Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Pop Culture Mediums

If you could only enjoy one pop culture medium, music, movies, books, or TV, for the rest of your life, which would you choose? I think I'd stick with my old standby, books. I like watching movies, and I respect and enjoy my favorite movies a lot, but more and more it seems like a chore to watch a movie. Music I only listen to when I'm in my car or sitting at my desk doing something else. And TV wouldn't even cross my mind.

Now, interestingly enough, this would change if I modified the hypothetical. I was originally going to title this 'Desert Island Pop Culture Mediums'. But then I realized that my answer would be completely different! If I really was stranded on a desert island I wouldn't really be worried about amazing characters and believable plots, I'd be struggling to ward off isolation-inspired madness. And for that, nothing beats TV! Sure, movies would be okay too, but you can live an entire fake life through TV(if you have enough channels that is). They have shows for every segment of your life. I'd watch a cooking show while gnawing on a raw coconut. Then I'd switch to the business channel and pretend I had something to occupy my day, before finishing up with some drama/soft-core porn to keep me company as the evening descended.

This all relates to the two things most people want out of entertainment: engagement and relaxation. Usually I'm surrounded by lots of random people doing random things, so watching it again at home isn't too engaging. A good plot or interesting ideas, or just a damn good rhythm, leads to engagement. I don't think I mind the relaxation angle as much as some. I'm a nervous person to begin with, so having something to occupy my mind leads to relaxation. But sports on the weekends or a decent action movie really does hit the spot sometimes.

What do you guys think?

7 comments:

k'd cowan said...

I believe I would go with TV as well, for much the same reason. Movies would be 2nd choice, if I had all the movies, not just a limited selection. Books would be nice but really, you're already alone, why emphasize that?

Anonymous said...

I think this is a much more interesting concept if you place yourself in your normal life rather than on a desert island. A desert island is a no-brainer - TV. You can watch Lost and learn how to survive.
As for forms of entertainment and relaxation in our everyday lives, I would actually prefer the medium of writing to anything else. I'm only mostly sane, so I can entertain myself forever just making up stories about other people, especially the crazies that live in this city.

Anonymous said...

Music, period. To never be able to listen to my favorite songs again?? No way man.

Little Earl said...

Music, seconded.

yoggoth said...

Really? Music? It seems like it's easier to run out of new things in music. Oh right, that noise after that noise, who saw that coming?!? But I'm sure you feel that way about my precious novels =).

k'd cowan said...

I assumed I would have all 5 mTV channels with my TV choice, since we'de be getting all the channels.... so I didn't really worry about that. As a writer, I would be doing that as well... that wasn't one of the offered choices, which I took as 'its a given'

yoggoth said...

You guys would write even if no one would ever read it? I might write so that if someone discovered my skeleton in the future they'd know what happened. I sort of think of myself as a writer but it's only as a social tool. I actually don't have much fun doing it.