RealTime With Bill Maher: Samuel the Skinhead LIVE!

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Carboys Desire		#321	[-]
Posts: 7507 (07/17/09 11:59 PM) Registered user Reply Quote More Recent Posts Message Connection Block Invite	I'm watching the closing monologue now. Methinks DrWH2.0 must be a Michael Jackson fan.
Dr Will Hatch two point oh		#322	[-]
Posts: 8615 (07/18/09 6:49 PM) Registered user Reply Quote More Recent Posts Message Connection Block Invite	Carboys Desire wrote: I'm watching the closing monologue now. Methinks DrWH2.0 must be a Michael Jackson fan. Actually more of a Dark Knight fan. He actually made a good correlation between Americas zeitgeist and Jackson mania, it's his other attempts at commentary that I dislike. Carboys Desire wrote: Huh? Reality tv, rap music, and Paris Hilton are part of popular culture. Each of the three have elements that also contribute to moral decay and if you pretend to not understand that then perhaps you have already been affected--I don't know. These things do not affect me as I had my head screwed on straight (at least in my mind) and tight before these three things came into mass appeal. But I am very happy to not have to raise a child with these cultural influences. At 44, am I just getting old? Maybe, but that's my opinion. Just as you think Bill Maher contributes to the problem, I think there are many more things that are worse contributors. Like these. If you find Reality TV or Rap music aesthetically unappealing or inherently "bad", you can't take it for granted. What pragmatic effects do these items actually have on the general culture? And why are you assuming that culture is nothing but a bunch of individual contributions and not a collage? I left out Paris Hilton because I truly, honestly am indifferent towards her. I meant it when I said I had no idea who she was until I heard someone complain about her. As for Bill Maher, I never said he was a larger problem than any of your examples above. I said he contributed to cultural decay, if that in fact exists. Inadverently maybe, but he and people like him contribute nothing but arbitrary nonsense and call it "commentary". To use the aforementioned Paris Hilton example, what does she contribute to society? I say, what does Maher contribute? Pragmatically speaking, nothing. It doesn't have to do with age as much as philosophy. You say that certain things are inherently bad or immoral, so the burden of proof is on you.
Carboys Desire		#323	[-]
Posts: 7528 (07/18/09 7:06 PM) Registered user Reply Quote More Recent Posts Message Connection Block Invite	First of all, don't tell me what I am assuming because you are wrong. You really don't understand that some rap music promotes a gangsta lifestyle that is harmful, that exploits and influences young people in urban ghettos and even in suburbia? You honestly have to be told that there is a large branch of reality television that exploits women or displays crass behavior that young people without proper parental guidance will come to accept as normal? Or that reality television can influence people to the point that instead of aspiring to go school to get an education and a well-paying job that they instead dream of going on a reality television show to win a big monetary prize? Or to be Paris Hilton's best friend??? About Paris...she's become quite famous for nothing more than being a wealthy socialite who has managed to worm her way (quiet effectively) into one of the most widely recognized faces of pop culture. Instead of seeing her for the superficial bimbo that she is there are young women that aspire to be just like her and that want to be her BFF. Maher contributes because he promotes the questioning of our elected officials, for one. He doesn't sit back and let those that govern do so without challenging them (sometimes directly by inviting them onto his show) and by encouraging others (the audience) to challenge what it is these same officials are doing supposedly in our benefit. While his foremost interest is most likely his own, his contribution to society is hardly "nothing."
seaguy		#324	[-]
Posts: 16897 (07/18/09 7:14 PM) AI Forum Moderator Reply Quote More Recent Posts Message Connection Block Invite	I want to smash Paris Hilton in the face with a shopping bag full of expensive shoes. Can I blame rap music, reality tv, Bill Mahar or Carboy? :)
Dr Will Hatch two point oh		#325	[-]
Posts: 8616 (07/18/09 7:43 PM) Registered user Reply Quote More Recent Posts Message Connection Block Invite	Carboys Desire wrote: First of all, don't tell me what I am assuming because you are wrong. If you say so. Carboys Desire wrote: You really don't understand that some rap music promotes a gangsta lifestyle that is harmful, that exploits and influences young people in urban ghettos and even in suburbia? Yes, and that's why I don't listen to it. The burden of quality is on its listeners and practioners. Carboys Desire wrote: You honestly have to be told that there is a large branch of reality television that exploits women or displays crass behavior that young people without proper parental guidance will come to accept as normal? Or that reality television can influence people to the point that instead of aspiring to go school to get an education and a well-paying job that they instead dream of going on a reality television show to win a big monetary prize? Or to be Paris Hilton's best friend??? While I agree that I find some reality shows repulsive, the general arguments against the genre are usually ham fisted or make incorrect assumptions about people. For example, most people will tell you that Survivor and other game based reality shows are appealing to schadenfreude. Not only have studies been done disproving this, I can say from personal experiance that I generally have positive things to wish for the participants. Of course criticism is warrented, and I actively encourage it because I think it keeps producers from going too far into things that really ARE immoral. What should parents tell their kids? Anything they want, but expect the smart kids to have a mind tingling rebuttal. Why should you care what people do with their lives? Why is it immoral? Carboys Desire wrote: About Paris...she's become quite famous for nothing more than being a wealthy socialite who has managed to worm her way (quiet effectively) into one of the most widely recognized faces of pop culture. Instead of seeing her for the superficial bimbo that she is there are young women that aspire to be just like her and that want to be her BFF. The world needs it's bimbos. I've met plenty. I know one with a PhD. Who cares how certain ones choose to spend their time? Carboys Desire wrote: Maher contributes because he promotes the questioning of our elected officials, for one. He doesn't sit back and let those that govern do so without challenging them (sometimes directly by inviting them onto his show) and by encouraging others (the audience) to challenge what it is these same officials are doing supposedly in our benefit. While his foremost interest is most likely his own, his contribution to society is hardly "nothing." Why doesn't he question the very concept of government or authority? He is not encouraging thought or political philosophy, as he admits his show is primarily played for laughs. Actually, he exacerbates political philosophy.
kultainen		#326	[-]
Posts: 83 (07/18/09 7:52 PM) Reply Quote More Recent Posts Message Connection Block Invite	Carboys Desire wrote: Huh? Bankruptcy laws allow people a way out from their moral obligation to pay their debts. Far too many people take advantage of those laws. I've read of individuals who file bankruptcy 3 or 4 times. Reality tv, rap music, and Paris Hilton are part of popular culture. Each of the three have elements that also contribute to moral decay and if you pretend to not understand that then perhaps you have already been affected--I don't know. These things do not affect me as I had my head screwed on straight (at least in my mind) and tight before these three things came into mass appeal. But I am very happy to not have to raise a child with these cultural influences. At 44, am I just getting old? Maybe, but that's my opinion. Just as you think Bill Maher contributes to the problem, I think there are many more things that are worse contributors. I have to assume you have the same moral outrage at corporate bankruptcy protection,which right now is much looser and easier to obtain than personal? And most personal bankruptcy is in fact caused by our lax corporate laws and regs...easy credit card with changing interest rates, mixing good mortgages with bad in CDOs so that the bad swamp the good, using out clauses in insurance policies to leave patients with huge health bills. Etc. As for the rest, reality TV hurts no one as long as you see it for what it is: mindless entertainment tingled with a dash of social commentary. Rap music has been demonized today the way heavy metal was earlier (causing suicides and demonic worship anyone?), or the way frankly early rock was (mixing the races, OMG). Some of it is urban poetry, some of it is junk, some of it is just a good beat. Most people know the difference. Paris? every generation has its blonde bimbo (Jean Harlow, Carole Lombard, Marilyn, Jayne Mansfield, Madonna in that stage.). So sad to say as a pale blonde by nature. SIGH. Bill Maher is a funny, at times smart, comedian with some interesting spins on things, particularly religion. But George Carlin he ain't. Richard Pryor he ain't. Lenny Bruce, he ain't, Except in his own mind sometimes. and then he's not funny. I have 2 young ones, too young yet. Knowledge and exposure is empowering , and parenting is not about isolating your kids or controlling everything they see read or hear. It's about working thru those things with them so they make the right choices.
tdugan333		#327	[-]
Posts: 11040 (07/18/09 10:43 PM) Reply Quote More Recent Posts Message Connection Block Invite	I don't understand what is "not contributing" by his commentaries on the world, politics etc? That's contributing in my opinion. I enjoy them because he doesn't pull punches and says a lot of things that I say or think. That whole "not contributing" crap is just a convenient phrase to toss around when someone disagrees with you or you just don't like what they have to say. Why can't Reza be on every week? He's dreamy.
McWolcott		#328	[-]
Posts: 11827 (07/18/09 11:23 PM) The Real American Psycho Reply Quote More Recent Posts Message Connection Block Invite	Hi tdug!!!
sugarrhill		#329	[-]
Posts: 4150 (07/19/09 4:35 AM) Registered User Reply Quote More Recent Posts Message Connection Block Invite	Carboys Desire wrote: First of all, don't tell me what I am assuming because you are wrong. You really don't understand that some rap music promotes a gangsta lifestyle that is harmful, that exploits and influences young people in urban ghettos and even in suburbia? You honestly have to be told that there is a large branch of reality television that exploits women or displays crass behavior that young people without proper parental guidance will come to accept as normal? Or that reality television can influence people to the point that instead of aspiring to go school to get an education and a well-paying job that they instead dream of going on a reality television show to win a big monetary prize? Or to be Paris Hilton's best friend??? About Paris...she's become quite famous for nothing more than being a wealthy socialite who has managed to worm her way (quiet effectively) into one of the most widely recognized faces of pop culture. Instead of seeing her for the superficial bimbo that she is there are young women that aspire to be just like her and that want to be her BFF. Maher contributes because he promotes the questioning of our elected officials, for one. He doesn't sit back and let those that govern do so without challenging them (sometimes directly by inviting them onto his show) and by encouraging others (the audience) to challenge what it is these same officials are doing supposedly in our benefit. While his foremost interest is most likely his own, his contribution to society is hardly "nothing." Wow I didn't realize we time warped to the 1950's. Oh Carboy, always blaming the coloreds. What will we do wiht your old queen ass?
tdugan333		#330	[-]
Posts: 11042 (07/19/09 6:15 PM) Reply Quote More Recent Posts Message Connection Block Invite	Hi McW!!!!
Dr Will Hatch two point oh		#331	[-]
Posts: 9229 (10/02/09 8:22 PM) Registered user Reply Quote More Recent Posts Message Connection Block Invite	I'm glad Garofolo finally shut up. She offers no proof whatsoever on outlandish racism claims.
McWolcott		#332	[-]
Posts: 12628 (10/02/09 9:00 PM) The Real American Psycho Reply Quote More Recent Posts Message Connection Block Invite	She's probably one of the smartest women alive.

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