The century of self is an older documentary - I've seen it, so let me say something, though.. the problem with a documentary in which the documentarian is iased is that it stops being a documentary and becomes, largely, propaganda. Now, this is an interesting documentary, and it's aired on PBS here in the states (I wonder what Jeremy Clarkson would say of this, though.. maybe he's too busy testing out the new Bugati, which came not from the states ;) The thing is, though, not that some mass conspiracy brainwashed the public, including those not born - somehow this documentary seems to intone that the titans of industry warped people and repressed alternatives, etc. What it fails to neglect is that the human experience also empowers people to seek what they believe is "better" and that is different for every person, true.. but there are some things in which, titans or no, people generally agreed on.
People tended to like the idea of "damn, I can get cool liquid", I'll take a refridgerator! By using Freud and others to evaluate how society works, the documentary devolves into a one-sided arguement of human reaction based on psychological forces and holds this standard true. But this in no way equates with newer, and different psychological thought since the passing of Freud. Then again, I guess we could dig up Carl Jung and Jean Piaget, both scholars in their field, wrote alternative theories and thoughts about the impact of our subconcious and how it renders what we perceive as primary needs. In his case, the documentary uses a fairly self-fulfilling method, by which interviewees are put forward that are known to agree with the heart of his theory, and basically none who provide alternative viewpoints on what compels human desires in the west or anywhere else in the world. Then again, i guess I"ll just go inside, set the thermostat at 72 and enjoy the cool after mowing the lawn (though I use a Reel mower, the Brill, so at least he can "take that!") It's a decent documentary.. as to games and computers.. it's the nature of the world. Look, the best computer game I've ever played is still Sid Mier Civilization II. I enjoy the sequels (IV is very good), but for sheer fun, I'd take CivII. That having been said, there is nothing at work from a psychology standpoint of people wanting something that they perceive of as 'more fun". I suppose we could all go back and make different choices. And society has had moments where it has repeatedly proven that a high-ticket item doesn't necessarily succeed on the "bigger is better" philosophy.. look at the Nintendo Wii. In every sense, the other competing consoles (PS3, XBOX360) have more graphic power and push to them.. but which console gets the most play in my house? The Wii. What game is the most popular? Right now it's the WiiWare "Defending Your Castle" which, I have to tell you is a riot with the WiiMote. We aren't brainwashed into these things by a grand corporate scheme, and if we were, General Motors and Ford would not be worried about having vehicles that are too big while global competitors eat up US marketspace with smaller vehicles. That's the problem with documentaries such as this; it, like Freud, assign too much power to the concept that individuals can be controlled by subconcious cues, whereas, like Jung and others believe, there is a subconcious standing within the id that helps define how we want things. Just as a counterpoint. CW > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: [email protected] > Date: 05/25/08 14:04 > Subject: Re: [H] BBC, you got to be kidding > > On Sun, 25 May 2008 11:37:17 -0700 > FORC5 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Why would anybody of even normal intelligence want to watch anything from > > the prejudiced BBC ? > > > > Sounds like jealousy or just plain ignorance to me > > fp > Hi Fred, > > You pre-judge the documentary on the grounds the producer is prejudiced? > > You can't open your mouth without shooting yourself in the foot. > > Best, > Al
