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Among all of the television programs, movies, comedies and music in contemporary American soceity, it seems that degeneracy and banality has become the norm. Much of television has become filled sexual provactive material, violence (especially brutal violence), re-runs, or simply a scramble of the same shows put on diffferent networks, reality tv and a overall boring and sad state of modern television (be it through cable, internet or mobile device). In the movie or film industry, there is a little variation from television due to some new concepts, however, again, there is still too much violence and sexual imagery, and not enough wholesome material being produced. As for modern American music, the use of "canned" or synthesized instrumental components, in addition to artists with little musical talent, has destroyed the beloved performing artform.
Today the question is asked, why has American music, film and television declined so much, and so fast within the past several years? Is this deterioration a sign of what we have become, and where we are headed as a nation?
I could not disagree more with your statements. You have to be kidding me. Look at television and movies in the 1970s and 80's compared to now. Where do I start. The writing was poor. They adhered to stereotypes on every level; every Asian guy knew martial arts, every Indian guy was a cab driver; the gay character made a pass at every male that walked by; the blonde was the sexpot; the Mexican guy was the drug dealer or gardner, the Black guy break danced and rapped..seriously. Plots were predictable.
Compare shows in the 70's and 80's to shows now. Sons of Anarchy, the Wire, Sopranos, Breaking Bad...what are you going to compare those shows to....Magnum PI, Hill Street Blues, Starskey and Hutch..
Music is so diverse today. Every type of music is available today. Unlike the past, you are not limited to one genre. If you think everything is electronic, that is because you are limiting yourself to top 40 radio. If you have Pandora or even do a simple search on iTunes, there are many great artists who play instruments and do not incorporate any electronic music. The world of music now offers every type of music.
Last edited by azriverfan.; 12-20-2014 at 08:10 PM..
Re: 'The world of music now offers every type of music'
That's certainly true. But I'd say there's say a hierarchy in popularity of types. Take classical.
Popular? Yes but not mainstream. Tough to keep orchestras playing due to at times paucity of support. Revenues aren't enough to support them. One of those things that culturally are great but not supported so much. Interesting to see where the classical genre will be in 100 years. Can it be saved by theInternet? I don't know.
Re: 'The world of music now offers every type of music'
That's certainly true. But I'd say there's say a hierarchy in popularity of types. Take classical.
Popular? Yes but not mainstream. Tough to keep orchestras playing due to at times paucity of support. Revenues aren't enough to support them. One of those things that culturally are great but not supported so much. Interesting to see where the classical genre will be in 100 years. Can it be saved by theInternet? I don't know.
Off on that tangent, is there a problem that there is so little new music recognized in the genre? It seems to me that some of the film scores by modern composers, for instance, are at least as good as some of the lesser "classical" works that appear to garner greater respect only because they're old.
If the genre doesn't progress, it's not likely to survive.
Re: 'The world of music now offers every type of music'
That's certainly true. But I'd say there's say a hierarchy in popularity of types. Take classical.
Popular? Yes but not mainstream. Tough to keep orchestras playing due to at times paucity of support. Revenues aren't enough to support them. One of those things that culturally are great but not supported so much. Interesting to see where the classical genre will be in 100 years. Can it be saved by theInternet? I don't know.
Orchestras know how to get an edge to stay current to a degree.
I could not disagree more with your statements. You have to be kidding me. Look at television and movies in the 1970s and 80's compared to now. Where do I start. The writing was poor. They adhered to stereotypes on every level; every Asian guy knew martial arts, every Indian guy was a cab driver; the gay character made a pass at every male that walked by; the blonde was the sexpot; the Mexican guy was the drug dealer or gardner, the Black guy break danced and rapped..seriously. Plots were predictable.
Compare shows in the 70's and 80's to shows now. Sons of Anarchy, the Wire, Sopranos, Breaking Bad...what are you going to compare those shows to....Magnum PI, Hill Street Blues, Starskey and Hutch..
Music is so diverse today. Every type of music is available today. Unlike the past, you are not limited to one genre. If you think everything is electronic, that is because you are limiting yourself to top 40 radio. If you have Pandora or even do a simple search on iTunes, there are many great artists who play instruments and do not incorporate any electronic music. The world of music now offers every type of music.
Yes, today's film and television have better story lines, and music is no doubt very cosmopolitan. However, most movies, television programming (both on traditional t.v.'s and online) and music of this era are very violent, hyper-sexual or have some sort of ulterior agenda that promotes certain decadent and depraved lifestyles.
Yes, today's film and television have better story lines, and music is no doubt very cosmopolitan. However, most movies, television programming (both on traditional t.v.'s and online) and music of this era are very violent, hyper-sexual or have some sort of ulterior agenda that promotes certain decadent and depraved lifestyles.
or they more accurately depict the real word and not the sanitized whitewashed idea we think of.
the entertainment business has to make money and the only to do that is to pander to what the average j'oe in the street' wants.as archie bunker once said 'its an idiot box only if an idiot watches'.
Among all of the television programs, movies, comedies and music in contemporary American soceity, it seems that degeneracy and banality has become the norm. Much of television has become filled sexual provactive material, violence (especially brutal violence), re-runs, or simply a scramble of the same shows put on diffferent networks, reality tv and a overall boring and sad state of modern television (be it through cable, internet or mobile device). In the movie or film industry, there is a little variation from television due to some new concepts, however, again, there is still too much violence and sexual imagery, and not enough wholesome material being produced. As for modern American music, the use of "canned" or synthesized instrumental components, in addition to artists with little musical talent, has destroyed the beloved performing artform.
Today the question is asked, why has American music, film and television declined so much, and so fast within the past several years? Is this deterioration a sign of what we have become, and where we are headed as a nation?
OP, do what I did: get rid of your TV. You can watch movies, videos, news programs and other good stuff on your computer. Sure you miss the occasional good documentary or science program, but you gain a lot from searching out good stuff on youtube.
You know TV has gotten really bad when even PBS includes graphic violence in their documentaries and archaeology programs, and sex scenes in their literature and history series.
What you call prudish was the norm when decency and dignity were the norm within our society. If you were to go back to the 1940's-50's and listen to the popular music, or watch popular TV shows, it was reflective on an American culture that is hard to find today. Essentially the 1960's when liberals started taking over the media and Hollywood, morals, values, etc., went right out the window. Now days they have control of the school system as well, promoting all sorts of vile rubbish that would have had people up in arms in previous generations.
It is called desensitization, and is a tool of the far left to constantly rage against social norms until eventually the vile & despicable become the norm.
If you think fictional content needs to be a morality play to properly indoctrinate people, that's your problem.
All that's happened is that times have changed. That's it. And you and others are so committed to the idea that the pinnacle of wonderfulness was your time (whatever time that was) that you and they inherently loathe the times that follow, because they inevitably changed.
Simply put, you can't differentiate change from degeneration because you think they are the same when, of course, they are not.
Like I said, this is your problem. The idiotic days of the Hays Code, where all motion pictures had to adhere to a strict (and moronic) code of portrayal or no distributor would touch them is long gone. Gone are the days where any depiction of crime had to be accompanied by the criminals getting caught or somehow suffering in the end - not because that always happens, but because the notion was that the sheep-like public couldn't be allowed to seeing a depiction of crime paying off for a criminal. The Hays Code, that strictly-enforced sort of 1950s political correctness that you lament, was an embarrassment. Good riddance. Here - educate yourself: The Motion Picture Production Code of 1930 (Hays Code)
Televisioon? Making Lucy and Ricky sleep in separate beds wasn't 'decent' - it was idiotic, pandering to uptight fools. Those days are gone, and that's good. Requiring that the word 'expecting' was used instead of 'pregnant' wasn't polite, it was insipid. The demand that Jim Morrison sing "Girl, we could get much better" (instead of "much higher") was idiotic. The burning of The Beatles' records? Despicable. The refusal of some TV stations to show the interracial kiss between Cpt. Kirk and Lt. Uhura because it wasn't 'proper'? Beyond despicable.
Finally, there's the lazy aspect to whining about what's on some of the channels. So turn them off! There's all sorts of things that I don't want to read or listen to or watch, but I don't pout that it's out there - I just consume content that interests me. And that's the difference between you and - I don't see fictional media as propaganda that has to drive home whatever manners and etiquette I prefer. But you do.
What you call prudish was the norm when decency and dignity were the norm within our society. If you were to go back to the 1940's-50's and listen to the popular music, or watch popular TV shows, it was reflective on an American culture that is hard to find today. Essentially the 1960's when liberals started taking over the media and Hollywood, morals, values, etc., went right out the window. Now days they have control of the school system as well, promoting all sorts of vile rubbish that would have had people up in arms in previous generations.
It is called desensitization, and is a tool of the far left to constantly rage against social norms until eventually the vile & despicable become the norm.
I somewhat agree with what you say, although I do think some of the stuff in the past went too far with censorship- like married couples having individual beds, not being able to say the word 'pregnant,' etc.
But I especially agree with the last part of your post- as one example, there was a popular singing team of two girls (can't place the name), and some kids were clapping in glee because a certain word was sung instead of it being left out or edited out- "oh, they said F*- yay!!!" Yep, "vile rubbish" it is.
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