x-factor: is it a plague on our society?

[Wutaiflea]

Personally I see eltism in all its ugly forms as the greater threat to modern society.
Whether its claiming moral superiority due to religion, social/intellectual superiority due to race or gender... Hell did you know some people even get elitest over preferences in music, games and other art forms.
For some reason, there are people out there who feel the need to assert their belief that they are better than others. If you ask me, this is the greatest plaue mankind has ever had to deal with.

Honestly what is with you people? I don't know what your preference is in music/entertainment but are you seriously so arrogant as to think that anything else is crap?
I know the answer is yes but I wanted to ask anyway to see if you picked up on how stupid such a belief sounds.

Taste in music is not indicative of someone's intelligence. Their personality maybe, but not their intelligence. Different things appeal to different people. Smart business people create products for these people.

I agree with you, although I still hate X-Factor.

For me, its less to do with the music and the performers involved, or even the idea of a singing talent show, but I loathe the format and the shameless plugging that goes with it.
It seems so patronising, and seems to drain every potential drop of entertainment value out of the show. It's literally put through the ringer.

I also find it incredibly hard to take seriously- the show is so clearly fixed and the votes obviously manipulated that it may as well be entirely fictional. And, while I can understand Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell perhaps have the right to claim they're experts in the music industry, I don't believe Cheryl Cole (a woman who wouldn't even perform her new single live on X-Factor) has much basis to criticise other performers.

 

[Buizel91]

i too didnt know what a 'wagner' was, your not the only one

Wait... Wagner was a classical composer, wasn't he? Does the word hold some other meaning in this context? Because I can't seem to make sense of that sentence.

This is Wagner


Sorry escapist... for putting this vile creature on our forums

 

[imnot]

I cant stand it, It screws people up so bad.
And the people on it, THEY THINK THEY CAN SING!

You are telling me this girl cannot sing?


It may not be your type of music, but this girl can sing beautifully.

OT: Personally i don't mind it, hell i watch it, but i can see why many other people hate it.

I meant in general, The ones who can are brilliant but they are sort of outwaighed by the crap people.

 

[teknoarcanist]

What is this 'x factor' which marketers seek to imbue your film and television with the essence thereof?

Perhaps Sir Bruce Campbell can clarify for us.

 

[Buizel91]

I cant stand it, It screws people up so bad.
And the people on it, THEY THINK THEY CAN SING!

You are telling me this girl cannot sing?


It may not be your type of music, but this girl can sing beautifully.

OT: Personally i don't mind it, hell i watch it, but i can see why many other people hate it.

I meant in general, The ones who can are brilliant but they are sort of outwaighed by the crap people.

This year their are quite alot of decent singers apart from 3, but yeh i suppose.

Sorry for the misunderstanding

 

[Sammi Costello]

It is a plague on my art form, anyone who likes x factor has no understanding of music

I can't figure out if they make people idiots or pander directly to them, i'm guessing they were already idiots, in which case bit safer they aren't voting

I tend not to watch it, but this year I have a vested interested. If Wagner wins, they'll hopefully think about seriously rethinking the whole thing, and that'll mean it's off the screens for a year or 2. I mean, Wagner can't sing, so if he wins, it proves once and for all what we all knew all along: X-Factor isn't a singing competition.

 

[JoeThree]

I have a few friends (they're brother, brother, sister) named Wagner... are they a plague too, or am I, because I sometimes call them?! I NEED TO KNOW THIS IS SERIOUS!!!!

 

[WanderingBiscuits]

Nobody here really seems to have a legit argument. I don't watch the show all that often myself but i don't think that "its a plague on society" whatsoever. Some of the singers on it are good, dunno why everybody jumps on their little bandwagons about "OMG everybody is shit".

Regarding the whole issue on the bands doing the circuits for years not getting picked up. Ever think that its because the people they actually put on the show are more marketable?

 

[Jonluw]

i too didnt know what a 'wagner' was, your not the only one

Wait... Wagner was a classical composer, wasn't he? Does the word hold some other meaning in this context? Because I can't seem to make sense of that sentence.

This is Wagner

snip

Sorry escapist... for putting this vile creature on our forums

Spoiler: So... through that name; that performance has now been assosciated with this...

 

[Dastardly]

more and more of our population are being struct down with a zombie virus called "factor-x". If you consider someone to be a zombie look out for these signs: they have a dreadful taste in music, they dont go outside on saturdays and they make reference they grunt the words "wagner" and "cher". These zombies are talking over both our TV and music, there are also more of these zombies than there are voters

^joking aside^ x-factor has significantly lowered the quality of our TV programs and music. Also the fact the more people vote on x-factor than general elections is seriously worrying.

do you agree with me that this program has turned our population into mindless zombies who cant make an informed decision on what music they like but instead have to get someone else to make that decision?

First, you figure out what the population likes to buy.

Then, you distill that thing down into its most basic reproducible elements. And you saturate the market with that hyper-simplified version.

Then, slowly, you rob the consumer of their ability to make informed decisions about what they do or don't like. "It seems like you know, so it's just better to trust you to tell me what's good, right?"

And, finally, you can tell the audience what they like to buy. And you're the winner.

 

[Jonny49]

Anyone who wins just fades into obscurity sooner or later anyway, Leona Lewis is the only one who actually made a career out of it.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Wouldn't go as far as calling it a plague but what it certainly is doing a stifling the music industry. As what it does is makes people who are talented singers take the easy road of a glorified karoake contest to fame Rather than getting a band together, writing some songs and playing bars and clubs to get noticed.

Secondly no one else wants to release anything while x factor is on because they cannot compete with the sales from simon cowell's 4 month long ad campaign, so anything new and interesting musicians tend to get over shadowed, as they cannot get the same exposure in the media.

Overall for me x factor is sucking the creative and artistic value out of music.

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

Yes! X-factor is stagnating the human race! Prepare to die SIMON!

 

[MrFluffy-X]

dude wagner to win! it will totally undermind the whole xfactor system, its always aload of rubbish, i would maybe like it if some rockers went on and sang epic songs like 'reign over me' without ruining it...but its always the same crap

 

[Geekosaurus]

I don't particularly enjoy all of the music they play but I like some of it. And it's entertaining to watch. I have no quarrel with it.

Basically my view on the show right here.

Although i like the music they play *hides head in shame*

I like it when they do The Beatles or The Rat Pack - stuff like that. Not so much when there's a trampy seventeen year old slag 'rapping' in the middle of a timeless Elton John song.

 

[johnman]

I hate it for many reasons. It promotes the idea of the celebrity and fame over talent and hard wok. Normal people are made out to be demi gods worthy of your praise and devotion, simply because they poses some minor musical talent, got on TV and were easily marketable. Whereas many friends I know spent years sat in their rooms learning instruments, practicing, learning how to use music software and created excellent music but will be incredibly lucky if they get anywhere with it, despite being very talented.
I know peoples tastes differ but its media hype and commericalism at its most prevelent. It panders to the lowest common demoinator and I cant even stand overhearing it.