Reading less

[Wabbit]

lol

Ah well, maybe im just an old cynical bunny wabbit I think most people are conformists, not very bright, and easy led. I think most of them DO sit around not reading and only buy the book because they have been told on T.V.

Want proof? How about this: A huge amount of products are endorsed by big names. If people were not easy led by people on T.V or by them being movie/pop star/whate ever, then WHY would they spend millions and hire celebs and stars to endorse said product. Why? Because people ARE easy led and they do pay attention to what a star or t.v show tells them to do.

Look at that idiot, David Beckham. As soon as he gets a hair cut, every idiot gets the hair cut the same as him, no matter how stupid it is! People ARE easy led and they DO sit around waiting to be told what to do. Sad fact, but I think it's a true one

 

[Litany]

..........

 

[Ashlea]

The older I get, the more I appreciate the skills of people I used to consider idiots. Good call, Litany.

Plus, while you many not follow every fad, I bet there's at least one out there you've fallen victim to.

 

[True@1stLight]

No, there is nothing wrong with a recommendation! I have gotten many books on recommendations. But it's considered recommendation and not mindless. Somebody will recommend something, I will read about it, think about it, and if I think that I will like the book, then I will buy it. There is a big difference between that and sitting around like a mindless zombie, glued to the tv set, and buying everything that some celeb or tv presenter tells you is good

I mean, I BET you a packet of hobnobs that thease people sit around all day and never buy a book. Some TV show recommends it and they all rush out and buy it. Stupid.

Also, no, it's not bad because a celeb has recommended it. It's bad that people sit around and it's somehow much better because a celeb has endorsed it. Like trainers, or a drink, or coke, why is it suddenly better if a celeb tells you its good? Who CARES?

Whole heartedly agree. One of my bigger problems with the world...the lemming syndrome. And I know someone is going to try and generalize it and say, "Well aren't we all lemmings in some way." There's a difference between endorsing an idea because someone else did, and giving credit to someones recommendation, but making a decision based on your own reasons.

 

[True@1stLight]

Again with that big old brush. If you would only preface with 'some'. It would still read very negatively, but at least it would be a truer statement.

There are some people who are idiots. If there weren't any idiots then there would be no geniuses, umm, genii, err, clever people. But then how do you categorise a person as a idiot? How many of those people with their silly hair cuts can do things that you can't? I'd be willing to bet my Hobnobs that each and everyone of them has a skill or a useful piece of knowledge that you don't have. How can you judge all these millions of people without meeting them? How can you dismiss them all so easily?

I'm sorry, but when you post like this it really annoys me. You slag off the whole of the country, you slag off the majority of the people who live in it and I find that really offensive.

I would not go as far to say everyone is a conformist....however in the term some I would go as far as to call it a majority....more conformists than non. Also, I wouldn't call them idiots for being conformists....it's just insanely annoying that some people were very high potentionals for individual thought feel the need to listen to people that are in most cases less intelligent than them. Not idiots, simply naive.

 

[Daniel]

There's a difference between endorsing an idea because someone else did, and giving credit to someones recommendation, but making a decision based on your own reasons.

I tend to agree with sillyrabbit and true. Our popular culture driven by television, consumerism, celebrity, marketing etc. has churned out people who not only can't think for themselves but no longer want to because they fear the social ostracism that individuality brings. It's the age of image, and if you're not watching the latest shows or wearing the latest clothes, then you may as well ring a bell and shout, "unclean."

A pet theory of mine is one of the reasons we live in such an unhappy society is people are frustrated. They sense an emptiness in what they do. They watch the same shows with the same adverts cultivating the same weaknesses and offering the same expensive bogus solutions. But they cannot articulate the emptiness well enough to identify it. So they go with what they know. They buy new shoes or hit the bottle or head into the sun and hope this vague uneasiness will pass.

 

[bobbyburns]

or fill their empty lives with books.

 

[bobbyburns]

in other words, t.v., marketing and consumption aren't reasons for why people are ignorant. they're ignorant already, that's why images have become so important.

we're responsible. like I say, in other words.

 

[True@1stLight]

or fill their empty lives with books.

You can use that response no matter what people do.....with food, clothes, books, love, hate, tv, movies, bookforums....what's an empty life in the first place?? Why can't it just be what we make of it, rather than full or empty depending on how someone else judges it?

 

[bobbyburns]

I don't know, I'm not judging anyone. it's no one's fault that he is ignorant and hollow.

sorry, that was a shitty, half-ass explanation. I was writing a response when my brother handed me a controller and then, KA-POW!, I was fighting dr. octopus and trying to save mary-jane. anyway, I just sent what I had written.

man, I love video games.

 

[Litany]

..........

 

[True@1stLight]

Bobby can't call a life empty without being judgemental, but you can call the majority of the population naive lemmings?

:

Perhaps then I should retract my hypocritical judgement on what people are. I apologize for that. But I still believe that it is incredibly arrogant to think you know who's life is empty, or what makes it full.

 

[True@1stLight]

I do sincerely apologize for always jumping the gun on conformity. Obviously it is caused by my partaking in it in the past. I am very ashamed of that time, and look hideous to myself when I reflect on those times....I overcompensate for that by lashing out at anything involving conformity. This causes me to judge others unconciously without warrant. I hope I have not offended anyone in one of my many rants against it or popular culture.

 

[Crystal]

in other words, t.v., marketing and consumption aren't reasons for why people are ignorant. they're ignorant already, that's why images have become so important.

we're responsible. like I say, in other words.

Yeah. Most of us and/or all have been being drownd in this ocean of images, opinions, ideas, conceptions,blah,blah,blah. When we show our respect to those who challenged to break through every inch of the limitations of the humanbeings, who struggled to be above the water, as Irene once mentioned in other post, we should not at the same time despise those so-called 'ignorant' people as well. In fact, it seems to me that every one make contributions, either small or great, either humbled or honoured, to our own,i.e. use the word of Bobby, 'we're responsible.'

I think i am talking something off-topic. Yet, another off-topic idea came to me was that this kinda of discussion, well, emm, seems tobe ridiculous to me. PLEASE do not get me wrong. I just came up with this idea, which was not judgement on anyone, everyone involved in the discussion.

Emmm-----, anyway.

Regards,

 

[True@1stLight]

well, emm, seems tobe ridiculous to me. PLEASE do not get me wrong. I just came up with this idea, which was not judgement on anyone, everyone involved in the discussion.

Aww come on now....I got called on something I needed to be, and it resulted in a realization and a heartfelt apology. Something good came out of it....at least for me.

 

[Crystal]

I do sincerely apologize for always jumping the gun on conformity. Obviously it is caused by my partaking in it in the past. I am very ashamed of that time, and look hideous to myself when I reflect on those times....I overcompensate for that by lashing out at anything involving conformity. This causes me to judge others unconciously without warrant. I hope I have not offended anyone in one of my many rants against it or popular culture.

Comformity reminds me of the movie Died poet society. Happened to hear a song which was talking about comformity as well. It sang something like " they make me look the same, dress the same, eat the same.......". Aren't there some similarities between this and the Brave new world. ( Just 20 pages or so into this book.)

 

[Litany]

..........

 

[Crystal]

Hurray for Watercrystal.

With your shining spork?

PS: happy to see you here, Litany, and your spork.

 

[Crystal]

I mean these uneducated sheep who sweep your roads, empty your bins, clean your office and basically keep your life running smoothly. And once you've gotten to know some of them, try taking on board the concept that to someone else out there you are one of the great unwashed masses. You are one of these brainless little zombies conforming to society. Someone out there is making just as many judgements on you based on just as little knowledge.

Shining words, Litany. I like it!!

 

[bobbyburns]

update: the good doctor is vanquished, and peter parker lives to see another day.