Help those poor ignorant young people out!

New 'MST3K has more references than the Simpsons anyway, true or false?' answers.

If Simpsons fans derive pleasure from recognizing these references, it is based, it seems to me, on the knowledge that they themselves "get it" and the assumption that the majority of other viewers don’t.

No, I think that's a crock, though I won't deny that some fans of both MST3K and Simpsons do take a certain unwarrented pride in "getting" references.

It's a pleasure in the suprise of all these references. The linearlity of the program gets interrupted when the jokesters forces high-brow shit from the back of your mind, or is linked together with something wildly banal -- that's where the laffs come from. I'm presenting a very simplified version of certain philosophical theories behind laughter and comedy.

Here's a helpful little site -- it seems that my ideas sync up with categories 3 and 4.

Plus, note to Tim L. -- dude, you're 34! 34! Teacher or not, you're not old enough to have a patronizing attitude like that yet!

'the humor dependds more on the stupidity of the characters than the intelligence of the viewer': wow he doesn't get the simpsons at all does he?

i don't think the overall tone was patronizing. he offers many examples of his own ignorance. i get the feeling that he would welcome being culturally educated himself.

i don't think the overall tone was patronizing.

No, I think you're right. I just can't put my finger down about what I detest about his 'tude towards his students.

yeah, he seemed awful somethin or other.

What I dislike about the article is that he doesn't explain why we need to be culturally educated. He asks a bunch of things like "Does knowing the reference do anything for you?", as if he doesn't even understand a benefit to cultural education.

he gives the standard weak-ass cultural studies reason at the end - that being critical of this stuff is supposed to lead to being critical of other things, being politically involved, whatever.

he gives the standard weak-ass cultural studies reason at the end

It's the Ann Arbor way. Weak ass cultural studies find their way into everything. ;-)

The more time I spend there the more smug I become that I did not attend that particular campus.

I've gotten the impression that that's just the weak-ass way cultural studies works everywhere

So...a teacher wants his students to watch Tom Cruise movies and learn about Donna Summer? That might be what's wrong with our education system.

The young don't understand the old and the old sure as hell don't understand the young (for the most part, on both parts, ha).

I did enjoy "the loneliest monk" part though.

Once young people begin to see that art is not just a game of connect-the-dots, but is one in which motifs, characters, images and symbols recur and are revived, the conversation can turn from entertainment culture to political culture.

Patronising git;>

It IS possible to get cultural value from entertainment. As wretched as Tom Cruise flicks are, the reason he rakes in the dollars is because the audience relates to him. His versions of "Mission Impossible" were cringe-worthy, but if they make one person want to see the original series, then great.

Considering the basement level of most entertainment nowadays, you can't really blame the college crowd for not knowing better. Just place the huge flashing neon sign saying "Trite Crap" overhead, and hope they get the message.