Does it bother you when someone interprets a piece of media poorly or incorrectly?
- Thread starter Bor Gullet
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I remember seeing that movie in theaters when I was 11 or something, and I was hyped to join the military and kick some alien bug ass. Thankfully, it was only a phase.
Not if it's once or twice, but when something is constantly misinterpreted it starts to seriously irk me. Like songs played at sports games that are actually anti-war songs (Born in the USA or Fortunate Son) or movies like Fight Club or American Psycho that are celebrated for the wrong reasons.
maybe she was talking about the novel itself? the book is extremely problematic in its promotion of militarism and fascist beliefs.
I once had a friend tell me that he thinks America should be like Starship Troopers and there shouldn't be citizenship without service. I was pretty shocked.
Only when they take it as an endorsement of something that the text is VERY obviously condemning (or vise versa). On some level, it's the author/director's fault if a rational viewer comes away with the wrong message. But we also live in an age in which people are determined to willfully misinterpret a text (and spread that intrerpretation) if it can be twisted to support their shitty views. This is why discussion of the text needs to have accompanying evidence.
For example, take the following two examples of film takes from 2018. 1. "Black Panther advocates for ethnostates." 2. "Green Book is actually racist." Both of these takes cut against the explicitlay stated intention of these films, but only the latter can be seriously supported by any amount of evidence.
Generally, there are very few "wrong" readings, so I give a lot of slack on what I'll buy as criticism. Like, if you develop a trans reading of a Golden Age Hollywood film when that subject would've been nowhere near top of mind in the industry, I'll go on that ride with you if you're ready to back it up. If you see your experiences unexpectedly reflected in a text, there's no reason not to explore that.
For example, take the following two examples of film takes from 2018. 1. "Black Panther advocates for ethnostates." 2. "Green Book is actually racist." Both of these takes cut against the explicitlay stated intention of these films, but only the latter can be seriously supported by any amount of evidence.
Generally, there are very few "wrong" readings, so I give a lot of slack on what I'll buy as criticism. Like, if you develop a trans reading of a Golden Age Hollywood film when that subject would've been nowhere near top of mind in the industry, I'll go on that ride with you if you're ready to back it up. If you see your experiences unexpectedly reflected in a text, there's no reason not to explore that.
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To be honest, yes. That's why I avoid talking about things I like because someone would eventually come in with the "overrated, pretentious, badly written or doesn't make senses" take.
Yeah, definitely. That shit is hella annoying.
Oh yeah, those things are the worst. I saw a friend watch one of those videos once and I was sort of baffled that out of all the dumb shit on the internet, that someone would dedicate any time to watching something like that. It is like if a video essay was fan fiction. Super weird.
Tbf, that kind of thinking is ocassionally based on a quote attributed to Francois Truffaut: "There's no such thing as an anti-war film". Though, I'm sure most people who say shit like this are just dumbasses and not scholars of the French New Wave.
Oh yeah, those things are the worst. I saw a friend watch one of those videos once and I was sort of baffled that out of all the dumb shit on the internet, that someone would dedicate any time to watching something like that. It is like if a video essay was fan fiction. Super weird.
Tbf, that kind of thinking is ocassionally based on a quote attributed to Francois Truffaut: "There's no such thing as an anti-war film". Though, I'm sure most people who say shit like this are just dumbasses and not scholars of the French New Wave.
Usually not, but there are some examples where I do just think oh fuck off. Eyes Wide Shut is pretty much impossible to have any discussion about because it won't be long before the topic becomes about how the film was a vessel for Kubrick to expose the sex/paedo cults of the world's elite and they killed him for it. Clearly.
In cases like that, I have no time to entertain people's bullshit.
In cases like that, I have no time to entertain people's bullshit.
I mean, I guess they're fun to watch for some people? They're not fun for me to watch, but to each their own, I guess. I just cringe whenever someone takes that shit seriously. Like, does anybody seriously believe that stuff? Believe that the developers intentionally made that stuff in that way? Heck no.
Yeah, I guess I just don't get it either. I really just don't understand watching stuff like that when there are a ton of really engaging video essays on Youtube where you actually learn something genuine.
And hopefully no one actually believes that junk. I'm sure some people do, unfortunately.
I wouldn't mind if they were actually thought provoking or something, but they're like, huge reaches. "Oh, Aerith doesn't actually get killed by Sephiroth in FF7 because the sword simply severed their spine and wouldn't have actually killed--" STOP IT
I have not played a single FF game despite my above comment. I dunno, it might hold water... unlike the other theory, lmao gottem
???
Do you mean the book? Because yes, that's an entirely reasonable point that your SIL made, and one which Paul Verhoeven would agree with.
If you mean the movie, the satire in that film is almost close enough to our real life American value system that I wouldn't be shocked if she thought the film was playing the topic straight.
Anyway, interpreting something "incorrectly" isn't something that I think people can do when analyzing media. If you've got the evidence and your analysis of that evidence is reasonable, then your interpretation is fine. Now, if you have poor evidence or reasoning or both, then yes, you can interpret something poorly.
It was the movie lol. I was watching it on Netflix, she came in about 10-15 mins of the way through and watched it while I stepped out to get something. When I came back it was over and she was like "people like that movie?" And then she started talking about it sucking off the military and being an awful movie.
opinions that are clearly someone parroting someone else's shitty hot take on a subject. Its like regifted dog shit.
Ah, I see. Personally, I'll give her a pass on that one because Republicans go on Fox News to tell people to give your life to the economy unironically here in 2020, so a movie about giving your life to the military state without question or thought probably doesn't hit the same way now that it might have earlier.
Yes. Especially with movies when it seems clear that the person was not paying attention, or is trying too hard to find a "gotcha" on the movie, or misses obvious shit.
One example that stuck with me for some reason was with Iron Man 2. They're discussing over donuts how Rhodey took the suit. Widow confirms only authorized users have access to suits. Cue rabid claims of "PLOTHOLE--Rhodey couldn't have taken the suit if only authorized users have access!" It's infuriating, like, do they have to spell it out that Stark authorized Rhodey? Do they have to explicitly state it? How dumb is the audience nowadays? First, Rhodey had enough experience with the suits to write a report for the government/military. Second, Tony was dying, and no doubt setting things up for those closest to him after he's gone. Thus, trustworthy BFF pilot gets access to suits. Fuck.
Seriously though, people, pay attention to the movies you watch so that they don't keep getting dumbed down dammit.
EDIT: And now I've gotten started...
Now reverse it.
I'm also peeved off by people acting smart about movies that are too fucking obvious, or movies that state the point outright because they're afraid (sometimes rightfully) that it's not obvious enough.
As in: "The Joker is, like, an agent of chaos, man."
YOU DON'T SAY???
One example that stuck with me for some reason was with Iron Man 2. They're discussing over donuts how Rhodey took the suit. Widow confirms only authorized users have access to suits. Cue rabid claims of "PLOTHOLE--Rhodey couldn't have taken the suit if only authorized users have access!" It's infuriating, like, do they have to spell it out that Stark authorized Rhodey? Do they have to explicitly state it? How dumb is the audience nowadays? First, Rhodey had enough experience with the suits to write a report for the government/military. Second, Tony was dying, and no doubt setting things up for those closest to him after he's gone. Thus, trustworthy BFF pilot gets access to suits. Fuck.
Seriously though, people, pay attention to the movies you watch so that they don't keep getting dumbed down dammit.
EDIT: And now I've gotten started...
Now reverse it.
I'm also peeved off by people acting smart about movies that are too fucking obvious, or movies that state the point outright because they're afraid (sometimes rightfully) that it's not obvious enough.
As in: "The Joker is, like, an agent of chaos, man."
YOU DON'T SAY???
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There is no such thing? Someone's opinion of a piece of media doesn't invalidate your own. Just move on.
It doesn't invalidate your own but people saying there's no wrong way to interpret things... lol. For a lot of art there are some pretty strong and clear messages.
No.
Because otherwise I would have an aneurysm reading how people didn't get that Parasite is a critic to capitalism and the rich but got it the other way around
Because otherwise I would have an aneurysm reading how people didn't get that Parasite is a critic to capitalism and the rich but got it the other way around
i'll admit i didn't like the movie initially because i thought it was too over-the-top and obvious. i thought that made it too cringy to be effective satire. of course, that was also the time when animal farm and 1984 were considered cautionary tales and not guide books. given the current social environment, i can see how people might take films like this as non-satire. as a result, i've come around to recognize that my claims of obviousness no longer hold.
as long as it looks like you're making a good-faith and coherent argument based upon the source material and the context, i don't usually have a problem with interpretation, even ones i disagree with.
I'm less bothered by "inaccurate" or less obvious interpretations of media and more when certain parts of the fandom/content creators pass it off as some kind of puzzle they unlocked. I'm sure "The REAL MEANING behind The Pest!" gets more views than "My interpretation of The Pest" but it's just so exhausting and gatekeepery.
Well there isn't because everything is opinion at that point.
Nah, something like "Mein Kampf is good for the Jewish people" is a clearly wrong interpretation of that book.
This right here fir me too. At least to a certain extent.
Like the whole thing with police and military using the Punisher logo. My brother is one of those types and he's NYPD. I bought one of those BLM Punisher charity shirts and I'm the type to go out of my way to wear it around him just to possibly piss him off.
I guess what bothers me is how petty I'm willing to get about things like this topic.
Sadly nothing I can find easily anymore. I had them thrown at me by a few people in a Reddit argument on DOOM's themes about a year ago. In a subreddit dedicated to in-depth discussion of games of all things!
I want to say no, but I also have a buddy who is deeply convinced that the Kesha album Warrior is secretly a concept album about how a girl gets roped into a music career and over times becomes jaded to it. Which given everything that's happened to Kesha is probably somewhat accurate, but his entire interpretation of that album hinges on literally one song near the end.
Kesha also had almost zero control over the content of that album, so it's hard for me to buy that it's secretly a scathing critique of the music business. Dr. Luke likes the music business too much for that.
Kesha also had almost zero control over the content of that album, so it's hard for me to buy that it's secretly a scathing critique of the music business. Dr. Luke likes the music business too much for that.
Same here. And I'm not even trying to be the Lost defender, it's just... that's not what happened. I don't get why that idea is so prevalent.
i think for me it depends on what the media is, and then if theyre making an argument for or against a work based on something that is completely untrue in the work. i don't really get mad about it, just extremely confused. sometimes i feel like i'm watching/reading/playing/listening to something different from what other people are when they do that. i can't think of any off the top of my head right now though
Did you tell her that it's satire? Were you able to convince her?
Honestly it's more annoying when people are unable to consider that media has more depth than what's on the surface.
I remember one time mentioning the pretty obvious and what I assumed was uncontroversial idea that Superman is a Christ allegory.
I had multiple people freak out at me and act like I was insulting Christianity. I tried to explain to them that if anything that's actually appreciative of Christianity, and that I'm not saying Superman is literally Jesus, and they like just freaked out. Fucking embarrassing and pissed me off all day.
It wasn't a big deal I guess but just the complete meltdown they had made me mad.
I remember one time mentioning the pretty obvious and what I assumed was uncontroversial idea that Superman is a Christ allegory.
I had multiple people freak out at me and act like I was insulting Christianity. I tried to explain to them that if anything that's actually appreciative of Christianity, and that I'm not saying Superman is literally Jesus, and they like just freaked out. Fucking embarrassing and pissed me off all day.
It wasn't a big deal I guess but just the complete meltdown they had made me mad.
Yes. This annoys me moreso tbh.
Especially when so many of them just try to ignore/discredit any criticism of a thing they liked as "well you just didn't get it."
Yeah, I fucking got the point of The Joker, it's an incredibly shallow movie it's really hard not to get the point of it.
Yes.
There's nothing more annoying than reading a take that makes absolutely no sense and then you show them a million things that disprove their asinine take, sometimes with the person who made it disagreeing and they're still like, "nah I'm right".
Which is why I don't fuck with Death of the Author.
There's nothing more annoying than reading a take that makes absolutely no sense and then you show them a million things that disprove their asinine take, sometimes with the person who made it disagreeing and they're still like, "nah I'm right".
Which is why I don't fuck with Death of the Author.
Doesn't bother me enough to argue on Era. I just shake my head and let other Era members hash it out with them. If a close relative then yeah it would bother me as who wants to be related to someone with bad opinions? But again depends on the severity of the bad opinions. It's amazing how many people think having an opinion means they are correct and cannot be challenged. Had that happen once with my Dad lol I was aghast at something he said, I said that was nonsense, he said but it's my opinion, I said just because it's your opinion doesn't make it a fact. You can have the wrong opinion. He was confused by that somewhat. Still, what can you do about parents eh? Generally, I don't get bothered enough probably as I think I am factually correct and don't want to risk someone saying I am not :D
Yeah death of the author is real fuckin weird. On one hand I enjoy seeing critical analysis of media through different lenses, or postmodern takes that delve more into the life of the creator and what cultural influences or beliefs arise in the work. All things actually using what's in front of them.
Then you get people who just chuck out any analytical tools and base their opinions on their inability to understand even the basics of the material - going entirely on knee-jerk-level reactions - but will fight you vehemently about how they're right.
I get annoyed when people provide hot takes about movies when they obviously were distracted or not paying attention. "Lol I hated this movie. It was so stupid. Did you not notice that glaring plot hole? Took me out of the movie." *10 minute dialogue scene explained the plot point