Are The Standards Of Entertainment Dropping?

Not slipping, just diluted.

its a dumbing down method for the masses - so they won't be watching what is really going on in the world - get them more interested in the latest "brat" of the season.

Its all manipulated that way - you are told how to think, both in the news and in the entertainment and every other aspect of life. You are monitored through various "social" networks.

thats why you should question everything and believe nothing until you have seen actual proof.

first thing to do is to stop watching crap and believing is anything other than a large business making tons of money from dumbed down entertainment. How do they make their money - by idiots and kids throwing their money at whatever brat they are "promoting" on any given day.

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

I have noticed that the most obsessive, zombie-like, manipulated, masses tend to be the ones who spew out this type of nonsense and definitely not the ones who watch/follow x-factor and such.

as you wish. carry on.

They probably have...but i'm so easily amused that its hard to tell

TheZohan wrote: »

The movie Idiocracy hit the nail on the head.

it almost did. it proposed a genetic reason for the dumbing down of society. when in actuality the reason for the dumbing down is environmental. that's how i see it anyway.

being smart has never been 'cool' but it seems like now, in addition to the tendency for kids to want to alienate their more academically successful peers, there's also a disturbing trend towards distrusting science in general. maybe it's an offshoot of distrusting authority figures (i.e. 'the man') but whatever it is, it's sad to see the consequences.


back to the topic though, i like a lot of very stupid entertainment, and a lot of very trashy music, and some very stupid and/or bad movies. it's my right as a person and it does not mean i can't think for myself, nor does it mean i'm stupid. so be careful about deciding to determine a person's general level of awareness/intelligence based on such criteria.

The last 10-15 years has been the greatest era for TV with channels like HBO, Showtime etc hosting shows that are the modern equivalent to the great Hollywood 1970s movies. Then in reaction to this, many stations upped the ante and many great shows were aired. It is a cliche to say that TV is where the best writers are these days, but it is partly true.

The Wire, The Sopranos, Arrested Development, Battlestar Gallactica, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The US and UK Offices, Deadwood, Lost, Prison Break season 1, Mad Men, Freaks and Geeks, 30 Rock, South Park, Six Feet Under etc are many examples of the level of quality TV available. All of the above may not match every persons individual tastes, but they are high quality. There are more high quality shows on TV in this era compared to any other era.

As for movies, it has split down the middle into purely blockbusters and low budget art house movies that are Oscar fodder. Personally, some of my favourite movies have been released in the last 10 years. If you only watch brainless entertainment (and we all need that from time-to-time), it is your own fault for ignoring what else is out there. My only issue with movies is the lack of movies with a medium budget as the effects of the marketplace, reduced movie goers etc has taken place. Also, there are more movies out there than Hollywood movies. France, Spain, Germany are all home to thriving movie industries. As is the rest of the world too. If you only watch Hollywood blockbusters, you only have yourself to blame.

There have also been some fantastic books and songs written in this era. The biggest issue is the sheer amount of entertainment available. There are more hours to fill on TV, so there will be more of everything. Crap TV is often the cheapest thing to produce and reaches the mass market much more than what I'd consider "good" TV. Look at how many people watched The Wire when it first aired compared to X-Factor. TG4 are to be forever thanked by me for showing it!

jackiebaron wrote: »

Can't remember the last time I saw a really great movie. Seems that good plots and good acting (Shawshank Redemption, Usual Suspects, Good Will Hunting, etc.) all came out in the 1990's and now there's just drivel that relies too much purely and computer graphics e.g. Matrix, Avatar and all the Pixar ones.

:eek: Are you cereal?

jackiebaron wrote: »

Can't remember the last time I saw a really great movie. Seems that good plots and good acting (Shawshank Redemption, Usual Suspects, Good Will Hunting, etc.) all came out in the 1990's and now there's just drivel that relies too much purely and computer graphics e.g. Matrix, Avatar and all the Pixar ones.

What about The Departed, True Grit, The Fighter, The Dark Knight/Batman Begins, Toy Story 3, Wall-E, Inception, Shutter Island, Kick Ass, Up In The Air, The Wrestler, Changeling, Waltz With Bashir, Brokeback Mountain, The Prestige, Mulholland Drive, Memento, No Country For Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Gladiator, Before Sunset, Kill Bill? And that's just a stream of consciousness list. There will be lots more.

Then there is world cinema. L'Enfant, City of God, The Lives of Others, Y Tu Mama Tambien and dozens other fantastic films. It won't hurt you to expand your horizons.

The 1990s was NOT some golden age of film making.

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

So what? It is trash, but for everyone Jersey Shore, you got a Boardwalk Empire. The main reason people think standards are dropping is simply because of the amount of tv stations and programs there are. How many channels are there now compared to twenty years ago? There used to be one mtv, now there about ten.

The Jersey Shore and Boardwalk Empire are my two favourite shows.

Yeah Buddy!