Wash my brains in television ((long))

[ADaisyChain]

I've been feeling.. paranoid lately. I've been watching alot of TV, and drowning myself in cough medicine. And I just can't figure out where this paranoia is coming from!!! ((HAR HAR HAR HARR))

Anyway, Requiem for a Dream at the peak of 1100mg of DXM blew my brain up as if I had been holding a gun to it for 17 years and finally pulled the trigger. And I think I had been. But, the gun was metaphorical or something. That doesn't change that it was there though.

After Requiem for a Dream I lightened the mood with some Blues Clue's. Finding the clues and telling him where they are is alot of fun when the inhibitions are all hiding way far in the back of my brain. I don't mind typing all this up.. but boy would I prefer to write it all in a handy dandy... -pause waiting to say it in sync with the two year old- "NOTEBOOK!!!"

I helped a man in a sweater complete the alphabet, and it felt genuinely good. I was the creator. "I need a word that starts with an S! Can you help me find one?" Of course I could. -laughs- No trouble at all, man in a sweater. If you'll look to your left, there happens to be a shovel. Go ahead and put that in our alphabet bucket and we'll move onto the letter T, how does that sound to you?

Eventually, I figured out Blue's Clues. We celebrated with laughter and song. I sang along once I caught on to the simple and repetitious tune. "We just figured out blue's clues, we just figured out blue's clues, we just figured out blues clues, because we're really smart!" Every time that man would reassure my intelligence by saying we instead of just "I" ((referring to himself)) my heart would jump. Thank you, sweater man. Your words, through the magic of melody, have become ingrained within me forever. And I will always know that my aiding you in discovering just what Blue wants to do ((the whole purpose of the game Blue's Clues)) will be remembered and appreciated for time unknown.

Family Feud. Not quite Blue's Clues, but a similar concept designed for people who feel themselves mentally beyond the challenges of Blue's Clues. The questions, unlike those of Blue's clues, rarely rely on direct knowledge, but rather on guessing. The best thing about this show is the families they bring on it.

This show also encourages it's watchers to play along. But, instead of counting on a young toddlers lack of inhibition to cause you to participate, they rely on the 80 year old woman's painkillers to do the work. Or the 47 year old single man's alcohol. Or the obese widow's sorrow. Canned laughter added at ALL the appropriate times. Just for a little bit of extra comfort. Some else is laughing too, you can laugh with them!! Oh I'm feeling so comfortable right now Al, you really make me feel special.

"What do you think guys, will 'The Bar' be up there and the top 5 places to take your kid?" says Al from Tool Time staring right into the camera.

QUICK, he wants an answer, he's looking straight at you and they're about to goto commercial you can feel it. "Well, we'll be back to see if 'The Bar' is on the boards and if the Nelson family can take the lead away from the Thompkin family right after these commercials, don't go away!" He's still talkin' to you.

This guy has some serious nerve. I'm not even sure there's really an audience there, they never show it. When they pretend to zoom up on the board, it's actually a digital board designed especially for your tv. Al can't see it, but he sure pretends he can. He acts like he's right there next to it just for you. Just keep in mind he's lying to you, and that he clearly has no problem with it.

When there's a pretty girl in the final part of the show, waiting to see if she won whatever piece of advertisement shit they're giving her in complete suspense, he takes advantage of her. He's lonely and you can see it in his poor empty a smile. A lonely celebrity!? No, a lonely tv game show host who's career is no longer celebrated.

When it's a lonely old lady, who just wanted to be on tv, waiting in suspense to see if she won whatever piece of advertisement shit they're giving her ((she's just going to give it to her grandson, she doesn't need a new car)) he walks toward the camera. She notices and laughs a bit. Yeah, he'll wrap his arm around the young ladies, but not her. She's okay with it. She's on TV. All her friends are watching.

So we've got the youngin's covered, we've got the societal weak covered. But, what about the American middle aged middle class white suburban middle-man? They're too sober for interactive tv for the most part. Too much dignity making inhibitions like a wall for television interactivity. They get fake life TV. Craft artificial, but theoretically possible ((seeming)) situations and allow other people to submerse themselves in them.

You too can live a fake life with merely the press of a button! We might be nearing virtual reality. When we get there, and we live false experiences, our brain will respond as if we've lived a real experience. At least, when it gets very realistic.

That's why some high budget movies and shows are better then low budget ones. Because with a large amount of money they're able to pay the people who are best at the techniques used to create realism. Some movies are trippy because they throw you around alot, toss you behind different people's eyes all the time instead of just letting you see it all third person.

So what's this all add up to? They lie to us alot. They make us feign stupid. Adult swim picked up on it all it seems like. I really think adult swim is the anti-television. Yes, they advertise. Yes, they talk to each watcher individually. The difference appears to be in that they're MOCKING it all. It appears all their actions are concious. Like they're conciously pushing boundaries without breaking them. ((Stankervision is an example of a show that breaks the boundaries. Wonder Showzen does too in alot of cases))

Adult Swim seems very well thought out. They aren't just letting us live fake lives or treating us like 3 year olds with interactive television. They make our brain work abstractly and force us to find intelligence in it. They develop a specific sense of humor in us, and they keep pushing it a bit farther, developing it more and more. Teaching us to recognize every piece of it.

Most TV does nothing to work our brain, it just makes our brain pretend it's in a situation it's not, but without the ability to direct things. It leaves you without reason to think for the most part. The questions on family feud aren't shit we need to know. I don't care if the beach is the most popular hotspot to pick up chicks or the club is according to their imaginary studio audience. I just can't see anything good coming of our current programming except aid to escapism.

It seems so pointless to use the television in such a nature when television blocks like tickleU prove that tv can be used to improve the brains of kids, breaking down language barriers, teaching them to be aware of subtle things like sighs, helping them through school. I just don't see why it couldn't be used in a similar fashion on any one open minded enough to learn from it in an unblatant fashion. AKA, not just watching a seminar or something.

Southpark does it just a little in my opinion. They imbed messages into their shows. Their opinions, really. The only problem is that they're doing it too blatantly. Adult swim on the other hand is being very decievious. Presenting shows that to an old woman would look like a childrens show gone awry with curse words, but to a 22 year old college student could be a brilliant satire on human nature.

This was a huge post. Even if no one reads it, it will have been worth it. Organizing my opinions like this feels brain-good.

ADaisyChain Reviewed by ADaisyChain on 10-19-2005. Wash my brains in television ((long)) I've been feeling.. paranoid lately. I've been watching alot of TV, and drowning myself in cough medicine. And I just can't figure out where this paranoia is coming from!!! ((HAR HAR HAR HARR)) Anyway, Requiem for a Dream at the peak of 1100mg of DXM blew my brain up as if I had been holding a gun to it for 17 years and finally pulled the trigger. And I think I had been. But, the gun was metaphorical or something. That doesn't change that it was there though. After Requiem for a Rating: 5

[Caruso329]

It was well worth it my friend. I read every word and it sounds like you had a very mind-expanding trip with our good friend Dex. Very fun read I must say. Have fun trippin'! "

[ScarlettCrush]

yes.
If you where singing, we would be in harmony.
If you where preaching, I'd be shouting amen.
but you are typing, so I'll just agree.

[the last stand]

a little off topic, but i didn't watch tv for about 2 months, until i hooked it back up last night...i didn't miss it at all....

[ADaisyChain]

yes.
If you where singing, we would be in harmony.
If you where preaching, I'd be shouting amen.
but you are typing, so I'll just agree.

I started writing a book. I've only got the first three or so pages done. But you and Ousted are getting the first copies when I finish it. Seriously. If you think I'm joking, you're wrong.

I might even sign it for you. Language can be real powerful like. I like the way you use it alot. Your one of my favorite language users.

[the last stand]

btw, nice story DC

[GHoSToKeR]

I want a copy.. *sigh*.. I guess i'll just wait for it to be released in the UK..

[robert42]

wow deep ill post more with the permission of jesus

[ScarlettCrush]

...you and Ousted are getting the first copies when I finish it. ...
I might even sign it for you.

I would like that a lot.

[Ousted]

THAT was so fucking amazing.

I know Ive told you this before but goddamn, you have got some incredible talent. Thank your parents, your god, your teachers, whatever influences that have made your brain able to communicate your thoughts through your pen (keyboard) so intelligently, so effectively, capturing not only how insightful you are, what a deep thinker you are, but also that you can incorperate your gift for humor in your writing, personality, and again, your ability to thoroughly entertain the reader throughout. And all while seeming humble.


I can't believe you are 16. By the time you are 25 you'll have the world at your feet, my friend, if not before then.