4 ms·

How a TV Sitcom Triggered the Downfall of Western Civilization (2016)

29 points by omnibrain 8y ago

aaron695 8y ago
Friends was cutting edge for its time. It tackled a lot of taboo topics. One gets tired of people looking back with 2018 eyes on 1990s shows and acting all superior. "Big Bang" everyone is a Ross and still going strong.
- StorytellerCZ 8y ago
  I would argue that Big Bang Theory continues the negative trend of "nerds" being a laughing stock for the "normal people". Sure it is a success, but that tells us nothing except that it is successful in appealing to audience. I watched only a few episodes and although it introduces people to some aspects of the "nerd culture", overall I still found its mocking tone personally unappealing. I've even experienced and witnessed people using the tropes from the show to mock "nerds". Yes, it might be funny due to the over exaggeration of the stereotypes and honestly I don't mind, but when it comes to the issues that were describe in the article it isn't helping. I don't know much about friends (never could watch it as I find pretty much all of the characters insufferable), but in regards to the article it is pointing out just one thing of a much larger story. I think other things played much larger role in the anti-intellectual/anti-reason movement that the article is lamenting.
  - Viker 8y ago
    Someone smarter once said : "Big bang theory, is a dumb show about smart people, and Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a smart show about dumb people"
    - sceadu 8y ago
      I heard that said about Community when it was on... i.e. s/IASIP/Community
- volfied 8y ago
  There is that saying: “Those who don’t remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” We learn a lot by studying how things from the past affected us as people. I’d argue that BBT has the exact same problem. Only this time they don’t need characters to laugh at nerds anymore, audience does it already.
bleh123 8y ago
Yes, the dominant superpower of the past 50 years more than doubles its national debt on the back of two(official) wars that last nearly 2 decades, cause thousands of lives lost on the side of the west and millions on the side of the middle east . . .but sure, F.R.I.E.N.D.S not treating a Paleontologist as the second coming of Christ is the cause for a supposed decline in western civilization :/
karmakaze 8y ago
By the sheer number of aligned 'co-incidences' at the time, the show merely reflected, and at most mildly accelerated a dip. Similarly, "Big Bang" is riding/lifting the current importance of tech.

29 points by omnibrain 8y ago

Friends was cutting edge for its time. It tackled a lot of taboo topics. One gets tired of people looking back with 2018 eyes on 1990s shows and acting all superior. "Big Bang" everyone is a Ross and still going strong.

StorytellerCZ 8y ago
I would argue that Big Bang Theory continues the negative trend of "nerds" being a laughing stock for the "normal people". Sure it is a success, but that tells us nothing except that it is successful in appealing to audience. I watched only a few episodes and although it introduces people to some aspects of the "nerd culture", overall I still found its mocking tone personally unappealing. I've even experienced and witnessed people using the tropes from the show to mock "nerds". Yes, it might be funny due to the over exaggeration of the stereotypes and honestly I don't mind, but when it comes to the issues that were describe in the article it isn't helping. I don't know much about friends (never could watch it as I find pretty much all of the characters insufferable), but in regards to the article it is pointing out just one thing of a much larger story. I think other things played much larger role in the anti-intellectual/anti-reason movement that the article is lamenting.
- Viker 8y ago
  Someone smarter once said : "Big bang theory, is a dumb show about smart people, and Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a smart show about dumb people"
  - sceadu 8y ago
    I heard that said about Community when it was on... i.e. s/IASIP/Community
volfied 8y ago
There is that saying: “Those who don’t remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” We learn a lot by studying how things from the past affected us as people. I’d argue that BBT has the exact same problem. Only this time they don’t need characters to laugh at nerds anymore, audience does it already.

bleh123 8y ago

Yes, the dominant superpower of the past 50 years more than doubles its national debt on the back of two(official) wars that last nearly 2 decades, cause thousands of lives lost on the side of the west and millions on the side of the middle east . . .but sure, F.R.I.E.N.D.S not treating a Paleontologist as the second coming of Christ is the cause for a supposed decline in western civilization :/

karmakaze 8y ago

By the sheer number of aligned 'co-incidences' at the time, the show merely reflected, and at most mildly accelerated a dip. Similarly, "Big Bang" is riding/lifting the current importance of tech.