Rewriting, Washing, Scrubbing American Culture

This fucking thread still rolling? Me hate it long time.

 

The fact that @Songbird asked for a conversation and it’s this many pages later proves he is right. His thread is worthy of conversation. I think he learned. I think he apologized. Some just want to grind it beyond belief. I have a story, may be long but hang in.

My daughter teaches high school English IB kids. I think it’s highest level kids... international baccalaureate. Her school is listed as 47% black. While she never said, I think her classroom is about that. So she piloted and taught a Faulkner class, his time, and his writing. She did it in 2020, February. And it went well. She used her same curriculum February of this year and it was a disaster. She was teaching exactly what Songbird is asking... do we sanitize literature? This years class seemed to take it as she was teaching them misuse of the N word, which they know quite well. A mother took exception and asked for a meeting. Too late to make a long story short, but the mother ended the meeting “Be glad it’s me here, because not everyone would be so cool “. Time and temperature.

 

Reno 911 has jokes that would not fly today. Always Sunny has episodes it doesn't repeat or stream.

 

Worth asking why - or even if - that's a bad thing.

Because it's the assumption from which the thread proceeds.

 

It is.

But who gets to decide? If the new cultural left is the one in charge of that, the acceptable range is going to get very, very narrow.

 

For every show or comedian or movie that the "new cultural left" has an issue with, there are hundreds that aren't a problem. Man, that's a REALLY narrow range there. But you go on pretending it's so horrible. You wouldn't have much if you didn't have your outrage.

 

I find myself making an “If a tree falls …” argument.

If an objectionable joke or statement or action appears in a movie or TV show and it doesn’t offend me, why should I seek out the opinions of others who may feel differently?

For example, if I would never denigrate Puerto Ricans in real life, do I still have to feel bad about watching and laughing at the Puerto Rico Day episode of Seinfeld?

I’m a million times more put off by Michael Richards calling people n——-s and making lynching jokes in real life than I am about a work of fiction.

 

Presumably, in the case of Always Sunny, the producers of the show decided.

Again, rightsholders have rights.

 

It is 100 percent your business if you choose to seek opinions about why people are offended. The argument to at least read up on why is to 1) educate yourself on how people see the world. You can accept it or not. But at least you know. 2) to inform your actions going forward. Again, opinions vary.

What’s hard about pop culture is it’s so subjective. My wife has a lot of problems with some movies or shows because of their treatment of women or perpetuation of stereotypes. Personally I see it deferent, but I’m no worse for knowing. I don’t change the fact I enjoy South Park or shows set in the 50s because she’s offended. But it gives me insight and that’s never bad.

And yes, Michael Richards on stage was way worse than the Puerto Rico episode. And even that episode wasn’t that bad. The joke wasn’t the flag burning it was everyone getting pissed and chasing him.

 

Well the shows were funny.

What I don't fully appreciate is if I like it because it was a racist joke, it's a clever observation, or an ironic statement about the stupidity.

 

Just asking questions

 

I’m not outraged. I’m just sayin the range will get narrow.