Anthropology of the Big Bang
#1
Several of Ricardo's posts have prompted us to make a philosophy, culture and history thread, because they wasn't anywhere for these topics to be posted.

(03-30-2015, 04:38 AM)ricardo shillyshally Wrote: Okay so I have no idea where to post this) I suppose you could say that this is also a rite of passage. I also class going to Uni, and a three day festival, as rites of passage. You could also knowing that CL was tuned in, say that he slips in numerous references.


(04-09-2015, 11:28 PM)ricardo shillyshally Wrote: I think if we're going to examine any twenty first century artifact it might as well be TBBT. In gives us an insight into Earth's culture. Those five American media companies also dominate world viewing; we are being entertained, but also sold a life style, and culture(with it's own values). But also the world's impression of America is based on shows, and films. I think what has really shaped our heroes, is the negativity they were exposed to. Jock Vs everyone else, but especially The Nerds, is well known. The idea of the American man as physically, sexually, male is (according to RT programme) based on gangster movies(The Godfather, Scarface), which then became gangsta rap culture, and has spread around the world , as how a man behaves. They saw bullies at school, (and afterwards), as 'gender police', enforcing what it is to be male. This programme had the chance to challenge this stereotyping, I'm not sure if it's done that or reinforced it. [Image: 07.jpg]
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#2
[Image: Sheldon-Leonard-and-Penny-leonard-hofsta...21-400.jpg] I realise that's the main problem, society sees couples. These are some quotes about Love Triangles; '"Although the romantic love triangle is formally identical to the friendship triad, as many have noted their actual implications are quite different....Romantic love is typically viewed as an exclusive relationship, whereas friendship is not." Statistics suggest that, in Western society, "wittingly or not, most adults have been involved in a love triangle" Romeo and Juliet featured a love triangle between Juliet, Romeo, and Paris. They allow a woman into their relationship, an isosceles triangle is created' automatically, as 'in Truffaut's film Jules et Jim 'The other suitor usually steps aside to allow the couple to be happy, or comes to terms with their feelings, often claiming they could not love the main character as much. Sometimes they are written out of the love equation entirely by falling in love with someone else, or being killed off or otherwise eliminated. While love triangles can be accused of being clichéd, if done well, they provide insight into the complexity of love.'
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#3
I think all the guys have created safe havens for themselves; their jobs, apartments, virtual worlds. So it's great when the plot challenges this, and them. I think based on past observation we could predict how they might react when in their safe worlds, but anything is possible when they are exposed, out there. Howard wanted to kill Sheldon on top of the world, and here they seem to have gone feral![Image: TBBT-The-Adhesive-Duck-Deficiency-3-08-t...53-480.jpg]
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#4
I really liked this scene. It's funny seeing the guys involved in a little mild drug use and although it's exaggerated for comedy, it's enjoyable. We get a little background on all three of them, with Leonard revealing he hates his name, Howard talking about losing his virginity and Raj fantasising about being a rabbit king. This was possible because they transposed them from their safe little world.

They tried to do the same thing again the Bakersfield's episode last season but the approach of the writers to their characters has changed too much. They wanted to push the idea that the guys were embarrassed by their hobbies now and how 'normal' people perceived them. It was joyless and too realistic. We all KNOW what normal people think of nerds and giving them a voice on their show was unnecessary. I hated seeing adults bullying the guys at a cafe and their sad faces as all the fun was sucked out of their hobbies by these narrow minded people. The writers failed to give them any protection or confidence. Then they returned to the apartment, where they are safe, and everything was okay again. But it just didn't have the comedy of Adhesive Duck.
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#5
It's particularly offensive when half the big box office out there is essentially all the 'weird crap' people got the piss taken out of them for liking for years. The show has become all about self-shame, and a lack of dignity and self-respect.
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#6
(05-22-2015, 08:20 PM)SpaceAnJL Wrote: It's particularly offensive when half the big box office out there is essentially all the 'weird crap' people got the piss taken out of them for liking for years. The show has become all about self-shame, and a lack of dignity and self-respect.


Yes. Like I keep saying, being a casual fan of the major fandoms like Star Wars and LOTR has become TOTALLY mainstream. I was at the mall again yesterday and *every* store is packed with Star Wars and Avengers and Batman stuff. It's very noticeable. And I don't mean cheesy little gift-shops, I mean upscale department stores. Star Wars stuff for babies, Star Wars stuff for adults...

Maybe being a *hardcore* fan is still considered a bridge too far, but everybody is jumping on the superhero bandwagon. Maybe that's rather insulting to people who have loved those fandoms all along, maybe it's kind of poser-ish to wear a t-shirt when you don't actually have a deep love for the source material. But these themes are big, big business now, and it's simply not true that "omg, Star Wars and Spiderman are for dorks."

I like the MCU movies as much as the next person does. I've always, from childhood, had a fascination for anything with a magical/supernatural angle to it, but I just never got deep into the major fandoms.

Fun fact: I had a cool 8th-grade teacher who had us read The Hobbit for school. I've just never tackled the trilogy because I suspect the writing-style would be too slow for my tastes...
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#7
I read 'The Hobbit' when I was five or so? Definitely worked my way through LotR well preteen. But I had an early interest in mythology that translated into a history/archaeology degree.

I always found the real sticking point was my gender. Like I wasn't supposed to like Adams and Asimov, Lovecraft and Lieber. There's a double aspect to being weird if you like geeky stuff and you're a girl. You're too strange for the girly girls and geek guys feel threatened. The show perpetuates that divide, with less-than-subtle misogynistic and anti-intellectual undertones thrown in. There's no genuine geek girl representation. (The 'scientists' don't count, on so many levels). But then, in reality, women who like comics and superheroes and gaming would be hanging out with other people who weren't ashamed of liking those things, and would have better things to do than listen to self-pitying shit biscuits whinge about their high school prom.
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#8
(05-23-2015, 05:00 AM)SpaceAnJL Wrote: I always found the real sticking point was my gender. Like I wasn't supposed to like Adams and Asimov, Lovecraft and Lieber. There's a double aspect to being weird if you like geeky stuff and you're a girl. You're too strange for the girly girls and geek guys feel threatened. The show perpetuates that divide, with less-than-subtle misogynistic and anti-intellectual undertones thrown in. There's no genuine geek girl representation. (The 'scientists' don't count, on so many levels). But then, in reality, women who like comics and superheroes and gaming would be hanging out with other people who weren't ashamed of liking those things, and would have better things to do than listen to self-pitying shit biscuits whinge about their high school prom.

What you said is perfectly true; the female BBT characters aren't allowed to be geeks and they're not believable as scientists. But the armchair feminists in the fandom who think it's enough that there's a female character and that she's labeled "scientist" aren't helping. Anyone who thinks Amy and Bernadette are even somewhat-positive representations of female professionals is off their rocker.

As usual, the show *tells* us these women are deep and brilliant thinkers, but doesn't show us any proof of that. Instead, they "doth protest too much" by telling us that the women are MORE intelligent and successful than the men, as if it's a competition. At the same time, they dumb down the men, and the message ends up being "the best woman is only as good as the worst man."

Personally, I don't have any deep hunger for more female characters, or female characters who represent a particular profession or demographic or niche, but then again I'm younger than you and I haven't experienced the type of personally-hurtful pushback you're describing here. But yes, this "women don't like anything men like, men and women can't socialize as friends, men and women can't enjoy the same activities" thing is BEYOND tired and retrograde and offensive.

I'm about the same age as the characters, I'm a fairly educated person, and this stuff doesn't resonate with me at all. I don't relate to it. I wouldn't behave that way. I don't have this "us versus them" mentality, I enjoy a wide variety of different activities, etc. This portrayal of totally gender-segregated interests and activities isn't realistic at all. What kind of weird little bubble do these writers live in?

"This show used to be male-centric and now it's more even-handed" is TPTB's narrative. Anyone who thinks A and/or B are awesome intelligent feminist role-models has fallen hook, line, and sinker for that narrative. It's very simplistic, this "More female characters in STEM fields, yay!!!" attitude. It's tokenism.

The show tells us that the addition of A and B has made the show more inclusive, when in fact it's presenting the dustiest "battle of the sexes" stereotypes, with only the thinnest veneer of something new or fresh or different. Anyone who pats themselves on the back for watching this show, on the basis that "it has female scientists" has been duped, and I'd almost argue they've been willingly and knowingly duped.

ETA: I'm sorry you experienced that, Space.
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#9
Magnificent.

[Image: CElnG05UkAAAbVs.png]

http://bitterempire.com/the-end-result-o...ec-script/

Wine
"WHERE THE HELL'S MY PARACHUTE?"
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#10
It reads like a play. I'd like to see someone create it, film it and still it on youtube, just because it's so twisted and dark. The dialogue is good but it would be an interesting subversive piece. Just for the hell of it, of course.

Captivity by Kaleb Horton.
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