Yes, it is 2003, but are we getting closer to 1984?

[Zhukov]

Are you some kind of communist ranxer?

[Drew Katsikas]

Ranxer, there has always been an ignorant mass. Always. Don't think that everyone used to be literate and informed members of society, until TV came and took that away. Admitedly, TV is a huge waste of time, and happens to brainwash people. Well, couple hundred years back, there were many other brainwashing worthless activites. Going to Church. Hell, back then, the services could last up to three hours, the average time an American spends watching TV. Plenty of brainwashing going on there, and plenty of Misogyny and the evils of sex being disseminated by the backwards priests. It was as harmful to listen to those guys as it is to watch television. Both preach bad morals.

And guess what? Just like back then, there are people who can rise above that bullshit. Just as many today as there was yesterday. Intelligent people still exist. I think many of the I-Mockery crew (although there are many exceptions. VINTH) can vouch for that. We all watched television since before we could speak, and ate sugary cereal (gasp) and played with toys and video games. Oh my god! However, we have a reccomended reading section, which, along with a few comic book posts, contains many threads where pople discuss some decent literature. The music section. Almost all the shit in the music section is about hard-working artists that aren't made only to be sold to the masses in any easy to digest form.

Stop kidding yourself. There have always been lots of stupid people, that are brainwashed and idiotic. And there have always been intelligent people. Amounts never vary.

[Immortal Goat]

Drew, that was the most intelligent thing I have heard all week. Still, it's only Tuesday, but you have a good chance of hangin' in there till at least Friday.

[The Administrator]

We should just take a vote now about which dystopia we're gonna end up with. The 1984 model based on fear has been losing ground to the Brave New World model based on avarice...it seems modern neo-capitalism is a compromise that is leaning towards decadance. Our current geopolitical cockfight however is very 1984...give me a soma holiday over two minutes hate any day.

[CaptainBubba]

Exactly. The world in Brave New World was actually designed initially as a utopia. Its citizenry would actually be quite happy, whereas 1984 would be hellish nightmare.

However I definitely tend to see less Eugenics policies and government mandated sedatives than sweeping new policies restricting liberty and privacy. So for the time I'd say we are definitely heading more in the direction of a 1984 dystopia.

[Drew Katsikas]

Originally Posted by Immortal Goat

Drew, that was the most intelligent thing I have heard all week. Still, it's only Tuesday, but you have a good chance of hangin' in there till at least Friday.

Why thank you, but I'm not replying to your compliment to reiterate my greatness, but rather to build off your idea there. A best post of the week/month. And stupidest post of the "insert time frame here". Hopefully Vinth wouldn't destory the competition, though.

[El Blanco]

i'm saying that literacy
or objectivity is not supported by a system that thrives on inattention and a lack of objectivity..

What system are you talking about? Consumerism?

profit on scams and false advertising is more rampant than its ever been.. the traveling salesman is outmoded by todays marketing campaigns

Just an old demon with a new skin. Instead of ringing your doorbell, he interupts your shitty sitcom.

if you spend the bucks on the wrapper it doesnt matter whats inside, most people will buy it if its pretty and cheap

You want me to feel sorry for idiots who pick style over substance? Fools and their money are always parted. Its nothing new.

a system that thrives on that is playing us at our lowest levels ..emotions and complex sexual compulsions

I'd like to think that human beings are able to look a little past that. For fuck sake, we aren't chimps.

the people junked up on the crap we can buy.. then the pharmecuticals.. add a beer and they don't have a chance at objectivity.. they're way too hooked on maintaining a false reality to think no more than sporadically.

They chose it themselves. The companies merely provided a product and service that was sought.

and the corporations count the $$ .. its quite evil

Amoral, there is a difference. They aren't sitting around with horns and pitchforks. They didn't wake up and say,"Hmmm lets enslave people to their desires." They provided products and services that made people's lives a little more comfortable, but the people got hooked and poured in tons of money.

You accuse corporations of being Big Brother, but chastise them for not being mommy?

What happened to politially incorrect?

Low ratings. Conan O'Brien went through Bill Mahr like Tie Domi through a European winger.

Of course, Mahr didn't bring what he advertised.

have you ever heard from producers that were told 'you can't say that on the air'? or heard about the trouble guests on certain shows get into by speaking their mind?

I've heard a lot of those rumors, no actual proof though.

Micheal Moore got record breaking ratings yet was turned down on projects after his series TV Nation.

Maybe the networks went back and checked his "fictionous" documentaries.

And have you ever watched The Awful Truth? The title was half right.

the stories behind what goes on network tv have all manner of fubar though..

Stories, rumors, innuendo..........

[ranxer]

drew.. im not saying there have never been stupid people..

instead of making acusations and trying to tell yall what i think, how bout some questions..

WHERE does a system that feeds on stupidity and emotions and calls it progress end up? if you can't think deeply.. please do not reply.

WHERE(or HOW) will a system that feeds on itself (in a finite world) end up?? (imagine that this feeding frenzy is billions of dollars a day involving billions of people, with millions having piggy back feeding frenzies of liquid cash on top of the actual sales- stockmarkets)

blanco.. are there any 'stories' you believe? you think everybody goes around lying all the time? if ten people tell a similar story about company 'A' you think... hah, thier all just lieing because they got shafted???.. you want a scientific inquisition to prove everything?