Stuff You've Changed Your Mind On

[XsjadoBlayde]

Communism. As a dirty socialist type of woodland mammal, it always used to seem a bit too far. But as we blindly and gleefully veer nearer the precipice - the "tipping point" of environmental decline that no doubt will cause various positive feedback loops, ultimately highlighting existence is going to get quite nasty for most if not all pondering lifeforms here until the last of us simmer away clasping the final hoards of digital gold like obese stubborn dragons sat upon the spire of the only global megacorp left standing, I cannot help but see any other option that isn't this present ultra-capitalist trajectory as a healthier, safer bet for the future of this hopeless species. No more irony...come hither, comrades!

 

[meiam]

Communism. As a dirty socialist type of woodland mammal, it always used to seem a bit too far. But as we blindly and gleefully veer nearer the precipice - the "tipping point" of environmental decline that no doubt will cause various positive feedback loops, ultimately highlighting existence is going to get quite nasty for most if not all pondering lifeforms here until the last of us simmer away clasping the final hoards of digital gold like obese stubborn dragons sat upon the spire of the only global megacorp left standing, I cannot help but see any other option that isn't this present ultra-capitalist trajectory as a healthier, safer bet for the future of this hopeless species. No more irony...come hither, comrades!

I can think of a lot of reason one would come to like communism, but environmentalist is not one of them. What possible reason would you think communism would push for environment more than capitalism? The soviet union/china sure aren't big on environment. Pretty much everything needed to seriously tackle the environment will require serious limits on people habit (consume less electricity, eat less meat, use less land, prioritize public transportation, etc), something which would definetly not be appreciated by the general public.

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

I can think of a lot of reason one would come to like communism, but environmentalist is not one of them. What possible reason would you think communism would push for environment more than capitalism? The soviet union/china sure aren't big on environment. Pretty much everything needed to seriously tackle the environment will require serious limits on people habit (consume less electricity, eat less meat, use less land, prioritize public transportation, etc), something which would definetly not be appreciated by the general public.

First of all, contemporary China has about zero to do with communism, socialism, or even a real dictatorship of the proletariat. Second, it's true that, historically, environmentalism has been a privilege of the first world and I will be the first to admit that a lot of the socialist nations that have existed in the past had major deficits in this regard. You can still see the consequences of that in many parts of East Germany.

That being said, it's simply disingenuous to claim that it's not mostly private interests that are, at this point, in the way of a sustenaible treatment of the environment. Even as a communist I don't think the abolishment of private enterprise will automatically solve environmental issues just like I don't think it'll solve racism or solve sexism or the persecution of sexual and gender minorities. But I think only socialism provides a framework in which they can be solved at all.

 

[XsjadoBlayde]

I can think of a lot of reason one would come to like communism, but environmentalist is not one of them. What possible reason would you think communism would push for environment more than capitalism? The soviet union/china sure aren't big on environment. Pretty much everything needed to seriously tackle the environment will require serious limits on people habit (consume less electricity, eat less meat, use less land, prioritize public transportation, etc), something which would definetly not be appreciated by the general public.

PsychedelicDiamond got there first, so I don't have much more to add in those areas. It appears you're coming at this from purely an individual/civilian responsibility for limiting climate change, whereas the datas point to that as being statistically insignificant in comparison to the carbon footprint of corporations. So removing the barriers of profit-first/regulations-ignorered-or-loopholed-at-every-opportunity would be a marginal improvement over our current shitfest of eternal greed growth for the short-term gains of the privileged few.

(Oops, only just noticed this topic is in the tv/film section...sorry!)

 

[happyninja42]

(Oops, only just noticed this topic is in the tv/film section...sorry!)

Yeah

First of all,

First of all, this is the MOVIES AND TV thread, not Current Events. So please stop debating political ideology here and make your own thread about political/social things you've change your mind on in the forum page where it's actually appropriate.

This is for telling us how you changed your mind on how Surf Ninjas is now your favorite film because of *whatever reason you have*, despite hating it when you were a kid.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

This is gonna be a little political but-

Robocop and Dredd. I found Robocop entertaining enough, and I really liked Dredd's comics and his movie (not Stallone's), but after coming across a few clips of both on YouTube, I find it kind of hard to stomach them now. After all the recent reminders of police abuse, and not only in the US mind you, it's weird to cheer on either of them as they gun down hordes of poor people. I know they're from dystopian futures, but it's still very unsettling to me.

EDIT: Okay to make this a little less bleak, The Legend of Korra. I've always thought of it as a lesser sequel, and I still do, but I appreciate it more these days. I guess I needed to stop expecting it to be just another The Last Airbender and be more open to the different directions it wanted to go.

 

[happyninja42]

EDIT: Okay to make this a little less bleak, The Legend of Korra. I've always thought of it as a lesser sequel, and I still do, but I appreciate it more these days. I guess I needed to stop expecting it to be just another The Last Airbender and be more open to the different directions it wanted to go.

Yeah I was fine with Korra being something different and going where it wanted to go, I just don't think it actually made it there, and stumbled all over itself along the way.

This is gonna be a little political but-

Robocop and Dredd. I found Robocop entertaining enough, and I really liked Dredd's comics and his movie (not Stallone's), but after coming across a few clips of both on YouTube, I find it kind of hard to stomach them now. After all the recent reminders of police abuse, and not only in the US mind you, it's weird to cheer on either of them as they gun down hordes of poor people. I know they're from dystopian futures, but it's still very unsettling to me.
/QUOTE]

Yeah I've found I just dislike gratuitous violence in general these days. I was never like a HUGE fan of it growing up, but I didn't mind it, and enjoyed it to a certain extent. But I do find that stories where the emphasis isn't on "and then they solved all their problems and saved the day by blowing everything up" are WAY more interesting to me.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Yeah I was fine with Korra being something different and going where it wanted to go, I just don't think it actually made it there, and stumbled all over itself along the way.

True. Between the trouble with Nickelodeon and some odd choices, the series ended poorly. But I've changed from treating it with outright contempt to grudging respect. They had some good idea, a lot of bad ones, and generally good animation. Which is always the selling point for me when it comes to cartoons.

 

[happyninja42]

True. Between the trouble with Nickelodeon and some odd choices, the series ended poorly. But I've changed from treating it with outright contempt to grudging respect. They had some good idea, a lot of bad ones, and generally good animation. Which is always the selling point for me when it comes to cartoons.

I honestly don't know if my thoughts have changed on it, as I haven't watched it again since it's first run. I never like super hated it, but there were some choices they made that did frustrate the hell out of me. But they also had some characters and storylines that I enjoyed a lot, so it was about half and half.

 

[BrawlMan]

Dexter's Laboratory. I find it hard to really watch nowadays. Especially if it involves Dee Dee or supposed to be sympathetic to Dee Dee. She is one of the most annoying dumbasses in animation history.

 

[BrawlMan]

This is gonna be a little political but-

Robocop and Dredd. I found Robocop entertaining enough, and I really liked Dredd's comics and his movie (not Stallone's), but after coming across a few clips of both on YouTube, I find it kind of hard to stomach them now. After all the recent reminders of police abuse, and not only in the US mind you, it's weird to cheer on either of them as they gun down hordes of poor people. I know they're from dystopian futures, but it's still very unsettling to me.

EDIT: Okay to make this a little less bleak, The Legend of Korra. I've always thought of it as a lesser sequel, and I still do, but I appreciate it more these days. I guess I needed to stop expecting it to be just another The Last Airbender and be more open to the different directions it wanted to go.

Robocop and Dredd I can watch fine, but I understand your sentiments.

I wish I shared your feelings on Korra. I went from hating Korra to still disliking it but not giving a rat's ass. There were too many screw-ups on Nickelodeon, and Mike and Brian's part as well. The pairing in season 4 was a big ass pull, and was made just to have a pat on the back to say "hey, we're progressive too!". The fact they lost their best writer did not help either and it shows heavily.

 

[happyninja42]

Dexter's Laboratory. I find it hard to really watch nowadays. Especially if it involves Dee Dee or supposed to be sympathetic to Dee Dee. She is one of the most annoying dumbasses in animation history.

I never watched Dexter's, but I've always found it really strange, how prevalent, and popular the "annoying *****/tsundere" trope is. I just, don't see the appeal.

 

[BrawlMan]

I never watched Dexter's, but I've always found it really strange, how prevalent, and popular the "annoying *****/tsundere" trope is. I just, don't see the appeal.

She is less tsundere, more dumb blonde you're supposed to find funny or endearing. Though she does have those moments some of the time. Dee Dee is one of the most annoying, unsympathetic, older siblings in animation history. She's not exactly the worst, but she's high up on the list. She is up there with Francis (even Tara Strong hated doing that voice) & Lynn Loud Jr. Hell, most of Lincoln's older sisters act like assholes, it's just that Lynn stands out the most. If not her then one of the younger twins Lola sticks out. you know something is wrong when Seto Kaiba is a better older sibling than all of them combined.

 

[happyninja42]

She is less tsundere, more dumb blonde you're supposed to find funny or endearing. Though she does have those moments some of the time. Dee Dee is one of the most annoying, unsympathetic, older siblings in animation history. She's not exactly the worst, but she's high up on the list. She is up there with Francis (even Tara Strong hated doing that voice) & Lynn Loud Jr. Hell, most of Lincoln's older sisters act like assholes, it's just that Lynn stands out the most. If not her then one of the younger twins Lola sticks out. you know something is wrong when Seto Kaiba is a better older sibling than all of them combined.

I just use that term as a catchall for "annoying female character type, designed to be confrontational for no reason other than to be confrontational" It's a very broad category, I've just never understood the appeal of them as a protagonist or ally of protagonist. But then I've never really understood the appeal off asshole characters in general. Like the House's, and Rick's, etc. It's just a character type that I've never enjoyed and would rather they just go away. If they are the key figure of the show, and the main point is just "wow, look at how much of an asshole they are" i really lose interest fast.

 

[BrawlMan]

I just use that term as a catchall for "annoying female character type, designed to be confrontational for no reason other than to be confrontational" It's a very broad category, I've just never understood the appeal of them as a protagonist or ally of protagonist. But then I've never really understood the appeal off asshole characters in general. Like the House's, and Rick's, etc. It's just a character type that I've never enjoyed and would rather they just go away. If they are the key figure of the show, and the main point is just "wow, look at how much of an asshole they are" i really lose interest fast.

I usually don't mind if the character is a jerk just as long as they have actual nicer traits or good qualities to them. It's a fine line that is hard to write and get correct. I lost interest in House, mainly cuz they got repetitive and I could tell the writers were just throwing whatever they can at a wall dart. Characters like Dante, Bayonetta, Ryoko, Washu, 3/4 of the main cast from Cowboy Bebop (Edward is already nice to begin with, but she is mischievous and a computer hacker), and Wolfwood are characters that are jerks, but their jerks with a heart of gold. Out of all the names I just mentioned, Jet (Cowboy Bebop) and Wolfwood (despite his shady past) would be the nicest out of the group. Most of them could probably tolerate or stand House. Rick on the other hand though, all the characters I mention would be disgusted by him. Especially Washu.

 

[ObsidianJones]

Anime in general.

I really don't even know where to begin. I truly don't.

I think my overarching thought is anime breaks down almost all it's plots into two things. "Plots driven on Stupidity/Stubbornness" or "Japan Says No".

"Oh, no! If someone sees you here, the rumors will go around the school and we'll never live it down!"

A mixture. In any other place but Anime Japan, you can talk to a person like a person and explain the mishap. They actually might be your ally and help you. But no. If they find out, the whole school will know as well. And that's where the mixture comes in. Because you did something so against the rules, it's that witness's moral duty to gossip so you will be shame and we perpetuate the feeling that we must shame others so we can never do anything wrong AND never trust anyone.

And you can apply that to almost anything. "I thought I saw you holding hands", "Were you talking to a girl?", "Why would spiky haired protagonist be here at this time? I knew I shouldn't have trusted him. Let me completely betray his trust because I must be apart of his life instead of respecting his boundaries!"

The over sexualized nature is really putting me off. Especially since the National Mascot of Japanese Culture are 14-16 year old girls. Might be legal there, but that's no where near what I can be comfortable staring at the breasts of. Or seeing shots that for some reason need to frame their behinds in the shot when we're looking at a chalkboard or something.

But even that is an offshot of "Japan Says No!". The 'no' is overt sexuality, and it's something they put on their real selves, so everything is just sex, sex, sex.

You can't talk anything out in a Japanese plot because it's just too embarrassing that we're not perfect or we have flaws, so hide it until you find out that you would have been accepted anyway.

And then we go to the types, so we don't have to really learn about the characters. The ideal japanese woman, the red blooded man, the Tsun-tsun, the man who's every waking moment is devoted to his penis...

One of the reasons I love Konosuba is because I can name so many different parts of their personality. Darkness is a perv. Straight up. But she absolutely takes her class seriously and she wants to be there because she cares about her team and her friends... and yes, she does get off on it. But we've seen that she has the highest esteem for everyone in the world, even being what she is. And she is the social link to normalcy (if that's to be believed) because she took her training seriously and she acts as the diplomat.

That's one character. Everyone has layers. And it's freaking funny.

Eh. Maybe this is just me getting older. But it feels like every anime is the same. You even look for the running part in the anime opening when it shouldn't even be there. Because it's an anime opening. It'll be there. I feel like I've already seen every anime there is in 2005.

 

[meiam]

Eh. Maybe this is just me getting older. But it feels like every anime is the same. You even look for the running part in the anime opening when it shouldn't even be there. Because it's an anime opening. It'll be there. I feel like I've already seen every anime there is in 2005.

Anime is a smaller medium, so if you watch "x" anime per season vs "x" live action show per season you'll get more of the bottom of the barrel stuff with anime. Anime usually have maybe 30 new show per season, if you watch 10 of these you're essentially watching 30% of all tha comes out. A similar percentage for live action show would be in the 100's. Let say both of them have a distribution of 1% masterpiece, 9 % good, 70% average, 20% crap. Well if you have 500 live action in a season that means 5 masterpiece and 45 good show, if you watch 10 you could have nothing but great show. But for anime that comes out to 1 masterpiece every 3-4 season and only 2-3 good show, so if you watch 10 you're forced to watch the average show.

But yeah, I'm tired of plot being driven by stupidity, especially when they have character act way out of character to make sure things happen the way the writer want to. But reading review/comment I don't most viewer don't care. SOmetime it feel like people outright prefer "tell, don't show"

 

[Dalisclock]

Anime in general.

I really don't even know where to begin. I truly don't.

I think my overarching thought is anime breaks down almost all it's plots into two things. "Plots driven on Stupidity/Stubbornness" or "Japan Says No".

The first one is one of my big Bugbears with Final Fantasy X. Namely, the incessant cringeness of Tidus constantly either hitting on Yuna or making references to "After this is all over....". Everyone but Tidus knows that The endpoint of Yunas Journey is her sacrificing herself for the world but nobody tells Tidus this until pretty late in the game and there's like no good fucking reason for it either. Just a "We didn't have the heart to tell you".

I don't particularly like Tidus but the fact everyone just lets him carry on like that despite knowing better comes across a form of cruel joke on the part of the entire group.

 

[BrawlMan]

Anime in general.

I really don't even know where to begin. I truly don't.

I think my overarching thought is anime breaks down almost all it's plots into two things. "Plots driven on Stupidity/Stubbornness" or "Japan Says No".

"Oh, no! If someone sees you here, the rumors will go around the school and we'll never live it down!"

A mixture. In any other place but Anime Japan, you can talk to a person like a person and explain the mishap. They actually might be your ally and help you. But no. If they find out, the whole school will know as well. And that's where the mixture comes in. Because you did something so against the rules, it's that witness's moral duty to gossip so you will be shame and we perpetuate the feeling that we must shame others so we can never do anything wrong AND never trust anyone.

And you can apply that to almost anything. "I thought I saw you holding hands", "Were you talking to a girl?", "Why would spiky haired protagonist be here at this time? I knew I shouldn't have trusted him. Let me completely betray his trust because I must be apart of his life instead of respecting his boundaries!"

The over sexualized nature is really putting me off. Especially since the National Mascot of Japanese Culture are 14-16 year old girls. Might be legal there, but that's no where near what I can be comfortable staring at the breasts of. Or seeing shots that for some reason need to frame their behinds in the shot when we're looking at a chalkboard or something.

But even that is an offshot of "Japan Says No!". The 'no' is overt sexuality, and it's something they put on their real selves, so everything is just sex, sex, sex.

You can't talk anything out in a Japanese plot because it's just too embarrassing that we're not perfect or we have flaws, so hide it until you find out that you would have been accepted anyway.

And then we go to the types, so we don't have to really learn about the characters. The ideal japanese woman, the red blooded man, the Tsun-tsun, the man who's every waking moment is devoted to his penis...

One of the reasons I love Konosuba is because I can name so many different parts of their personality. Darkness is a perv. Straight up. But she absolutely takes her class seriously and she wants to be there because she cares about her team and her friends... and yes, she does get off on it. But we've seen that she has the highest esteem for everyone in the world, even being what she is. And she is the social link to normalcy (if that's to be believed) because she took her training seriously and she acts as the diplomat.

That's one character. Everyone has layers. And it's freaking funny.

Eh. Maybe this is just me getting older. But it feels like every anime is the same. You even look for the running part in the anime opening when it shouldn't even be there. Because it's an anime opening. It'll be there. I feel like I've already seen every anime there is in 2005.

You might want to read this.

It's not true that old anime was better - kukuruyo

Not long ago, me and a friend did a panel at a geek convention in which we defied the idea held apparently by most old anime viewers that anime in the past was better than now. Our idea was to[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry...

www.kukuruyo.com

I don't watch alot of anime as much, but I keep trying. I am at that point where I know what works for me. Old anime was not perfect either and there was plenty of trash back then. There was just more creative freedom and not everything was modernized to fit for otaku's. There is still plenty different out there; you're just going to have to take the extra effort find it. Anime has always had problems of standardzied looks and playing follow the leader. Look at Evangelion. When that came out in 95/96, everyone wanted that piece of the pie for over a decade. And I hated Eva, and most of the clones it inspired. So what you're going through or seen is not new.

 

[BrawlMan]

The Purge. I went from hating the first film to just regular dislike it, but full of wasted potential. I expected to not like the sequel, but ended up loving Anarchy as soon as I stepped out of the theater. All of the sequels are better than the original. To those that never seen The Purge films, I ironically recommend that you start with the sequel/prequel called...The First Purge (I just call it Purge 4 to avoid confusion) and then watch Anarchy and Election Year. The sequels have better action, with Purge 4 having the best and The Raid-like action sequences in the last 20 minutes. The sequels are some of the best remakes of Escape From N.Y or film adaptions of Manhunt you will ever find. Weeeeeellllll, until Rob Zombie's 31 on the Manhunt adaption. Still I love the sequels subtle and not so subtle text and sub-text on racism and classism. Not to mention that I love the films emphasized on showing cast of people of different color. To the point that they are the main characters of focus in Purge 4.

Something ironic I noticed is that America in the Purge films is a place that people like Big Boss, Senator Armstrong, Vaz, The Joker, or Johan Liebert would want. Except they don't want 12 hours....they want 24/7. Do you know how screwed up things be with either them in charge. They would all betray the NFFA or kill them when they're no longer needed for fun (Joker and Johan).