Monday, September 26, 2011

Mind Dump 7- Incorrect Opinions

I believe very strongly that certain things that are technically subjective opinions can be objectively wrong. This can range from views on some games to certain aspects of other cultures. However, the key to having this opinion while not becoming a hypocrite is recognizing one's own incorrect opinions like eating cereal without milk or the posts below.


1. I have no problem with curse words (although I try not to curse online since it lasts forever for all to see) and think the whole idea of words you shouldn't say is dumb and contrary to what language is about. Granted, overuse of a curse word is a problem but so is overuse of any word. It's one thing to curse at someone and have them be offended since you are insulting them but if someone is mad because I like stubbed my toe or something and cursed near them they can go... do certain things to themselves.

Racial slurs are a bit different since targeting a certain group is inherent in their meaning regardless of context but I would gladly stop caring about them if it meant living in world where no one cared about cursing.

2. I love writing. At times it is hard to start but once I get going it's like a faucet that can't be turned off. However, I don't really care for reading which I recognize is super weird. Just certain little things about books like their spines, holding them, turning pages, reading words on a page and other intangible qualities others find sentimental bug me. Maybe it is because I'm such a screenager. That would probably explain why I'd rather read a book on my iPad (or in theory a Kindle but to me the idea of buying a whole device just to read books is ludicrous).

Also, it's not that I think it's wrong to put books on this pedestal of being the most intellectual medium but rather other medium, like movies or especially games, are underrated in their intellectual merit. I feel film is usually a more compelling narrative delivery device, why spend pages describing something when one could just show it, and that the internet is a better information collection device, two of books' main uses. I would rather watch a movie based on a book before reading the book it was based on every single time (that includes comics too) and although most games stories aren't good, they are fun to play and think about so it kind of doesn't matter.

3. I don't care at all about being spoiled for movies or anything else for that matter. In fact, I actively seek spoilers out since rapid information collecting is a hallmark of good journalism. To me if a piece of work doesn't succeed without some kind of twist ending, then it only works once and therefore fails. You can only be spoiled once but movies should stand up to repeated viewings. Here are some more arguments if you want but it basically says that when one isn't preoccupied trying to predict the plot they can appreciate the work more. Besides, what's the use in predicting a movie since whatever the answer is, it already exists. Whether or not you guessed it doesn't really matter. This is all a part of my upcoming film nihilism theory.

4. I appreciate grand, interesting failures over safe, boring but total competent affairs. That's why I still think about Ang Lee's super slow and borderline unwatchable Hulk movie way more often than the new one. That's also why Speed Racer is great, the third Matrix movie is better than the second one and why Pirates of the Caribbean 3 is the second best out of the four. Spider-Man 3 is pretty good too.


Anyone mad about any of this should consult the title of this post.

1 comment:

  1. 2 and 3 are so incorrect.

    Books are awesome and contain so many details and shit that you just cant fit in other mediums. Take Game of Thrones, the show was great and captured the essence of the book, but thats it just the essence. Theres a fuckton of details and cool characters and subtleties, some even about main plot stuff, that you just dont get in the show. And thats 10 hours of show, I shudder to think what would happen in a 2 hour movie.

    and as for dedicated devices, you know theyre better. Just like handheld vs smartphone. The Nook Wifi is $140 vs the $500 ipad, just small enough to fit in a pocket (barely), and like 1/3 the weight of said ipad. And can be read in sunlight.

    Now if you are set on getting a tablet anyway just getting one would be smart. If not though you can save cash and get a better experience at the same time.

    ReplyDelete