Ugliness in the world (1 Viewer)

[Otis]

It dawned on me the other night as I was watching that dark new movie the Counselor that there is so much ugliness in the world. About 30 minutes in I had to turn it off. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's things going on in my life, maybe it's old age, maybe it's a change in perspective. But it just depressed me to watch it. And as I sat there thinking about it, I started to come to the conclusion that there's no upside to it, and I'm better off just filling my life with positive things. It just doesn't serve any good purpose. Maybe for the religious folks, going to church, being together, praying, and the like are all their way of focusing on the positive and good things in the world? Maybe others reach that same place through other things they love? Maybe family or children are the best way there?

It's just such a sad, scary, ugly world out there sometimes. It's astonishing to me. And I guess maybe the best way to avoid all of that is just to not partake, and to focus on the good, and to try and promote the good in whatever small ways you can.

Anyone else ever have this sort of epiphany?

Sorry for sounding ####.

 

[Tom Skerritt]

You should share your emotions on the Facebook.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

My wife and I made it 3/4 of the way through season 1 of The Following and stopped watching it completely. It made me feel terrible when I watched it. Like, physically ill.

 

[Godsbrother]

You don't need fictional TV shows to make you feel depressed about the real world -- just turn on the news.

My solution is to be so busy that you don't have time to worry about it. Drinking and hard drugs helps too...

 

[meatwad1]

A long time ago, a dude I worked with told me that of all movies types, he only really enjoyed Disney movies. I was in my 20s and I thought he was nuts. Now that I am older and have a kid, I can see where he is coming from.

My turning point was watching the movie Hostel in the theater. I came out of that movie and felt like I needed to go to church or something. Now I really do not like watching hardcore horror and I would have to say I like animated films. I think you reach an age where you sort of feel like 'what is the point?' with some of this stuff.

 

[johnnycakes]

My link.

 

[sbonomo]

This place is starting to make me ill, you realize it is a movie right? Go out voluteer or find a way to help your community. That should make you fell better.

 

[timschochet]

I agree with you. Although from time to time I enjoy darker entertainment (Breaking Bad being the best example) I would much rather be inspired. I like rooting for heroes and seeing them win. So I love Friday Night Lights, The West Wing, Game of Thrones, The Newsroom, etc.

 

[Insein]

Im there too. I used to watch the weird and f'd up stuff in my early 20's and some of the imagery still sticks in my brain. I avoid it now. The Road for example. I never saw it and never will just because a friend of mine gave me a hint of what happens. No interest in being depressed anymore.

Same with Video Games. Last of Us is touted as one of the greatest games ever but it left me with a hollow feeling in my chest.

I dont want to be depressed in my entertainment activities.

 

[Insein]

This place is starting to make me ill, you realize it is a movie right? Go out voluteer or find a way to help your community. That should make you fell better.

I just stare at the full version of your avatar and instantly feel better.

 

[Cjw_55106]

I stopped watching the news a couple years ago. I don't think I've missed much outside of how much people suck.

 

[Sinn Fein]

You should share your emotions on the Facebook.

Maybe on Pinterest too

 

[McGarnicle]

Yeah, the cruelty and lack of decency in the world is really disturbing, as is the coarseness and stupidity. I have to force myself not to focus on it because it used to make me genuinely depressed and hopeless at times. My own life is pretty good, so I try to focus more on that.

 

[Insein]

I stopped watching the news a couple years ago. I don't think I've missed much outside of how much people suck.

This. My wife updates me on current events but otherwise I dont need to know about it.

 

[NutterButter]

The less I know about what goes on in the world, the happier I am.

 

[belljr]

85% of the population, undateable

 

[avoiding injuries]

I've recently experienced the same feelings, but from the opposite side. With kids, the Disney channel is usually on TV. Something about the characters, storylines and music just give me a good feeling. I came to the conclusion that it's because of the innocence of it all, and such a sharp contrast to what I had become used to before kids.

 

[jamny]

I worked at a comic book animation festival last year and was shocked at how twisted and depraved everything was. None of it had any redeeming value, they all seemed to want to top the other in sick content. The last straw for me was a "cartoon" showing a nun that was raped being hung by hooks as they performed a forced abortion. I mean, WTF! And everyone sat around watching it with no reaction, impressed with the animation.

Everyone is become so desensitized to violence and it'll only get worse. Our goal is to retire to a small piece of land in Wyoming with some goats and ducks and just ignore the rest of the world. I really wish I could ignore the news now but I haven't been able to. Hopefully some day.

 

[Fennis]

early menopause?

 

[Otis]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

My wife and I made it 3/4 of the way through season 1 of The Following and stopped watching it completely. It made me feel terrible when I watched it. Like, physically ill.

This is it. I haven't ever really experienced that before.

 

[Fennis]

go to this post, print out the drawing, look at it all day long and you will feel better.

 

[KCitons]

When I was in college, my roommate and I rented a video called "Faces of Death". At the time, it was pretty chilling to watch 90 minutes of people dying in car crashes, shootings, etc. Today, I can do the same thing by just turning on the news.

Otis, I think it's old age. I've gotten to the point that I can't watch NFL replays of knee injuries. I've seen enough human suffering in my short lifetime, I don't need to see it from 3 different angles in slow motion.

 

[Otis]

You don't need fictional TV shows to make you feel depressed about the real world -- just turn on the news.

My solution is to be so busy that you don't have time to worry about it. Drinking and hard drugs helps too...

I watch a CNN, and maybe that's part of it. The kid in the car is just soul crushing.

 

[jonessed]

I agree with you. Although from time to time I enjoy darker entertainment (Breaking Bad being the best example) I would much rather be inspired. I like rooting for heroes and seeing them win. So I love Friday Night Lights, The West Wing, Game of Thrones, The Newsroom, etc.

Not many inspiring heroes survive Game of Thrones. That's kind of the schtick.

 

[timschochet]

My daughter is begging me to take her to see "The Fault In Our Stars". It's supposed to be the new Brian's Song: a movie designed for teenage girls to cry.

She can watch it if she wants. But why would I want to see a film where somebody dies of cancer? I've had enough cancer with friends, my mom, my brother, my mother in law, etc. not my idea of entertainment.

 

[timschochet]

I agree with you. Although from time to time I enjoy darker entertainment (Breaking Bad being the best example) I would much rather be inspired. I like rooting for heroes and seeing them win. So I love Friday Night Lights, The West Wing, Game of Thrones, The Newsroom, etc.

Not many inspiring heroes survive Game of Thrones. That's kind of the schtick.

Some do. At least there's people to root for.

 

[Greggity]

My daughter is begging me to take her to see "The Fault In Our Stars". It's supposed to be the new Brian's Song: a movie designed for teenage girls to cry.

She can watch it if she wants. But why would I want to see a film where somebody dies of cancer? I've had enough cancer with friends, my mom, my brother, my mother in law, etc. not my idea of entertainment.

My 13 and 11 year old girls were bawling during that movie. I thought it sucked tho....

 

[Emerson Biggens]

My daughter is begging me to take her to see "The Fault In Our Stars". It's supposed to be the new Brian's Song: a movie designed for teenage girls to cry.

She can watch it if she wants. But why would I want to see a film where somebody dies of cancer? I've had enough cancer with friends, my mom, my brother, my mother in law, etc. not my idea of entertainment.

For what it's worth, I believe it's done in an uplifting way. I'm saying this because a good friend of mine that has worked at St Jude with sick, cancer having children daily for years and years knew going in it was going to be rough but came out of it loving the story and admitting to bawling her eyes out. My daughters both saw it and loved it. I want to see it, even though I know it will be sad. I expect it ends up being a movie to make a person feel good about humanity.

 

[Chaka]

You don't need fictional TV shows to make you feel depressed about the real world -- just turn on the news.

My solution is to be so busy that you don't have time to worry about it. Drinking and hard drugs helps too...

I watch a CNN, and maybe that's part of it. The kid in the car is just soul crushing.

Try NPR instead.

It's a small step but a good one IMO.

 

[Apple Jack]

early menopause?

My next slamgrass band...Pregnant Menopause.

 

[McGarnicle]

You don't need fictional TV shows to make you feel depressed about the real world -- just turn on the news.

My solution is to be so busy that you don't have time to worry about it. Drinking and hard drugs helps too...

I watch a CNN, and maybe that's part of it. The kid in the car is just soul crushing.

The one in GA where the parents Googled kids dying in hot cars? That one is really disturbing my wife too. It's hard to wrap your mind around.

 

[urbanhack]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

does it? Or do we just have access to more information and promotion of shocking situations, most of which are bad?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

does it? Or do we just have access to more information and promotion of shocking situations, most of which are bad?

I think that plays into it too. But that input makes even positive people more gloomy as we assume that that's the new normal. It feeds on itself.

 

[McGarnicle]

Just be careful to never say you wished you could live back in the '50's. Because, you know, blacks, gays, civil rights, etc. That's a trap that will turn your face red at a dinner party, take it from me.

 

[Hooper31]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

I disagree. I don't think the world is changing so much. I think Otis is changing.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

Nonsense

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

Nonsense

No. It's not.

There's a lot of progress in human rights, to be sure.

But the self-centered, quiet desperation is getting louder.

 

[ClownCausedChaos2]

I've recently experienced the same feelings, but from the opposite side. With kids, the Disney channel is usually on TV. Something about the characters, storylines and music just give me a good feeling. I came to the conclusion that it's because of the innocence of it all, and such a sharp contrast to what I had become used to before kids.

Wallykazam on Nick Jr. Is infectious. I find myself singing the songs to myself at work.

 

[tdoss]

Does this mean Otis will stop ridiculing women who've had a meal in the last week or so?

Will Otis end his feud with Kate Upton?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Can't believe I'm siding with Otis on something.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

Nonsense

No. It's not.

There's a lot of progress in human rights, to be sure.

You think that the world is darker and less friendly than when millions of people were enslaved, women were basically property everywhere, violence resolved most issues, medical conditions that are minor today ended or virtually ended lives, people had no nutrition, all but kings had no room for advancement?

Do you really think that like 5,000 years ago was not darker and crueler than it is today?

 

[Slapdash]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

Nonsense

 

[Andy Dufresne]

You think that the world is darker and less friendly than when millions of people were enslaved, women were basically property everywhere, violence resolved most issues, medical conditions that are minor today ended or virtually ended lives, people had no nutrition, all but kings had no room for advancement?

Do you really think that like 5,000 years ago was not darker and crueler than it is today?

Point made and I guess the words I used were a bit crude.

I think, however, there's a difference between human systems and humankind itself. You're describing the former, which I agree are vastly improved.

I think humankind itself, however, is still about as barbaric as it's ever been. And to Otis' point, I think it's reflected in the art and entertainment we produce.

I never meant to say things are worse than they have ever been.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Just be careful to never say you wished you could live back in the '50's. Because, you know, blacks, gays, civil rights, etc. That's a trap that will turn your face red at a dinner party, take it from me.

Between the four major team sports we had, what, 16+8+10+6 = 40 teams? Most of them east of St. Louis? Dayum that sounds enticing.

 

[Freelove]

Empty materialism and upward instead of outward mobility, FTL.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

Nonsense

My personal weltanschauung is not especially polyanna, but when it comes to evil/bad things happening to good people/general weight of the worlds problems, I tend to agree with Fred Rodgers. When you see disasters (or bad events in general), look for the helpers. For all the crap this world serves up daily, there are always people to inspire you and hope the best for mankind.

Also, it's no worse today than any other period, we're just more acutely aware of events.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

My wife and I made it 3/4 of the way through season 1 of The Following and stopped watching it completely. It made me feel terrible when I watched it. Like, physically ill.

Let me clarify this. What I mean to say is that I think the world is becoming more isolated at an individual level.

I think our technology, while making us more interconnected, paradoxically dehumanizes us and turns us all into avatars to each other. The end result of this is that it leads to a crassness in our interactions that can be described as dark and less friendly.

It has most certainly happened on these very boards.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

Nonsense

My personal weltanschauung is not especially polyanna

of course not

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

My wife and I made it 3/4 of the way through season 1 of The Following and stopped watching it completely. It made me feel terrible when I watched it. Like, physically ill.

Let me clarify this. What I mean to say is that I think the world is becoming more isolated at an individual level.

I think our technology, while making us more interconnected, paradoxically dehumanizes us and turns us all into avatars to each other. The end result of this is that it leads to a crassness in our interactions that can be described as dark and less friendly.

It has most certainly happened on these very boards.

SHUT THE #### UP!

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Yes. The world continues to become darker and less friendly.

My wife and I made it 3/4 of the way through season 1 of The Following and stopped watching it completely. It made me feel terrible when I watched it. Like, physically ill.

Let me clarify this. What I mean to say is that I think the world is becoming more isolated at an individual level.

I think our technology, while making us more interconnected, paradoxically dehumanizes us and turns us all into avatars to each other. The end result of this is that it leads to a crassness in our interactions that can be described as dark and less friendly.

It has most certainly happened on these very boards.

SHUT THE #### UP!