6 ms·

Weird. I never read these kinds of articles. I always assumed they were just promotional material for whatever the subject has lined up. I came away liking D

Weird. I never read these kinds of articles. I always assumed they were just promotional material for whatever the subject has lined up. I came away liking Donald Glover less. His outlook on the world is pretty negative for someone who has been as successful as he has.

longerthoughts 9y ago
>His outlook on the world is pretty negative for someone who has been as successful as he has. If anything shouldn't that make us pay more attention to his outlook? The "I've seen the top and the world still sucks" point of view is pretty compelling to me.
- Consultant32452 9y ago
  I don't see why that's important. I've seen the middle and the world is pretty amazing.
- oh_sigh 9y ago
  Or he is just depressive and his outlook says more about that than his station in life.
  - longerthoughts 9y ago
    Possibly, but I'd rather not dismiss peoples' perspectives on the basis of unfounded assumptions about their mental health.
    - oh_sigh 9y ago
      He's talked about dealing with depression extensively. E.g. http://people.com/tv/donald-glover-i-didnt-want-to-lie-about-my-feelings-anymore/ http://people.com/tv/donald-glover-i-didnt-want-to-lie-about...
      - longerthoughts 9y ago
        Actually he deliberately avoids calling it depression, granted what he describes sounds a lot like depression. >"Glover, 30, says he has been feeling down of late – though he shies away from describing his current state as depressed. 'If I’m depressed, everybody’s depressed,' he says. 'I don’t think those feelings are that different from what everybody’s feeling. Most people just don’t tell everybody.'" In any case, I have a hard time with the idea that we should dismiss somebody's critique of the world because they're upset about the world.
e40 9y ago
We live in negative times. Is there something specific that rubbed you the wrong way?
- rukittenme 9y ago
  His opinions on race and society. When I first heard Kanye's "New Slaves" I thought I was learning something profound about the black experience. But if you watch his interviews on the song the whole thing is about his fking clothing line. I still like Kanye and I still like "New Slaves" but I like them for how I see them and not how they are. I think I feel the same way about Atlanta now. Glover's opinions on race and society are just...stupid. He reminds me of "Darius". Even if he's right it doesn't seem like he's given it much thought.
  - parzivalm 9y ago
    I think when you talk about opinions on race and society, it is opinion, Glover's view on it may seem stupid to you but it isn't stupid to him and many others. Just as your views or even mine might be stupid to Glover. I don't think that is reason to dislike a person.
    - rukittenme 9y ago
      I don't dislike him because of his opinions. I still like him but I've lost some amount of respect or reverence for him. It seems like he hasn't put a lot of effort into his opinion. Maybe he has and when I learn more I'll regain some of that lost respect. I only mean to say this interview didn't do him any favors from one person's perspective.
      - dtornabene 9y ago
        what if he doesn't have to "put alot of effort into his opinions" because they are his lived experience? The entire piece is littered with quotes and examples of the cultural effects of systemic racism, none of which is particularly controversial outside of say, the Breitbart comment section. The bit about his brother, being darker skinned and how that affected he's percieved, vs himself, being lighter skinned, and what that means in terms of his own perception.
rvo 9y ago
This is a country that worships celebrities. Kardashian, Trump, Donald Grover, etc. What one do about it... There are a few good non celebrities we should be listening to. Sam Harris, Jordan Peterson's, etc. Highly educated, high signal to noise, experts in their fields and not fking celebrities (at least not originally). I have nothing to gain by listening to a performers opinion about anything outside of what they perform in. I don't think these are smart people.
- moate 9y ago
  Why not? If someone is talking about a personal experience, why can't that be valuable to see another perspective? You can get Zimbardo talking about how Evil people aren't always evil, but sometimes evil due to their environment, and then you can see that reflected in art like Atlanta where characters are robbing their friends because they need resources to survive. Then you can hear a song by The Animals that shows the narrative across eras and ethnicity. Is this an "art isn't valuable" sort of option or "artists I don't like make art I don't like" sort of thing?
  - rvo 9y ago
    More like art isn't valuable, especially in the context of the hyper commercialized, capitalistic "art scene" in America. I mean, this is the Kim Kardashian country, Dr. Phil country. Where a reality TV star is president and mindless latenight shows pretend to be arbiters of morality. Donald Grover is no different, and people who see him are no different.
    - moate 9y ago
      So what I said, but with more words. Okay, Got it. If you can't see why art is useful, I'm not going to try and waste time debating you. Good luck fighting the capitalists.
      - rvo 9y ago
        Yes, what you said -- you gave me two options, I gave you an answer. Not sure why you thought I am sitting here waiting to "debate" you. This is just my opinion. Please don't take an abstract opinion so personally.
gringoDan 9y ago
I think the article gave a well-rounded view of Glover. He came across as both depressing and egotistical, but at the same time as incredibly intelligent and funny. I was impressed by the fact that he seems to be grappling with existential questions on a much deeper level than most entertainers - many of whom seem to think that their fame entitles them to a valid opinion without any rational analysis. Glover has a solid grasp of Elon Musk's motivations (what he's trying to do with Neuralink) and his ability to seamlessly incorporate ideas like Bostrom's Simulation Argument into a comedy about race in America is striking. Zooming out, I think that were you to graph happiness levels vs. intelligence across the population, you'd get an inverted U shape. Hence the tortured artist trope. (Realize I'm making a leap here on mainly anecdotal evidence. There are a few small studies on this but nothing I feel so confident as to link to.) A negative worldview is what pushes us forward - the people who can envision the difference between an ideal and what society currently looks like are the ones who affect change in the world.

longerthoughts 9y ago

>His outlook on the world is pretty negative for someone who has been as successful as he has. If anything shouldn't that make us pay more attention to his outlook? The "I've seen the top and the world still sucks" point of view is pretty compelling to me.

Consultant32452 9y ago
I don't see why that's important. I've seen the middle and the world is pretty amazing.
oh_sigh 9y ago
Or he is just depressive and his outlook says more about that than his station in life.
- longerthoughts 9y ago
  Possibly, but I'd rather not dismiss peoples' perspectives on the basis of unfounded assumptions about their mental health.
  - oh_sigh 9y ago
    He's talked about dealing with depression extensively. E.g. http://people.com/tv/donald-glover-i-didnt-want-to-lie-about-my-feelings-anymore/ http://people.com/tv/donald-glover-i-didnt-want-to-lie-about...
    - longerthoughts 9y ago
      Actually he deliberately avoids calling it depression, granted what he describes sounds a lot like depression. >"Glover, 30, says he has been feeling down of late – though he shies away from describing his current state as depressed. 'If I’m depressed, everybody’s depressed,' he says. 'I don’t think those feelings are that different from what everybody’s feeling. Most people just don’t tell everybody.'" In any case, I have a hard time with the idea that we should dismiss somebody's critique of the world because they're upset about the world.

e40 9y ago

We live in negative times. Is there something specific that rubbed you the wrong way?

rukittenme 9y ago
His opinions on race and society. When I first heard Kanye's "New Slaves" I thought I was learning something profound about the black experience. But if you watch his interviews on the song the whole thing is about his fking clothing line. I still like Kanye and I still like "New Slaves" but I like them for how I see them and not how they are. I think I feel the same way about Atlanta now. Glover's opinions on race and society are just...stupid. He reminds me of "Darius". Even if he's right it doesn't seem like he's given it much thought.
- parzivalm 9y ago
  I think when you talk about opinions on race and society, it is opinion, Glover's view on it may seem stupid to you but it isn't stupid to him and many others. Just as your views or even mine might be stupid to Glover. I don't think that is reason to dislike a person.
  - rukittenme 9y ago
    I don't dislike him because of his opinions. I still like him but I've lost some amount of respect or reverence for him. It seems like he hasn't put a lot of effort into his opinion. Maybe he has and when I learn more I'll regain some of that lost respect. I only mean to say this interview didn't do him any favors from one person's perspective.
    - dtornabene 9y ago
      what if he doesn't have to "put alot of effort into his opinions" because they are his lived experience? The entire piece is littered with quotes and examples of the cultural effects of systemic racism, none of which is particularly controversial outside of say, the Breitbart comment section. The bit about his brother, being darker skinned and how that affected he's percieved, vs himself, being lighter skinned, and what that means in terms of his own perception.

rvo 9y ago

This is a country that worships celebrities. Kardashian, Trump, Donald Grover, etc. What one do about it... There are a few good non celebrities we should be listening to. Sam Harris, Jordan Peterson's, etc. Highly educated, high signal to noise, experts in their fields and not fking celebrities (at least not originally). I have nothing to gain by listening to a performers opinion about anything outside of what they perform in. I don't think these are smart people.

moate 9y ago
Why not? If someone is talking about a personal experience, why can't that be valuable to see another perspective? You can get Zimbardo talking about how Evil people aren't always evil, but sometimes evil due to their environment, and then you can see that reflected in art like Atlanta where characters are robbing their friends because they need resources to survive. Then you can hear a song by The Animals that shows the narrative across eras and ethnicity. Is this an "art isn't valuable" sort of option or "artists I don't like make art I don't like" sort of thing?
- rvo 9y ago
  More like art isn't valuable, especially in the context of the hyper commercialized, capitalistic "art scene" in America. I mean, this is the Kim Kardashian country, Dr. Phil country. Where a reality TV star is president and mindless latenight shows pretend to be arbiters of morality. Donald Grover is no different, and people who see him are no different.
  - moate 9y ago
    So what I said, but with more words. Okay, Got it. If you can't see why art is useful, I'm not going to try and waste time debating you. Good luck fighting the capitalists.
    - rvo 9y ago
      Yes, what you said -- you gave me two options, I gave you an answer. Not sure why you thought I am sitting here waiting to "debate" you. This is just my opinion. Please don't take an abstract opinion so personally.

gringoDan 9y ago

I think the article gave a well-rounded view of Glover. He came across as both depressing and egotistical, but at the same time as incredibly intelligent and funny. I was impressed by the fact that he seems to be grappling with existential questions on a much deeper level than most entertainers - many of whom seem to think that their fame entitles them to a valid opinion without any rational analysis. Glover has a solid grasp of Elon Musk's motivations (what he's trying to do with Neuralink) and his ability to seamlessly incorporate ideas like Bostrom's Simulation Argument into a comedy about race in America is striking. Zooming out, I think that were you to graph happiness levels vs. intelligence across the population, you'd get an inverted U shape. Hence the tortured artist trope. (Realize I'm making a leap here on mainly anecdotal evidence. There are a few small studies on this but nothing I feel so confident as to link to.) A negative worldview is what pushes us forward - the people who can envision the difference between an ideal and what society currently looks like are the ones who affect change in the world.