February 09, 2006

• *withholds comments until he sees what everybody else thinks of this*
• Very true. People watch television shows often because other people do. If someone was stuck on the proverbial desert island with no one to talk to about the shows they were watching (with satellite tv now, those islands get killer reception), would they really be watching American Idol? If a viewer can't join in with other people in the making fun of the people on the show, then that viewer would not be as interested in watching the show.
• How 'bout we change that statement from "people often rely on the popular buzz to make choices of what they like...." to "people rely on the popular buzz to help sort through the pile of trash in the media to find stuff that might be decent" ! There is just TOO much stuff, movies, books, even web sites for us not to find some way to rank and choose. Isn't that why we come to places like MonkeyFilter and MeFi, to find the "best of the web"? Nearly every movie I watch gets the IMDB check before I spend two hours of my time on it. And, the study uses teens choice in music... the results are probably accurate in that are of media and with that population! Don't you think we have more sense and are less likely to give in to peer pressure? (don't anyone tell me smoking is cool so I have to start again...took me WAY too long to figure out it wasn't and quit!)
• Why do you think the author's name on a book's spine is in larger type than the title?
• Why do you think the author's name on a book's spine is in larger type than the title? Looking at the books on my shelf, their's only one book where the authors name is bigger or more noticeable than the title (which is Perdido Street Station by China Mieville)
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• Isn't that why we come to places like MonkeyFilter and MeFi, to find the "best of the web"? WHOOOOOOOO! I'm not so sure about that. Interesting sites, maybe. Information, on occasion. Amusement, sure. Smart mouth punks, cockpunch, poo flinging, critter filters? ALWAYS!
• It's very cheap to be a sheep, IE it takes less energy to let others make choices for you. Next time you are at a pedestrian crossing with several people around you in conversation or distracted, but waiting to cross try this: Before the light is in your favour make to cross, just take a purposeful step. Everyone will react to it, about half will take the time to actually check that you were right to cross. But of the rest some will actually start crossing. They reacted to a subconscious signal to make a decision for them. Seriously try it, I've seriously injured 4 people this way. And there is nothing anyone can do about it.
• It's very cheap to be a sheep... Financially true also. I bought two CDs this week: the best of Robbie Williams (shh) and Los Dos Amigos by Freddy Fender and Flaco Jimenez. Guess which one was on sale, and which one cost full price and requires a week-long wait for delivery to my local CD store. I think the popularity of an author comes in two stages. 1. Book 1 released. It's awesome! People rave about it, reviews are great, word gets around and the author's name gets known. 2. Book 2 released. If it, too, is awesome, so much the better! If it sucks, all that fame gained by book 1 is blown and the author's name is added to the list of one-hit wonders. The above theory applies to music, movies, actors, episodes of a TV show, you name it. HBob, I always check IMDb ratings before seeing a movie or renting a DVD. I want to spend my money on something worthwhile, and generally once several thousand people have voted on a rating the numbers seem to be about right. This, however, does not apply to blockbuster movies like the more recent Star Wars trilogy.
• I'm involved in a group at the college where I work; it was set up as a cooperative between students, faculty, and staff. However, it's really hard to get students involved. We're constantly hearing, even from the kids themselves, that "you've got to already have students to get students." Nobody wants to be the only one there.
• This is the only thing that explains to me the popularity of ABC's Sunday night lineup. Am I really the only person who thinks Desperate Housewives is irritating and trashy? (OTOH, I love Lost.) I have an opposite problem, which is that if something becomes too popular, particularly a book, I often won't have much to do with it until the hype dies down. The last book I made the mistake of checking out "because it was popular" (and just at the front edge of its popularity) was The DaVinci Code, which is really the most awful dreck in stylistic terms, and derivative of stuff I'd already read in others. (Er, sorry to my Monkey brethren and sistren who liked it.)
• I still haven't seen Titanic. Do you think six years is long enough to wait?
• I, too, am anti-buzz -- not really with books, but with music and movies. I'd probably listen to Dave Matthews if he weren't so damn popular.
• This is the only thing that explains to me the popularity of ABC's Sunday night lineup. Am I really the only person who thinks Desperate Housewives is irritating and trashy? No. But the trashy part's really the point. And I think it's smarter and better done than, say, Melrose Place. Plus Marcia Cross looks really good in lingerie. I still haven't seen Titanic. Do you think six years is long enough to wait? That depends. Do you enjoy the film equivalent of having screwdrivers rammed into your eyes? If so, go watch it now.
• I still haven't seen Titanic. Do you think six years is long enough to wait? Pantsy: Actually, I'm thinkin' I can probably wait another 6 years without any problems. I suggest you do, also. Hopefully, by then it will have passed into the mists of time. If I never hear that song again from that stupid movie it will be too soon. Top ten books I will read reviews on, but always hesitate before reading--people seem to read all sorts of dreck and love it. Often films that get panned are things that I enjoy. Ya just can't trust popular opinion.