From: zzz.zzz@qqq.net   
      
   Lawrence Logic wrote:   
      
   > I must apologise for apparently planting a seed and then running away.  That   
   > wasn't my intention, although the to-and-fro between you and Reaper G has   
   > been entertaining and very interesting.   
   >   
   > Just out of curiosity, how did you find this thread?  I'm presuming that you   
   > aren't a South Park fan.   
      
   I watch the show most of the time. As a matter of fact, I primarily   
   watch animated shows on TV and an occasional sitcom. I don't watch   
   dramas and I am probably the only person in the US who hasn't seen a   
   single episode of any reality show ever. All together, I spend less than   
   60-70 minutes a day in front of that wasteland that is TV.   
   Still, SP suffers from lazy writing. The writers will occasionally come   
   up with a brilliant episode, but that happens less and less often, and   
   most of the time they will shovel out garbage based on off-the-wall   
   bullshit and what sometimes smells of some inside joke that the audience   
   has no background story of (see the Kanye West episode - what the fuck   
   was that about?).   
   The smugness and the hypocrisy of the writers is starting to be a major   
   turn-off as well. They are all so allegedly "libertarian" (you really   
   have to live in the US to understand this fucking canard, but suffice it   
   to say that the US is the only country in the Western hemisphere where   
   the word "liberal" is slung as an insult), so we get treated to this   
   show's anti-liberal share of nonsense, while in the meantime the same   
   writers feel free to enjoy all the benefits of liberalism and liberals   
   they are so quick to spoof. As a result, any social commentary in SP is   
   necessarily stilted, widely off target and therefore culturally and   
   socially irrelevant. For a perfect example, see that abortion of an   
   animated movie Team America.   
      
   Last, but not least, some people seem to be mistaking certain TV show   
   newsgroups for the place where only fawning and groveling sap is allowed   
   as posts and where any negative comments are met with disbelief by the   
   "fans" who would think the show was the greatest thing on Earth even if   
   it consisted of nothing but 30 minutes of white noise or color bars.   
      
   > I find South Park to be almost sophisticated by virtue of its deliberate   
   > non-sophistication at times.  Most of the shows have multiple concurrent   
   > story lines, and they're much more complex than what they appear at face   
   > value.  It seems to be more in line with English humour, which is   
   > understandable when you consider the creators' affection for Monty Python   
   > (and, ipso facto, Spike Milligan).  Some of it is absolutely fucking   
   > retarded, and much of the humour is wide of its mark (the Oprah episode that   
   > you mentioned, for instance), but I generally feel it to be the most   
   > enjoyable show on TV.   
      
   Well, there's little point debating personal preferences and taste, so   
   I'll just point out that SP is to Monty Python what bestiality porn is   
   to art cinema.   
   Also, like I already said in one of my previous posts, I am really   
   disgusted by this trend in comedy (or "comedy" to be precise) where   
   something is supposed to be funny just because it's stupid. I fail to   
   see the connection, but more and more writing relies just on that.   
   Examples are abundant.   
      
   > While my views on Dawkins are more aligned with yours rather than Reaper   
   > G's, I have much respect for Reaper due to his regular participation in this   
   > group.  I'm not suggesting for a moment that you should go easy on him.  I'm   
   > just meaning that I'll still like him even if I don't necessarily agree with   
   > him.  It troubles me to a degree, though, that I seem to have opened a bit   
   > of a hornet's nest and that the debate has become more than heated (and   
   > there are still half a dozen more posts to get through - Lord alone knows   
   > what they contain, so to speak).   
      
   That's OK. After all, the Usenet is not meant to be a Barney the   
   Dinosaur playground. I am certainly not an innocent daisy when it comes   
   to posting, but if there is one thing I can't stand it's the people who   
   mistake an endless repetition of slogans, bumperstickers and mindless   
   chants for a rational and logical argument. This is an increasing   
   phenomenon in today's semi-literal, uneducated and anti-intellectual   
   culture where people don't read anything other than celebrity gossip   
   magazines, don't watch anything other than Hollywood gossip "news" and   
   form their opinions by listening to pseudo-journalist blowhards on   
   FoxNews and AM radio.   
   You really have to live in the US to understand what I'm talking about.   
   I lived in Europe half of my life, then in Canada for some time, and   
   then I wound up in the US in the late 90's, so you could say I've seen   
   my share of socio-political systems, but I have never seen this level of   
   divisive political and quasi-political garbage that is being thrown   
   around in this country. Some of the things that you hear ostensibly   
   adult, intelligent and functional people saying is simply beyond belief.   
   The main reason, like I pointed out before, is that in this country   
   anti-intellectualism is not only not considered abnormal, it is   
   celebrated and praised as patriotic! Thus, for example, a politician who   
   is able to form a full sentence is considered "elitist" and hence not a   
   "real American", and the one who boasts of not reading anything but the   
   Bible and whose literacy and erudition is on the level of a 7-year old   
   is elected. Twice.   
   Just look at some 90% of the comments under any Youtube video. The level   
   of "writing" there makes me wonder if those people are the same species   
   as the rest of us.   
      
   > It pleases me that you found this thread, although civility seems to have   
   > flown out the window.  In no way am I blaming you for that; I just figured   
   > that I'd chime in now with an opinion and your post is merely the vehicle   
   > for that.   
      
   'Tis alright. I must be cruel only to be kind.   
      
      
      
   --   
   If you don't beat your meat   
   You can't have any pudding   
   How can you have any pudding   
   If you don't beat your meat?   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)