Americans are walking talking television sets.

Our family agrees, thats why we cancelled cable.

We're readers and goers and doers not watchers.


sarc

reply to post by Electro38

---

is this effect any different than the literary quirks of Nineteenth century people?

by using mannerisms and speech traits and so forth from shows, you are using an archetype that is popularly known to communicate the image you are wishing to project.

Why is this not a bad thing?

because humans as social animals have culture, and culture is generally based on the most commonly known ideas.

people need something to relate to, like a TV show or Movie, because they are strong, meaningful images and people will understand you better if you are using the same language.

Pop Culture is a Language.

Europeans and Asians and so forth do the same thing, and have before TV or movies.

it's about using a 'word-image' (meme) to communicate better.

it's relating a given thought to an image that has a certain meaning or feeling attached to it.

reply to post by TrueHusslin

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I can't speak for my parents who do enjoy such mindless entertainment but I myself can't spend five minutes watching network televisions. Unfortunately most of my fellow Americans believe what they are watching is reality. This is alarming because I hear people talking about some commercial saying we need to find a new alternative to fuel... no #.

I would guess the US has at least a slightly bigger than average percentage (per capita) of the shallow-phony-empty type(s). What American can't say they've encountered at least a few? Sometimes it feels more like a computer program than actual life. It's called insecurity. Everyone knows the ones who can't keep their pie holes shut; yet have nothing of significance to say.

you + are = you're









fool.

a further comment:

the internet is not immune to this effect.

anyone here ever use 1337?

I bet some have.

it is it's won subculture with it's own stereotypical behaviour based on commonly known ideas.

like all those silly abbreviations we use.

LMFAO. ROFL. LOL.BFF.TY.BBL.WTF.
need I go on?

the internet and literature does not negate you from the equation, you are just using lesser known memes to structure your messages to other people.

like I said before, it was the same all the way back to Cave-Man days. people told stories, and those stories were used as a means to communicate ideas.

Like biblical sayings, fairy tale references, Greek Myth metaphors.

all very popular long ago.

it's the same idea. these people just didn't have TV. when TV came around, alot more people saw the same things, and it became the most recognizable set of ideas from which to communicate with.

What you say is absolutely true......but it is also true to say that these sheepheads are now awakening from their deep slumber and the alien's who control government with deception are well aware of this.....and it is this fact, that they are truly afraid of......"The Reawakening" of the Sheepheads.

[edit on 26-7-2008 by Dubyakadubla]

reply to post by MegaTherion

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It's bad simply because unlike great literary works of the 18th and 19th century which were mostly written by great people, in contrast idiots write sitcoms. Most of the stuff on TV is violent , blatantly ignorant, and just plain stupid. If you don't act stupid, you are considered weird.

There's no doubt that great writers have influenced the mannerisms of the people in the middle east, Asia and Europe. Why do most of the people from these places seem more "real"?

Many (most) Americans are extremely superficial and materialistic.
They (adults and children) are greatly influenced by what is being portrayed on TV as being "cool". The "cool mom", the "cool dad", the "cool sister", the "cool brother", the "cool neighbor", etc. , etc.

Why is this being crammed into our brains as the way we should act and behave? Because if we all act and behave the same way, they can sell more stuff to us!

Just think, if there were many more individuals, independent thinkers, how could they sell mass quantities of coke to us?

They have to have us all on the same page in order to sell things to us, coke, wars, clothes, toys, etc.

Independent thinkers, (not radicals mind you, but just true individuals), are frowned upon, and discouraged, shunned, labeled as "weird".

Everyone wants to be accepted, so what do you do? You have to conform.





[edit on 26-7-2008 by Electro38]

This is one of the stupidest threads I have read for awhile.

I shouldn't even feed it with a reply, but I couldn't resist.

Anyone who groups peoples living in a common area such as a country as all being the same lacks imagination and thinking skills.

I can only hope that all the people sharing the country with this OP are not the same as he/she appears to be.

reply to post by TrueHusslin

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Okay, these things could apply to nearly anywhere in the world. Besides, not everyone is the same in every country.

Obviously not every American fits that generalization, but it would seem like most of them do. If this was not true things would be ridiculously different right now. I see it everyday of my life everywhere I go. About 1 out of every 50 people I've met seem to have some sort of awareness. The rest are incredibly sheepish.

The majority will still vote even though there is no choice. Bush is still in power, congress is still together, people still watch reality TV in large quantities and call people like us crazy, the list goes on.

[edit on 26-7-2008 by Asmus]

reply to post by interestedalways

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Rather than just quickly dismissing it as "stupid" why not try to read the more intelligent replies and think about how TV, pop culture, the movies and media influence the way people behave?

Pop culture/media's effect on people's behavior is "stupid"?

It's real and it's well understood.

I did not say that there is no pop culture/media effect on people's behavior, I don't agree with the statement that all Americans are the same.

As a matter of fact I believe that many other countries are pop culture oriented as well as many Americans in many ways. I have noticed many of the American celebrities are pretty popular in internationally.

The racist mentality of the OP is offensive IMO, and I stand by what I said.

There are many other ways of expressing thoughts about the effects of media and pop culture than calling all americans Retarded.

Click here for more information.

How can a tread that touches on a reality or a fact, be termed as being stupid. Is it not that you are also afraid of the unknown and prefer to be a negative force, instead of being an instrument of motivation to others, unless you have motives of your own.

reply to post by interestedalways

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I see what you're saying and agree. Shouldn't generalize.

But why does it seem to be such a profound phenomenon in the US, more so than in other places?

I am very proud to be American, but I am a little worried about how people in America are acting these day.


[edit on 26-7-2008 by Electro38]

mate its not just americans its anyone that watches main stream media,so many morrons out there so many

I would like to chime in here and say that there are some very fine and astute
minds in the US,Why,even on this forum there are some very clever people,
not brainwashed,understand what is going on,maybe they are not able to do
anything about it but they have the blessing of not being blind.

The same is here for my country (Aus),we have the same mindset,the same
distractions and the same sheeple mentality,As long as number one is looked
after and all is well what does it matter if the police state is coming.

I tell you what,There are a few on this board that i would trust with my life,that they would know how to survive and take care of themselves and that they could do the same with me.

Yes,I have been to the US (From Tx to Mich) and have met some fine crew,some that you speak of and some that are different again,Wherever
you go there are those that are awake and those that are asleep,
It is our job to wake them up but belittling them and judging them will not
help the cause,showing them that there are things going on with love and
gentleness will wake them,depends how you see yourself mostly.

Your judgment upon others is but a mirror.

Blessings

BV

Mind Control The Ultimate Terror



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