Anyone else fed up with the mainstream?

lufties · 16-11-2014 11:26AM #1

This might seem a bit of a rant, but recently my eyes have been opened up to the sorry state we are in on this planet. It all seems to be about money and nothing else. At present, Mainstream media/music/politics cannot be taken seriously, I've realised that to get truly inspired or learned, its better to limit social media, take no notice of politicians, and keep the radio switched off.
Instead, reading books, becoming more cultured(learning about the arts), watching classic movies(avoiding hollywood productions), developing healthy interests is the way to go.

Otherwise doomed to the life of an average chump :cool:

creeefer · 16-11-2014 11:29AM

lufties wrote: »

This might seem a bit of a rant, but recently my eyes have been opened up to the sorry state we are in on this planet. It all seems to be about money and nothing else. At present, Mainstream media/music/politics cannot be taken seriously, I've realised that to get truly inspired or learned, its better to limit social media, take no notice of politicians, and keep the radio switched off.
Instead, reading books, becoming more cultured(learning about the arts), watching classic movies(avoiding hollywood productions), developing healthy interests is the way to go.

Otherwise doomed to the life of an average chump :cool:

Do you by any chance wear skinny jeans and have a bushy beard.

Wibbs · 16-11-2014 11:34AM

I think the mainstream has always been lowest common denominator based going way back. That's where the money is.

Just that with the passing of time the good stuff remains in our memory. Take classic Hollywood. The year Casablanca came out there were hundreds of other studio pics released, but we only remember the good. Today our expectations of films are higher and so are the costs, so Hollywood will only take a large scale gamble on a "sure thing".

On the other hand one could well argue we're living through a period of some of the best TV drama ever. That's where the quality went.

cloud493 · 16-11-2014 11:35AM

Hipster alert.

One eyed Jack · 16-11-2014 11:38AM

lufties wrote: »

This might seem a bit of a rant, but recently my eyes have been opened up to the sorry state we are in on this planet. It all seems to be about money and nothing else. At present, Mainstream media/music/politics cannot be taken seriously, I've realised that to get truly inspired or learned, its better to limit social media, take no notice of politicians, and keep the radio switched off.
Instead, reading books, becoming more cultured(learning about the arts), watching classic movies(avoiding hollywood productions), developing healthy interests is the way to go.

Otherwise doomed to the life of an average chump :cool:

Trying to be something you're not, never worked out well for anyone.

Valetta · 16-11-2014 11:51AM

Average is good.

Without average all you would have is (are?) extremes. Not good.

For Forks Sake · 16-11-2014 11:51AM

Far out man, I haven't seen a bong in years.

VinLieger · 16-11-2014 11:53AM

I was not liking the mainstream way before it was cool to, now it gotta find something else damn you!

Mister Vain · 16-11-2014 11:56AM

I'm fed up with reality TV and manufactured shyte like the X Factor. There's still some great music and films out there. Politics? Well that was always shyte.

lufties · 16-11-2014 11:59AM

Mister Vain wrote: »

I'm fed up with reality TV and manufactured shyte like the X Factor. There's still some great music and films out there. Politics? Well that was always shyte.

True, look at all that recent hype about a rich woman's bottom? has the world gone mad

lufties · 16-11-2014 12:00PM

creeefer wrote: »

Do you by any chance wear skinny jeans and have a bushy beard.

You are half right, I wear skinny jeans but don't have a beard..simply because it grows ginger :pac:

Frosty McSnowballs · 16-11-2014 12:02PM

I typed this on my typewriter.

lufties · 16-11-2014 12:02PM

One eyed Jack wrote: »

Trying to be something you're not, never worked out well for anyone.

What an ignorant post, everyone can improve and change and seek more quality and fulfillment in their lives. What's that famous quote by einstein about doing the same thing over again?

Mister Vain · 16-11-2014 12:03PM

lufties wrote: »

True, look at all that recent hype about a rich woman's bottom? has the world gone mad

Aye, and I've been following her diet and exercise plan for ages and I still can't attain that booty. :mad:

El_Duderino 09 · 16-11-2014 12:05PM

Yeah and Sarah Palin calls it the 'lamestream' media. She made a pun because she's smart.

Just look at things as if you just arrived yesterday and see what you actually enjoy rather than what is more popular

Starscream25 · 16-11-2014 12:08PM

A bit of tongue in cheek here but It really shows alright, tv shows like home and away and all that reality crap is quite popular, IMO reflecting the general mentality of the common man and women, and yes I do judge people from the tv shows they watch and the music they listen to:) more so if they are past their more youthful discovering things phase
The west wing- intelligent individual
Geordie shore- dumb ****.
Manic Street preachers- intelligent individual
My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard- dumb ****.

One eyed Jack · 16-11-2014 12:18PM

lufties wrote: »

What an ignorant post, everyone can improve and change and seek more quality and fulfillment in their lives. What's that famous quote by einstein about doing the same thing over again?

I don't know, but quoting Einstein wouldn't make me appear any more intelligent anyway.

You completely missed my point anyway - I'm interested in what interests me. All those things you listed, I'm interested in them to some degree, but I also like plenty of mainstream stuff. That's what I meant by trying to be something you're not - ignoring politics for a start won't do you any favours. Turning off the radio, can you not change the station? Reading books? Anyone can books, there's nothing elitist about that.

I'm all for self-improvement and so on, but not because I'd be trying to be something I'm not by "rejecting" mainstream media and conventions. That's not self-improvement, that's just kidding yourself.

parttime · 16-11-2014 12:22PM

Manic Street preachers
For real?

Penny Tration · 16-11-2014 12:22PM

Disregard the constabulary!

Starscream25 · 16-11-2014 12:26PM

parttime wrote: »

Manic Street preachers
For real?

Fo real, their lyrics have been quite thought provoking throughout their career, the music itself may not suit everyone.

El_Duderino 09 · 16-11-2014 12:29PM

If you're fed up with radio, Consider podcasts. They are much more niche so you can find ones which hit your interest without having to entertain a broad audience. You're not waiding through 'shout outs' and birthday wishes or whatever they do on radio to keep everyone's attention.

Never listen to radio anymore.

I think 'fresh air' podcast is the best I've ever come across. Listen to the ones that interest me and skip the ones that don't.

Simples

Jester252 · 16-11-2014 12:34PM

It's so mainstream to hate on the mainstream

lufties · 16-11-2014 12:38PM

One eyed Jack wrote: »

I don't know, but quoting Einstein wouldn't make me appear any more intelligent anyway.

You completely missed my point anyway - I'm interested in what interests me. All those things you listed, I'm interested in them to some degree, but I also like plenty of mainstream stuff. That's what I meant by trying to be something you're not - ignoring politics for a start won't do you any favours. Turning off the radio, can you not change the station? Reading books? Anyone can books, there's nothing elitist about that.

I'm all for self-improvement and so on, but not because I'd be trying to be something I'm not by "rejecting" mainstream media and conventions. That's not self-improvement, that's just kidding yourself.

Ok well, I just listen to cds generally but not mainstream radio as there is always an agenda being spun. Regarding books, from writers like trotsky and dickens, or philosophers. Rejecting mainstream is a wise move for the most part, Politics is just which lobby can pay the most.

lufties · 16-11-2014 12:41PM

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

If you're fed up with radio, Consider podcasts. They are much more niche so you can find ones which hit your interest without having to entertain a broad audience. You're not waiding through 'shout outs' and birthday wishes or whatever they do on radio to keep everyone's attention.

Never listen to radio anymore.

I think 'fresh air' podcast is the best I've ever come across. Listen to the ones that interest me and skip the ones that don't.

Simples

I'm an avid follower of electronic music(NOT EDM), house/techno. Frisky fm. I used to listen to rte radio 1, but realised its mostly establishment rubbish.

the evasion_kid · 16-11-2014 12:43PM

I'm starting to think lately that I was happier when I was homeless,people just seem to be existing to work and working to exist,living their lives online right down to dating, the "validation generation" were a "like" is a quick dopamine rush

parttime · 16-11-2014 12:47PM

Starscream25 wrote: »

Fo real, their lyrics have been quite thought provoking throughout their career, the music itself may not suit everyone.

But they are quite mainstream,being played commercial radio all the time.
And ****e.

lufties · 16-11-2014 12:47PM

the evasion_kid wrote: »

I'm starting to think lately that I was happier when I was homeless,people just seem to be existing to work and working to exist,living their lives online right down to dating, the "validation generation" were a "like" is a quick dopamine rush

Good post.

Lu Tze · 16-11-2014 12:50PM

lufties wrote: »

This might seem a bit of a rant, but recently my eyes have been opened up to the sorry state we are in on this planet. It all seems to be about money and nothing else. At present, Mainstream media/music/politics cannot be taken seriously, I've realised that to get truly inspired or learned, its better to limit social media, take no notice of politicians, and keep the radio switched off.
Instead, reading books, becoming more cultured(learning about the arts), watching classic movies(avoiding hollywood productions), developing healthy interests is the way to go.

Otherwise doomed to the life of an average chump :cool:

What are you doing on this mainstream site then? Over 2000 posts in 2 years

Starscream25 · 16-11-2014 12:57PM

parttime wrote: »

But they are quite mainstream,being played commercial radio all the time.
And ****e.

They wouldn't be a mainstream band, but considering only a handful of their singles are played on the radio considering the plethora of albums they've released, that ain't bad going. It's interesting really, they write lyrics about this kind of topic all the time, especially in their earlier works.
Anyway mainstream does suck to be fair but the older I get the less I care

folbotcar · 16-11-2014 02:36PM

Welcome aboard. What took you so long? The planet has always been in a sorry state and the mainstream has always been about money. But don't assume that everyone who makes money from the mainstream completely buys into it. I think it's fair to say that many of the most successful people who get rich off the mainstream aren't particularly interested in it. I'm thinking of Richard Branson, Michael O'Leary, Bill Gates etc.

We have the likes of Russell Brand who has taken to spouting political rhetoric slating the mainstream while studiously ignoring he made his fortune off it and ignoring the fact that nothing he says is new or even particularly edgy. It's old hat.

Yes mainstream music is crap, we do live in a world of mediocrity with manufactured pap bands like 'One Direction' dominating. But that's not new either. Even the Beatles became mainstream and lost their edge. Something none of them ever got over.

It's the same with everything. Even alternative ideas become mainstream eventually. Remember alternative comedy? It went mainstream. Now it's often the old fashioned comics who you never see on TV that are doing the edgy stuff.

The question though it what you're going to do with your new found realisation that the mainstream is a sea of mediocrity? Go live in a cardboard box like our homeless man? Find an alternative religion? Become a communist or a fascist or join some off the wall political party? Take to drugs or drink? It's all been done.

Or just do what most of us do. Take advantage of it's benefits with a cynical eye and just follow your own interests. But be suspicious of everything that 'everyone knows to be true'. Question everything. But don't start surfing alternative and conspiracy websites. Most of those people are just mad.

Have fun.

16-11-2014 04:24PM

There's always been shíte in the mainstream but it's the good stuff that's mostly remembered years later. Hence why nostalgia is often completely inaccurate and a pointless pursuit.

Starscream25 wrote: »

Geordie shore- dumb ****.
Manic Street preachers- intelligent individual
My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard- dumb ****.

Pfft, Manic Street Preachers are shíte. Pompous pseudo-intellectual fúcktards who think they're superior to everyone around them, using big words with their meat-and-potatoes "rock" to try and sound impressive while also releasing vapid crap like "Your love alone is not enough, not enough, not enooooooough......"

And "Milkshake" may not be lyrically thought provoking song of all time but for what it is, a light-hearted club song, it does the job pretty well. Plus Kelis's most recent album Food is really damn good, very warm and soulful. :cool:

Anyone else fed up with the mainstream?

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