The Awesome Videos Thread (with Extra Sauce!)

GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
"This video is not meant to mock people who defend rick and morty."

Very next breath.

"FrAmEs EvErY cOmMoNlY hEaRd DeFeNsE oF rIcK aNd MoRtY lIkE tHiS"

I'll save the rest of you 24 minutes: The above video thinks presenting an evil protagonist as cool and pragmatically correct encourages real life evil people to think they are cool and correct when they behave in an evil manner.

And if that's too long to read: "WON'T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN."
 
figmentPez

figmentPez

Staff member
GasBandit said:
I'll save the rest of you 24 minutes: The above video thinks presenting an evil protagonist as cool and pragmatically correct encourages real life evil people to think they are cool and correct when they behave in an evil manner.
Click to expand...
Does it ever address the fact that the show also bashes Rick as being a dysfunctional adrenaline junkie who constantly self-sabotages and only seems "right" because he reduces everything to a self-centered pragmatism that is inherently dishonest and is only superficially "cool" because Rick constantly distracts himself and everyone around him with hollow spectacle?

The show does have a problem with equating intelligence with callousness, but it's not just a one-sided "Rick is cool, don't you want to be like Rick?" monotone like the opening of the video accuses it of being. This isn't Ferris Bueller's Day off, where the main character's actions are never examined.
 
Frank

Frank

figmentPez said:
Does it ever address the fact that the show also bashes Rick as being a dysfunctional adrenaline junkie who constantly self-sabotages and only seems "right" because he reduces everything to a self-centered pragmatism that is inherently dishonest and is only superficially "cool" because Rick constantly distracts himself and everyone around him with hollow spectacle?

The show does have a problem with equating intelligence with callousness, but it's not just a one-sided "Rick is cool, don't you want to be like Rick?" monotone like the opening of the video accuses it of being. This isn't Ferris Bueller's Day off, where the main character's actions are never examined.
Click to expand...
Literally yes.
 
Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

figmentPez said:
Okay, let me rephrase that. How does it address that? Because his opening hyperbole gave no indication he was aware the show did that at all.
Click to expand...
I would recommend watching the video if you want to know. But if you don't want to, the overall message is that framing is an important device, and the framing of monstrous or evil characters as cool and right can have influence on shitty people, regardless of whether that was the intent.
 
figmentPez

figmentPez

Staff member
Ravenpoe said:
I would recommend watching the video if you want to know. But if you don't want to, the overall message is that framing is an important device, and the framing of monstrous or evil characters as cool and right can have influence on shitty people, regardless of whether that was the intent.
Click to expand...
I found his tone to be grating to the point that I will not put up with watching the rest of the video. And I still disagree that the show frames Rick as being cool and right. The video starts with the statement that the text of the show says Rick is right, when the show actually says a very different message, explicitly:



This is not a lone instance, either. The show repeatedly knocks the legs out from under the idea that Rick is healthy, or that even he really believes that he's cool and right. The explicit text of the show is that Rick is mentally ill, and that his whole family is battling mental illness. (Which gets back to the real issue of the show, it conflates intelligence with mental illness, like many people conflate creativity with mental illness. e.g. "Picasso wouldn't have been a brilliant painter if medication had robbed him of being his true self, you have to suffer for art".)

In the real world, evil sometimes seems cool. People being self-destructive can seem like they're having the time of their lives. Alcoholics really can come across as "the life of the party". I'm not defending the show as a balanced or realistic depiction of this, it's not perfect, but if an opening statement in a video says that the text of the show only presents Rick as "right and cool", then I'm not going to bother listening to their critique, because they're factually wrong in their understanding of text vs subtext. Rick's mental illness and self-destruction are not subtext, they are explicitly stated in the show. It's not a subtle message that only some people will pick up on. It's explicitly stated, just like in the clip above.

Maybe I'm just sick of hyperbole from people who don't seem to realize they're being hyperbolic.
 
Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

figmentPez said:
I found his tone to be grating to the point that I will not put up with watching the rest of the video. And I still disagree that the show frames Rick as being cool and right. The video starts with the statement that the text of the show says Rick is right, when the show actually says a very different message, explicitly:



This is not a lone instance, either. The show repeatedly knocks the legs out from under the idea that Rick is healthy, or that even he really believes that he's cool and right. The explicit text of the show is that Rick is mentally ill, and that his whole family is battling mental illness. (Which gets back to the real issue of the show, it conflates intelligence with mental illness, like many people conflate creativity with mental illness. e.g. "Picasso wouldn't have been a brilliant painter if medication had robbed him of being his true self, you have to suffer for art".)

In the real world, evil sometimes seems cool. People being self-destructive can seem like they're having the time of their lives. Alcoholics really can come across as "the life of the party". I'm not defending the show as a balanced or realistic depiction of this, it's not perfect, but if an opening statement in a video says that the text of the show only presents Rick as "right and cool", then I'm not going to bother listening to their critique, because they're factually wrong in their understanding of text vs subtext. Rick's mental illness and self-destruction are not subtext, they are explicitly stated in the show. It's not a subtle message that only some people will pick up on. It's explicitly stated, just like in the clip above.
Click to expand...
The rest of the video explains this statement and even brings up your same points, but if you don't want to watch it that's fine and I understand. I was unable to listen to ready player one on audible because I couldn't stand Wil Wheaton whispering into my ear for hours on end, just know that I can't discuss the video with you because of that

Also, spoiler, RPO was a garbage book even without Wesley
 
Dei

Dei

Ravenpoe said:
The rest of the video explains this statement and even brings up your same points, but if you don't want to watch it that's fine and I understand. I was unable to listen to ready player one on audible because I couldn't stand Wil Wheaton whispering into my ear for hours on end, just know that I can't discuss the video with you because of that

Also, spoiler, RPO was a garbage book even without Wesley
Click to expand...
I hated the shit out of Ready Player One, I found the movie way more enjoyable because it didn't have time to overexplain fucking everything.
 
ncts_dodge_man

ncts_dodge_man

While it helps to have seen Critical Role to know the full story behind it (plus has spoilers if you aren't caught up with CR's second campaign), this is still pretty neat.

 
PatrThom

PatrThom

I couldn’t see those early 201x Focuses (Foci?) without automatically adding the Vader breathing noises.

1576179406232.jpeg


HOOOOcsh -wheww...

—Patrick
 
jwhouk

jwhouk

The newest freeway in the West Valley... the Ed Pastor Freeway!

(...yes, you can still call it the South Mountain Freeway.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top