm not even going to step into that puddle of peanut butter any time soon, but media certainly does effect us, if only in the way we talk and act (I say "if only" as though talking and acting were a minimal part of human nature). I've had dreams about Achewood and Larry David lately, and I'm not sure if that's healthy. Damn you invention of DVD!
This is all tyed in with the concept of referencing. How much of your day to day conversation consists of a reference to a book, television show, song, movie or other form of media? Being a college student, my answer to that question is undoubtedly "SLOPPY JOOOOOOOOOE, SLOPPY SLOPPY JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" So much of what we do and say is based on what people in popular culture have done before us. Why do we copt the styles and sayings of often-times fictional characters? Why, because they're so much cooler than we are. Everything in movies is funnier and wittier and sexier than anything you could've come up with, jackass. I think another important element is human beings base desire to think they're cool. If someone brings up a line from a movie, make absolutely sure you let them know you recognize what movie, or else you will be forever shunned for being uncool. However, if you know the reference, immedietly you will be accepted by your peers and the rest of the nights conversation can be quoted verbatim from said film.
I must say it is annoying when people's entire conversations consist of references, but this is yet another thing that I hate that I do just as much, if not more, than anyone. There's some sort of comfort in being able to sit around in a group of friends and parlay words some Hollywood executive fuck crapped onto paper to meet his deadline. It certainly saves having to come up with anything yourself. It often comes up when I say something that I suppose sounds original and/or humorous, at least beyond any semblance of the banality of real life banter, people immedietly ask what movie that's from. It's from the cinema of the mind, bitch! I comed up wittitt all my lonesome. I don't blame the person really; basically every comment anyone makes in modern society that smacks of originality actually smacks of the originality of someone neither party has met.
I start to wonder, if since most "real people" get their clever ideas from movies and such, where do the people who make these movies come from? Then I look at the list of movies coming out recently and realize all movies are references to movies as well. Everything's a sequel or a remake or adapted from a book or television show, and those that aren't are so heavy with cliche you couldn't tell they weren't meant to be a remake. Then I realize, hey, popular music is pulling this shit too. Sampling has gotten to the point where an entire song is basically stolen and a new vocal track is put on it, sort of like when Kung-Fu movies get dubbed into English. This bugs me mainly because this is a sneaky form of referencing; not referencing at all but rather claiming as their own. If one more person asks me if Stevie Wonder sampled Coolio, I'll have to get all Dirty Harry on they ass (reference!). Yeah, Stevie Wonder fucking invented a time machine too, simply so he could sample Coolio. That makes sense, donut? Go to hell.
I had a theory (keep in mind, I was high) that everything in life is a pop culture reference. It didn't make sense at the time, but man, was I ever adamant about getting my teetering point across. Now I think I understand what I was trying to garble out: It relates to Plato's forms. Plato put forth the idea that everything in life is an imperfect representation of it's true form, and this form is off floating somewhere in the universe. Kind of an interesting concept; I don't necessarily believe in it, especially since Plato actually believed the perfect form existed somewhere in space and you could find it if you could get out there somehow. As a metaphor, I think it's a somewhat sound idea (I talked about this briefly in my early days), at least while I'm high. Everything you see is a pop culture reference to its perfect self.
When someone says something to you, it helps for you to be aware of the things they're talking about so that you don't get lost. For instance, it certainly helps to be versed in Spanish when talking to someone who speaks Spanish. In an abstract way, this can be akin to referencing, in that the Spanish language is a reference that Spanish speakers are aware of, and if you don't catch the reference, you'll be lost.
Life is chock full of referencing. The only reason it bugs me is because people use obscure references as a way to seperate themselves from the uncool folks who don't know what they're referencing, even though they had nothing to with the creation of the reference. Wearing a T-Shirt with your favorite band on it doesn't mean you had anything to do with the music, now sit down and shut up.
Wow, I have no idea where I was trying to go with this. Maybe I should just go watch Mr. Show and yell lines at passers by.
What have I been up to that has caused me leave of this typographical business, you may be inclined to ask, were this not such a stale, one-sided form of communicatory medium? Why, nothing, actually. Aren't you glad you didn't actually ask that, because I know I certainly wouldn't be satisfied with that answer. I really just didn't feel like writing anything, so I didn't. Simple as that. I like keeping it simple, gives me less to explain.
I have been on somewhat of a "media binge" lately. I have watched lots and lots of movies and absorbed much in the way of popular culture. This is different from binges of other sorts, the main difference being it is far less interesting. "Dude, I watched sooooooooooooo much TV yesterday... You shoulda seen me; food crumbs and ass sweat everywhere..." I believe a alcohol binge is officially defined as 4 drinks in an hour, so knowing the entirity of the human race, several binges can be easily attained in single nights. Drug binges are a little more difficult to pinpoint; I myself don't consider it a drug binge unless the terms "high-speed car chase" and "looking for a place to bury a dead hooker" are involved. Food binges usually involve the gaining of some sort of weight, or at least the loss of a good shirt. Sex binges... Well, I never consider it a binge, rather a damn good week. But media binges are classified differently. Media is an all-encompassing term, hence the letter a at the end. So while I may have abstained from frivolously checking my e-mail every six seconds over the past week, I have made up for it by watching many a motion picture. I think everyone goes on media binges all the time, they simply don't refer to them as "binges" to make themselves feel better about playing Yahoo Pool for a sixth of their life. I, however, am entirely comfortable with the term "binge"; I recognize this shit for what it is. My name is Jack Spencer, and I like to watch my ass a damn movie.
Recently this media binge has effected (a-ffected? b-ffected? I isn't none Engish) my speech habits. For instance, reading Achewood on a semi-irregular basis has rendered my speech patterns hella similarity to the characters, all talkin like that silly cat that makes me laugh.
Watching Dolemite makes me want to rhyme
And talk in bad-ass time
Base my speech on them things he said
Now, bitch, splay yo self up on dat bed!
Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo makes me want to breakdance, despite whatever lack of talent I may have. Style Wars makes me want to tag shit up, go bombin', talk back to my mama and wear hoodies, and generally be 1980's New York bad ass. The Big Lebowski makes me even lazier than I am already. After hearing one Mitch Hedberg joke, I'm talking like that cat for days.
I don't know, man, I'm starting to believe all those Christian mothers who think playing Grand Theft Auto will turn you into Charles Manson. People are hella influenced by the shows they watch and games they play, as evidenced by my incorporation of the word "hella" in the earlier part of this sentence. I don't actually think violent video games increase violence in real life, and I'm not even going to step into that puddle of peanut butter any time soon, but media certainly does effect us, if only in the way we talk and act (I say "if only" as though talking and acting were a minimal part of human nature). I've had dreams about Achewood and Larry David lately, and I'm not sure if that's healthy. Damn you invention of DVD!
This is all tyed in with the concept of referencing. How much of your day to day conversation consists of a reference to a book, television show, song, movie or other form of media? Being a college student, my answer to that question is undoubtedly "SLOPPY JOOOOOOOOOE, SLOPPY SLOPPY JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" So much of what we do and say is based on what people in popular culture have done before us. Why do we copt the styles and sayings of often-times fictional characters? Why, because they're so much cooler than we are. Everything in movies is funnier and wittier and sexier than anything you could've come up with, jackass. I think another important element is human beings base desire to think they're cool. If someone brings up a line from a movie, make absolutely sure you let them know you recognize what movie, or else you will be forever shunned for being uncool. However, if you know the reference, immedietly you will be accepted by your peers and the rest of the nights conversation can be quoted verbatim from said film.
I must say it is annoying when people's entire conversations consist of references, but this is yet another thing that I hate that I do just as much, if not more, than anyone. There's some sort of comfort in being able to sit around in a group of friends and parlay words some Hollywood executive fuck crapped onto paper to meet his deadline. It certainly saves having to come up with anything yourself. It often comes up when I say something that I suppose sounds original and/or humorous, at least beyond any semblance of the banality of real life banter, people immedietly ask what movie that's from. It's from the cinema of the mind, bitch! I comed up wittitt all my lonesome. I don't blame the person really; basically every comment anyone makes in modern society that smacks of originality actually smacks of the originality of someone neither party has met.
I start to wonder, if since most "real people" get their clever ideas from movies and such, where do the people who make these movies come from? Then I look at the list of movies coming out recently and realize all movies are references to movies as well. Everything's a sequel or a remake or adapted from a book or television show, and those that aren't are so heavy with cliche you couldn't tell they weren't meant to be a remake. Then I realize, hey, popular music is pulling this shit too. Sampling has gotten to the point where an entire song is basically stolen and a new vocal track is put on it, sort of like when Kung-Fu movies get dubbed into English. This bugs me mainly because this is a sneaky form of referencing; not referencing at all but rather claiming as their own. If one more person asks me if Stevie Wonder sampled Coolio, I'll have to get all Dirty Harry on they ass (reference!). Yeah, Stevie Wonder fucking invented a time machine too, simply so he could sample Coolio. That makes sense, donut? Go to hell.
I had a theory (keep in mind, I was high) that everything in life is a pop culture reference. It didn't make sense at the time, but man, was I ever adamant about getting my teetering point across. Now I think I understand what I was trying to garble out: It relates to Plato's forms. Plato put forth the idea that everything in life is an imperfect representation of it's true form, and this form is off floating somewhere in the universe. Kind of an interesting concept; I don't necessarily believe in it, especially since Plato actually believed the perfect form existed somewhere in space and you could find it if you could get out there somehow. As a metaphor, I think it's a somewhat sound idea (I talked about this briefly in my early days), at least while I'm high. Everything you see is a pop culture reference to its perfect self.
When someone says something to you, it helps for you to be aware of the things they're talking about so that you don't get lost. For instance, it certainly helps to be versed in Spanish when talking to someone who speaks Spanish. In an abstract way, this can be akin to referencing, in that the Spanish language is a reference that Spanish speakers are aware of, and if you don't catch the reference, you'll be lost.
Life is chock full of referencing. The only reason it bugs me is because people use obscure references as a way to seperate themselves from the uncool folks who don't know what they're referencing, even though they had nothing to with the creation of the reference. Wearing a T-Shirt with your favorite band on it doesn't mean you had anything to do with the music, now sit down and shut up.
Wow, I have no idea where I was trying to go with this. Maybe I should just go watch Mr. Show and yell lines at passers by.
posted by MC Harv at 1:24 PM
4 Comments:
Hey Jack this is Anand. My friend just wrote a 10 page research paper on race-relations in "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo" for his film studies class. He pulled this off under the guise of Cultural Criticism which basically states that every pop culture reference reflects the state of society in some way. The paper consequently sucked all the fun out of Breakin'
THE ONLY WAY TO SUCK THE FUN OUT OF BREAKIN' IS NEVER
i think them flicka shows did some damage to your train of thought.
Holy shit, Jack. I don't know where to go with this. I may need to come back later. You've inspired me to go to Blockbuster....
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