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Forum Mentioned in NY Times

And I thought the neighborhood had already gone to hell in a handbasket. We ain't seen nothin' yet. :boxedin:
 
Nice to see, but I disagree with the thrust of the article. If anything, programmes like Lost are MORE needed in a society where reason and critical thinking are the norm, as outlets for fantasy and the supernatural in everyday life are closed off. I think most residents of this forum would admit to enjoying the kind of nonsense put out by the X-Files, Lost, Buffy etc, because it's very clear that it's not real, and yet with suspension of disbelief you can indulge your natural desires for that sort of thing.

Sort of like porn for the brain. :eek:
 
Big Les said:
Nice to see, but I disagree with the thrust of the article. If anything, programmes like Lost are MORE needed in a society where reason and critical thinking are the norm, as outlets for fantasy and the supernatural in everyday life are closed off. I think most residents of this forum would admit to enjoying the kind of nonsense put out by the X-Files, Lost, Buffy etc, because it's very clear that it's not real, and yet with suspension of disbelief you can indulge your natural desires for that sort of thing.

Sort of like porn for the brain. :eek:
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I agree as a kid and even now as an adult I enjoy reading and watching make believe - it's good fun.
 
Darat said:
I agree as a kid and even now as an adult I enjoy reading and watching make believe - it's good fun.
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This is a debate which has come up a few times, where people complain that their scepticism has stopped them from enjoying non-realist fiction, which I think is a shame. Now, there may be a problem with shoes like "medium" where they are claiming that the stories are true (or at least "inspired by real events"), but that is about how the stories are marketed, not their content. I don't see how "lost" promotes mystical thinking, mid you, I don't see why anyone would derive any entertainment from watching Lost either, but that's just me.

I say- more woo in fiction, less in real life!
 
Anyone, skeptic or otherwise, who can't just sit back and enjoy an entertainment program for what it is seriously needs to rethink some things.

It's a TV show. It's fiction. It's supposed to be fun.

Deal.
 
I enjoy entertainment programmes about the paranormal. Especially "Supernatural", the Alison Dubois thingy with Patricia Arquette, "Tru calling" etc (and I never missed an "X File").
All very good stuff really - complete nonsense, but a great premise for an exciting storyline.
 
brodski said:
This is a debate which has come up a few times, where people complain that their scepticism has stopped them from enjoying non-realist fiction, which I think is a shame. Now, there may be a problem with shoes like "medium" where they are claiming that the stories are true (or at least "inspired by real events"), but that is about how the stories are marketed, not their content. I don't see how "lost" promotes mystical thinking, mid you, I don't see why anyone would derive any entertainment from watching Lost either, but that's just me.

I say- more woo in fiction, less in real life!
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Exactly; I object to things like Medium, White Noise and the Da Vinci Choad, because they don't rely on good writing, interesting characters etc; they go for the cheap "it really happened!!!!11" schtick. It doesn't work for the National Enquirer, and it shouldn't work for them either.

Escapism is absolutely fine, if not a necessity; we just shouldn't do it in real life, where it can affect our judgement and open us up to harm. Contain the woo in your goggle-box, where it can amuse us, but can't get out!
 
"Supernatural" is currently my favorite television show.

I have "House of the Dead 2" ready to watch tonight. (I have a thing for zombie movies, even bad ones).

I agree completely that there is nothing wrong with woo-ish fiction marketed as fiction. Woo-ish fiction marketed as fact ticks me off.

I also get upset over the gray area stuff. Last night "The Unit" had a bit suggesting that both remote viewing and telepathy are real. They don't market the show as real, but the tenor within the show was as if it were. Hard to explain that, but there you go.
 
I was going to read the linked article...really I was! But that photo of Evangeline Lilly running.....
:drool: :faint:
 
brodski said:
This is a debate which has come up a few times, where people complain that their scepticism has stopped them from enjoying non-realist fiction, which I think is a shame.
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My mother is exactly like that. She dislikes and almost refuses to watch any films or TV programs which involve plots that are impossible in real life - any fantasy, science fiction or fairy tale is totally lost on her...
 
Tanja said:
My mother is exactly like that. She dislikes and almost refuses to watch any films or TV programs which involve plots that are impossible in real life - any fantasy, science fiction or fairy tale is totally lost on her...
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It's strange but whilst I love fantasy, science fiction and the like I do at times get annoyed at the "pseudo-real" stuff and by that I mean things like those bloody CSI shows that are never off the damned TV. Unpixelated zooming in on digital photos, crystal clear CTV footage - that's just lazy script writing.
 
I read a lot of ghost stories. Scepticism doesn't spoil suspension of disbelief in fiction for me.
 
I love The Outer Limits. Anthology sci-fi/fantasy series like this have been favorites since The Twilight Zone, and even earlier.

Lost is OK, but seems too slow for my liking. Heroes is really for younger kids, I think.

Just my two cents' worth. :)


M.
 
Darat said:
It's strange but whilst I love fantasy, science fiction and the like I do at times get annoyed at the "pseudo-real" stuff and by that I mean things like those bloody CSI shows that are never off the damned TV. Unpixelated zooming in on digital photos, crystal clear CTV footage - that's just lazy script writing.
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Love "Harry Potter", Star Wars, "Dogma", and the like.
Liked "Walker, Texas Ranger" till it got Native American Mystic on me, although I do confess I love Tony Hillerman's stuff.
But CSI, CSI Newark, whatever--I liked at first, and appreciate that they can't wait the 60-90 days blood and other analysis work typically take--they Just got too pseudo-sciency in too many ways, and people forgot they aren't real...
 
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