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ZorbaTHut  2yr ago (text post)   45539 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of September 5, 2022

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I've watched a lot of R&M, but only because my enjoyment just barely outweighs my disgust for the show and its characters. And even then not always, there are times when I've had to turn off the TV because the episode was just too disgusting/crass/ugly/nihilistic.

Every season they make the family do even more horrible things, and each time the r-slurs and spergs cheer. At this point it's as if the creators are just trying to see how fucked up and cruel they can make the actions of the family before the audience finally decides that yes, these are clearly not rolemodels or anybody to look up to, but that moment never comes. That moment likely will never come, because for that moment to come there has to be some self awareness, some capacity to self reflect, and perhaps the success of Rick and Morty for all the wrong reasons is the final proof, that this country has lost its way, and there is nothing left except mindless consumption followed by death.

I don't think it's because people don't have the capacity to reflect. They can, they just subconsciously stop themselves from doing it because people under 40 are heavily irony-poisoned and can't handle sincerity. One hypothetical reflection could go something like this:

  1. Rick is an immoral, egotistical, cynical nihilist

  2. It's a bad thing to be an immoral, egotistical, cynical nihilist

  3. Immoral, egotistical, cynical nihilists are not role models or heroes; we should not emulate them or cheer for them

  4. All the R&M characters are like that

  5. Why am I watching this show about evil depressing people

  6. I'm going to watch something more edifying

I don't think most viewers can get past step 1 because step 2 requires making a judgement which it totally lame and uncool and, why are you taking it so seriously bro? And anyway (here come the rationalizations) it's just a cartoon, and what's wrong with portraying imperfect and broken** people? Aren't we all broken to some degree? Should we only portray normal and healthy people?

I have an undeveloped thought about how a lot of modern TV is just the evil twin of 1950s black hat/white hat cowboy movies. Back then the good guy was squeaky clean and always beat the bad guys by virtue of his superior courage and moral rectitude. It was all very "just world." But now, with shows like R&M and GoT it's not more nuanced, it's just an inversion of "just world" into "unjust world." Everyone is evil, sadistic, cowardly. The good are crushed by the bad. Fans try to tell me that it's full of nuance, but I'm sure you could tease nuance out of a John Wayne film if you tried hard enough.

**I can't stand the word "broken" the way it's used to describe moral failings or "traumas," but that's a rant for another post.

I appreciate you taking the time to send the reply. Thank you.

I'm sure you could tease nuance out of a John Wayne film if you tried hard enough.

Have you ever watched The Shootist? Wayne's last film, and since he was more or less typecast as an actor in/for Westerns early in his career, despite trying other roles, you can't really blame him for sticking to what worked.

I haven't, thanks for the recommendation.

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