When it comes to entertainment, what's wrong with

[Maxirad]

…pandering to the lowest common denominator?

 

[M-Dent]

…pandering to the lowest common denominator?

I suppose for the same reason one should avoid the tempting habit of taking jabs at low-hanging fruit – many times, it parades laziness and contempt. One should strive to develop and exhibit the talent God gave us.

 

[edwest2]

I suppose for the same reason one should avoid the tempting habit of taking jabs at low-hanging fruit – many times, it parades laziness and contempt. One should strive to develop and exhibit the talent God gave us.

Well said. Thank you.

Ed

 

[Padres1969]

…pandering to the lowest common denominator?

Because pandering to the lowest denominator does nothing to educate or challenge the lower denominator to learn something. And at the same time it adds to the intellectual stagnation of those that aren’t the lowest common denominator.

 

[randomuser]

…pandering to the lowest common denominator?

Because it increases homogenity and monotony, that’s why. Have you heard the new Katy Perry CD? Snoozeville. All the songs sound the same. The new Lorde CD “Melodrama”? First track ‘Green Light’ is permanent earworm even before it gets to the chorus.

There are undoubtedly other examples.

 

[randomuser]

Because pandering to the lowest denominator does nothing to educate or challenge the lower denominator to learn something. And at the same time it adds to the intellectual stagnation of those that aren’t the lowest common denominator.

^^ that’s why. Look at the terrible turkeys at the movie theaters this summer. Atrocious, unwatchably bad movies. Nothing remotely challenging or edifying.

 

[egretps]

Because… right now the lowest common denominator is quite low.

Grossly low.

Nauseatingly low.

 

[SolicitorPirate]

There’s nothing wrong with trashy, unchallenging entertainment. But it shouldn’t make up the entirety of your palette. I think we are at our best when we’re comfortable with going to watch both wrestling and the opera

 

[TK421]

Wrestling would be more of a niche form of entertainment since it’s not something “the masses” watch. You have to have a particular taste for it.

Pornography, dirty comedy, and plastering mass shootings all over social media are examples of the lowest common denominator, because mankind has an almost universal attraction to sex, coarse joking, and reading about horrible things happening to other people in order to feel excited or better about ourselves (and that may or may not serve any constructive purpose, such as praying for the victims).

 

[Maxirad]

Um, did Aaron Spelling pander to the lowest common denominator? Quinn Martin? Irwin Allen? Glen A. Larson? Stephen J. Cannell?

 

[joeybaggz]

…pandering to the lowest common denominator?

Pandering to the lowest common denominator, serves one important purpose. It illustrates the direction of much of society.

Write the next “The Sun Also Rises,” or “The Grapes of Wrath” and you might sell a few thousand copies. Write a trashy supermarket tabloid newspaper, and you’ll be a millionaire.And the people who buy and read the tabloids vote and go to church also.

Sad commentary on society; but a necessary one.

Shalom

 

[Indigo_Cardinal]

…pandering to the lowest common denominator?

I suppose it all depends, really.

Shakespeare wrote his plays for the common man, and now they’re required reading in schools because of how well he wrote. And now it’s considered a sign of being well-educated if you can quote him at will (err, no pun intended there.)

 

[Indigo_Cardinal]

There’s nothing wrong with trashy, unchallenging entertainment. But it shouldn’t make up the entirety of your palette. I think we are at our best when we’re comfortable with going to watch both wrestling and the opera

Pretty much. I enjoy reading Shakespeare, Sherlock Holmes stories, the works of Homer, but I also enjoy ‘pop culture’ stuff like “Game of Thrones”, and will occasionally buy a Harlequin Romance novel because I want easy entertainment where I don’t have to think too hard (since the plotlines of HRs are all ‘boy meets girl, boy and girl have huge misunderstanding, boy and girl resolve misunderstanding and live HEA.’) Nothing wrong with going all up and down the spectrum.

 

[edwest2]

Pandering to the lowest common denominator, serves one important purpose. It illustrates the direction of much of society.

Write the next “The Sun Also Rises,” or “The Grapes of Wrath” and you might sell a few thousand copies. Write a trashy supermarket tabloid newspaper, and you’ll be a millionaire.And the people who buy and read the tabloids vote and go to church also.

Sad commentary on society; but a necessary one.

Shalom

I strongly disagree. TV Guide was sold for one dollar some years ago. The media is designed to mold perceptions about reality. It doesn’t reflect it. As someone who has/is watching the steady decline of the media into the pit, it is quite obvious. And I work in a niche portion of the media.

A lot of cable cutting is going on and some people are turning away from the trash.

Ed

 

[SolicitorPirate]

I strongly disagree. TV Guide was sold for one dollar some years ago. The media is designed to mold perceptions about reality. It doesn’t reflect it. As someone who has/is watching the steady decline of the media into the pit, it is quite obvious. And I work in a niche portion of the media.

A lot of cable cutting is going on and some people are turning away from the trash.

Ed

We’re cutting cables because we’re just streaming stuff on Netflix, not because people are widely turning away from ‘trash’

And I think you’re entirely wrong about media not reflecting culture. Popular media is both a participant in and a reflection of culture. By definition, popular media has to resonate with its audience.

Just look at large social movements and contrast with what movies succeed and fail. For years audiences cried out for strong leading women, and we get the successes of movies like Hunger Games, The Force Awakens, Rogue One and Wonder Woman. Similarly, 2017 is a much more race conscious environment, which tanked Ghost in the Shell under accusations of white washing while rewarding movies that directly speak about racism like Get Out.

 

[Viki63]

I think people are often looking for heroes, which is why superhero movies sell, and movies about little guys standing up to big corporations.

Some people haven’t been exposed to good literature, which takes some bra(name removed by moderator)ower to appreciate, so they settle for junk like 50 Shades of Gray, which at least arouses some emotion. That is sad.

I saw 5 minutes of “Orange is the New Black” the other day, it was all I could take – vulgar, trashy, ugly stuff. But some people think that’s reality and enjoy it.

To a large extent, reality is what we make it.

.
.

 

[edwest2]

We’re cutting cables because we’re just streaming stuff on Netflix, not because people are widely turning away from ‘trash’

And I think you’re entirely wrong about media not reflecting culture. Popular media is both a participant in and a reflection of culture. By definition, popular media has to resonate with its audience.

Just look at large social movements and contrast with what movies succeed and fail. For years audiences cried out for strong leading women, and we get the successes of movies like Hunger Games, The Force Awakens, Rogue One and Wonder Woman. Similarly, 2017 is a much more race conscious environment, which tanked Ghost in the Shell under accusations of white washing while rewarding movies that directly speak about racism like Get Out.

Audiences don’t cry out for anything. If I watch something and like it, it’s not because of a socio-political message. The special interests drive the media. The peasants get thrown a bone from time to time, especially around Christmas. After all, even Hollywood knows how to be naughty and nice… but when they absolutely have to.

I study mass entertainment as part of my job and on my own time. It’s like watching something slowly drowning in quicksand. I could care less which race is represented in a movie. It’s a good movie or a bad movie.

Ed

 

[Indigo_Cardinal]

I saw 5 minutes of “Orange is the New Black” the other day, it was all I could take – vulgar, trashy, ugly stuff. But some people think that’s reality and enjoy it.

To a large extent, reality is what we make it.

.
.

Well, the TV show is actually based off a book written by a woman who did spend time in prison. (How close the series is to the book, I couldn’t say, as I haven’t read the book.)

I watch the show, and I get where it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but I have to say, it has brought up some interesting points about prison, such as the mentally ill ending up in prison (example, “Crazy Eyes/Suzanne”, who clearly doesn’t function on an adult level); the rules they have to adhere to when they get out, which are stringent to such a degree that a fair number are bound to find themselves back in for failure to abide by them; the ‘prisons for profit’…I dunno about anybody else who watches the show, but that gives me a lot to think on.

And weirdly enough, I find myself comparing their portrayal of prison to Army basic training. Not sure why, but my brain always goes there.

 

[edwest2]

I think people are often looking for heroes, which is why superhero movies sell, and movies about little guys standing up to big corporations.

Some people haven’t been exposed to good literature, which takes some bra(name removed by moderator)ower to appreciate, so they settle for junk like 50 Shades of Gray, which at least arouses some emotion. That is sad.

I saw 5 minutes of “Orange is the New Black” the other day, it was all I could take – vulgar, trashy, ugly stuff. But some people think that’s reality and enjoy it.

To a large extent, reality is what we make it.

.
.

We always have a choice.

Ed