"...I much prefer the dark storyline to the techno-optimism..."
It worries me how much we like to see killing, violence and hatred depicted in our fiction. Our dark fantasies of violence and hatred on the screen indicate that conflict is what really interests us, which might go some way to explaining why the world is so full of real killing and misery.
Who ever heard of a film with a pleasant beginning, an even more joyus middle, and a happy ending? I've never seen on like that. Most media we consume contains either emotional or physical violence, or both.
Here's a thought along transhuman lines: when we get to change the sorts of things that interest us, maybe our thirst for bloodshed and conflict needs changing.
It has nothing to do with violence and hatred, though it's interesting that you automatically assumed I was referring to such. No, it's the actual drama and possibility of an unhappy ending that makes for good story telling.
You can choose to dream of a day when you can rewire your mind to such an extent that drama and conflict holds no interest to you. I imagine though that most of humanity would gladly stick with a gripping story over an adult version of the Disney Channel kiddie hour.
I just feel that you ought to be able to have drama without conflict. In the trailer people were hurting each other quite a lot - I think that it is unhealthy that we find people hurting each other so interesting to watch.
But what else is there? You jokingly say "An adult version of the Disney Channel kiddie hour" - I have always thought that, as children, we have a much better idea of what is really important than as adults.
Now that I come to think of it, this makes a lot of sense! Back when we were evolving on the plains of Africa, adults had to fight hard to survive and reproduce. Hence the adult mind is interested in sex, conflict and violence, to the exclusion of all else. But as children we were protected by our parents and were too young to reproduce. Our task was to learn how the world worked, hence the mind of a child is one full of curiosity, creativity and wonder. More importantly it is not obsessed with any one particular thing - it is an open mind.
Damien I honestly have to thank you - in an attempt to be funny you've given me an important insight!
I can only hope you're wrong because to be perfectly honest I much prefer the dark storyline to the techno-optimism of the original "bionic" shows.
ReplyDelete"...I much prefer the dark storyline to the techno-optimism..."
ReplyDeleteIt worries me how much we like to see killing, violence and hatred depicted in our fiction. Our dark fantasies of violence and hatred on the screen indicate that conflict is what really interests us, which might go some way to explaining why the world is so full of real killing and misery.
Who ever heard of a film with a pleasant beginning, an even more joyus middle, and a happy ending? I've never seen on like that. Most media we consume contains either emotional or physical violence, or both.
Here's a thought along transhuman lines: when we get to change the sorts of things that interest us, maybe our thirst for bloodshed and conflict needs changing.
It has nothing to do with violence and hatred, though it's interesting that you automatically assumed I was referring to such. No, it's the actual drama and possibility of an unhappy ending that makes for good story telling.
ReplyDeleteYou can choose to dream of a day when you can rewire your mind to such an extent that drama and conflict holds no interest to you. I imagine though that most of humanity would gladly stick with a gripping story over an adult version of the Disney Channel kiddie hour.
I just feel that you ought to be able to have drama without conflict. In the trailer people were hurting each other quite a lot - I think that it is unhealthy that we find people hurting each other so interesting to watch.
ReplyDeleteBut what else is there? You jokingly say "An adult version of the Disney Channel kiddie hour" - I have always thought that, as children, we have a much better idea of what is really important than as adults.
Now that I come to think of it, this makes a lot of sense! Back when we were evolving on the plains of Africa, adults had to fight hard to survive and reproduce. Hence the adult mind is interested in sex, conflict and violence, to the exclusion of all else. But as children we were protected by our parents and were too young to reproduce. Our task was to learn how the world worked, hence the mind of a child is one full of curiosity, creativity and wonder. More importantly it is not obsessed with any one particular thing - it is an open mind.
Damien I honestly have to thank you - in an attempt to be funny you've given me an important insight!
Glad I could do my part ;)
ReplyDeleteHonestly, contemporary social commentary aside, the new bionic woman just looked stupid. Sensational yes (faux dramatic), but stupid.
ReplyDeleteThe old one just looks like it's from the 70s.