Archaeon's Blog - MyAnimeList.net

In Memoriam: Satoshi Kon

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:32:32 -0700

On Tuesday, 24th August 2010, the Japanese animation director Satoshi Kon sadly lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. Considered one of the most visionary and original minds in any visual media, his work has been hugely influential in many areas and his desire to continue pushing the boundaries of animation, not simply in terms of techniques and techologies but also the content of each tale, gained him immense popularity and critical acclaim. Satoshi Kon was born on the 12th October 1963 in Hokkaido, one of Japan's northern islands. Following his graduation from high school he went on to study visual communication design as Musashino College of the Arts in Tokyo, and there he began his early career as a manga artist. Upon leaving, he continued to struggle as a manga artist until he began helping one of his idols, the legendary Katsuhiro Otomo, on the story World Apartment Horror. Kon's first animation credit came drawing backgrounds on the Otomo's darkly comic morality tale Roujin Z, and scored a second credit as a writer for Magnetic Rose, one of the episodes in Otomo's Memories anthology. It was during this time that Kon cut his teeth with anime as a medium, and following Otomo's recommendation, he was chosen to direct the graphic psychological horror Perfect Blue. Much of Kon's early work is heavily influenced by his association with Otomo, however Perfect Blue changed everything, and following the success of the movie he went on redefine the boundaries of what many consider the realm of children. His lyrical style is on display in his second movie Millenium Actress, which went on to win a number of awards, however the movie was a clear departure from Perfect Blue in almost every respect. Kon again went in a totally new direction with his third feature, Tokyo Godfathers, and although the movie was clearly influenced by John Ford's western 3 Godfathers, there's an inherent playfulness to proceedings that is very much in the style of Frank Capra. In 2004, Kon decided to take his fans and the medium in a totally new direction with his TV series Paranoia Agent, which has been likened to Twin Peaks and The X Files because of its reality twisting story and visuals. That said, the story is also a very clear social commentary, especially as it was released after a wave of much publicised youth crimes across Japan. Satoshi Kon's most famous film, Paprika, received a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival for both its stunning visuals and its captivating story. The critically acclaimed movie delved into the world of dreams and dreaming, and influenced Chris Nolan's 2010 movie Inception. The director's final feature, Yume-Miru Kikai, remains unfinished due to his untimely death. Ostensibly the tale is aimed at all ages and features an all robot cast. In an interview with Anime News Network, Kon said of the project: "The title will be Yume-Miru Kikai. In English, it will be The Dream Machine. On the surface, it's going to be a fantasy-adventure targeted at younger audiences. However, it will also be a film that people who have seen our films up to this point will be able to enjoy. So it will be an adventure that even older audiences can appreciate. There will be no human characters in the film; only robots. It'll be like a "road movie" for robots." Fans of the acclaimed director can only hope that the film will be completed by Madhouse, however as a fan of Satoshi Kon I can honestly say that no matter how good The Dream Machine is, it will never be as good as if he had finished it with his own hands. For me, like so many others, there will always be something missing, a presence if you will, that permeates all his other works. It is with sadness that we bid a great man goodbye, and though we may never see his like again, we are left with a rich and vibrant legacy that will continue to influence and inspire new talents throughout the world. We are aided in our appreciation of his skill, his love for his chosen medium, and his humanity by his online notebook, a section of which has been kindly translated by Makiko Itoh in her online journal. And from this old and slightly jaded anime fan, thank you, for giving the anime world some of its most stunning and captivating tales. For all of those fans who may read this and wish to know more about Satoshi Kon and his work, I've provided some links below that may help. Satoshi Kon's online notebook - Note that this site is in Japanese. Makiko Itoh's translation of Satoshi Kon's final notebook entry - All fans of the director and his works should read this. An interview with Satoshi Kon following the release of Perfect Blue:

Midnight Eye interviews Satoshi Kon prior to the release of Millenium Actress (2001) Home Theater Mag's interview with Satoshi Kon (2005) Anime News Network's interview with Satoshi Kon (2008) Bill Aguilar (Tokyopop) interviews Satoshi Kon An interview with Satoshi Kon following the release of Perfect Blue (1998) DVD Vision Japan/Dreamworks interviews Satoshi Kon (2002) Midnight Eye interviews Satoshi Kon following the release of Paprika (2006) The Daily's piece on Satoshi Kon's death

Yuki didn't do it! - A different take on Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:55:51 -0700

So we now have the latest release from the Suzumiya Haruhi franchise, and in all honesty it's a pretty good affair, truth be told. The one thing that separates the movie from the two main TV series is the fact that the story is far more complete than one would expect. But I'm not here to discuss that (especially as I've already reviewed the movie). So what is this all about then, if not a review of the movie? Well, there's numerous threads, blogs, comments, posts, etc, etc about Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu, and they all seem to have one thing in common - they all work on the assumption that the events in the movie are caused by one person. The problem is that they may be blaming the wrong person. WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD! You should only click on the button if you've seen the movie or don't care about ruining the story.

Okay, it's clear from the movie that Yuki is, on the surface, the cause of all the problems for Kyon, in particular because she seems to be developing emotions. There's some argument about the usage of flu in the story, and it's actually plausible that the reason why the SOS brigade members didn't get it is because Yuki likes them more than she likes everyone else. But we'll come back to that later :P The main point here is that Yuki, as far as I can tell, isn't the real culprit. Confused? Well, the evidence for that statement is actually all there in the movie, but one needs to refer to the TV series for some clarification. 1. Haruhi is God No, I'm not making a fanboy statement there. Within the boundaries of the story, Suzumiya Haruhi is placed in the same category as a god, and the assumption is that she is seemingly all powerful and has the ability to destroy and reshape reality. Yuki, on the other hand, is an artificial human created by the Data Integration Thought Entity, and while she is able to manipulate a given space and everything in it, there's no information about the limits of her power. One could safely assume though, that there is a limitation on her abilities as the DITE wouldn't really let something more powerful than itself loose. So here we have the person who's powers were "stolen", and the person who stole them. The important point though, is that logically it would be impossible for Yuki to steal Haruhi's powers unless Haruhi wanted them stolen. Haruhi is a being who can alter reality on a universal scale, however she does so subconsciously (for the most part). Because her power is generally used in this manner, people fail to consider the possibility of her having defences as well. Let me ask a question here. Does anyone actually believe that an all powerful "god" with the ability to change the universe with a thought, is completely defenceless? Does anyone believe that a "god" wouldn't protect itself from others trying to steal its power? If you do believe that these things are possible, then there's something wrong with your logic. One should remember that while Yuki may be powerful, she's an ant compared to Haruhi. 2. It's all relative Time travellers, espers, sliders, and aliens. Haruhi wants them to exist. So they do. Koizumi talks to Kyon about it in the first series, and explains how espers only started appearing at a certain point in time, and that they all somehow knew they were linked to Haruhi. Yuki and Mikuru also mention the fact that time and reality changed at around the same time, and both also link this to Haruhi. There's some evidence to suggest that all it, the time travel agency, Koizumi's "Organization", the Data Integration Thought Entity, all were originally created by Haruhi at that one point in time. In the world Kyon ends up in, there is no DITE, no time travel agency, no Organization, and Haruhi doesn't have any powers. One could argue that this is because Yuki got rid of them all after stealing Haruhi's powers, but personally I think it's an offshoot of Haruhi having no power during that time. 3. IT'S CHRISTMAS!!! Haruhi loves Kyon. We all know it, and Koizumi even says it in the movie (although you only catch the end of the phrase). Since it's christmas time, she wants to give him a present. So what does Kyon want more than anything in the world. Why, a normal, uneventful life of course! Yuki knows this too, but she doesn't really have the power to do anything about it, until she "decides" to "steal" Haruhi's power. The problem here is that Yuki believes the decision to steal Haruhi's power is based on her developing emotions, but this is actually a fallacy, and here's why... 4. Haruhi wants Yuki to be more "human" Subconsciously Haruhi knows exactly whats going on, and she also knows that Yuki isn't actually a real human. What she wants is for Yuki to be more open with her emotions, however that involves giving her them in the first place. The point to remember is that while Yuki is able to manipulate a space and everything in it, Haruhi is able to alter all of reality, and in Haruhi's version, Yuki has emotions. In addition to this, can also plant the idea of stealing powers in Yuki's mind. After all, it had to come from somewhere, and the TV series show that while Yuki may change slightly over time, she doesn't make any major shifts like she does in the movie. Something else has "pushed" her into doing what she does, and that something is Haruhi. 5. Haruhi wants Kyon to think about her more, but also wants to test him Why else would she disappear from Kyon's sight? The whole story is basically just Haruhi wanting attention from Kyon, and she gets it as well. Kyon spends all that time looking for her specifically, which is why she is the only female SOS Brigade member missing from the school, and is also why Asakura Ryoko makes another appearance as she is another possible love interest for Kyon. Asakura being in the story has caused much confusion amongst people who have tried to explain her inclusion, but the only reason that works for me is that, as far as Haruhi is concerned, Ryoko is a potential love interest for Kyon. Now, most people might not think this is a possibility however one needs to remember that Haruhi may not be aware of what happened with Ryoko, and given Haruhi's personality, she is probably jealous of any girl who talks to Kyon in a friendly manner (except for his little sister of course). While she wants Kyon to think about her more, Haruhi is also testing him to see who he really wants. 6. Kyon knows who the real culprit is from the beginning Confused again? Well this one's pretty simple. At the start of the movie Kyon is convinced that Haruhi is to blame for the change in reality. While there is a degree of evidence for this belief, he eventually finds out that it was caused by Yuki. Now, this is the important bit. Kyon wasn't basing his initial belief on his knowledge of Haruhi's powers or personality. He knew that Haruhi was to blame, however he is convinced otherwise during the course of the movie, as many of us were. The problem here though, is the fact that Kyon knows Haruhi better than anyone else, and while he may also know that Yuki changed the world, this doesn't make the idea that Haruhi is the ultimate cause of it all any less possible. 7. Kyon is a slider Now, how can I prove that Kyon's initial belief was correct? Tis simple really. Kyon isn't a normal human, and it's because of this that he knows when Haruhi is "acting up". My own belief is that he's a slider, the one being missing from Haruhi's select group (alien, time traveller, esper and slider), and Koizumi suspects that Kyon isn't a normal human either (there's several scenesto back this up). Think about it. Whenever reality is changed, Kyon is the only one who remains as he is. My belief is that Kyon has latent abilities that remain dormant unless there's a change in reality, and when they become active he is able to communicate across dimensions, as well as knowing what caused the change in the first place. However, he is like Haruhi in that his abilities are only used subconsciously.

Well, that's your lot for now. It all probably doesn't make much sense, and I may change sections to make them more understandable later. Hopefully I've got my point across though.

If you have a problem with my reviews....

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:59:39 -0700

During the last month I've noticed a very disturbing trend with regards to reviews written by myself and others here on MAL. It seems that there's an individual, or a group of people, who are targetting those who regularly write reviews for some reason, chiefly by clicking the "not helpful" button on the reviews. In just the last 2 hours my latest review has garnered 17 not helpful votes, which by itself isn't anything to get upset about. No, the issue appears when you check over the reviews I've written during the last month, each of which have also garnered at least 14 not helpful votes during the same amount of time. Coincidence? I think not. It seems to me that there are those out there who lack the courage to take a person on directly, so they resort to underhand measures in an effort to "bury" a person's review. Unfortunately for these mentally challenged people, I have a tendency to review things that have only a few reviews, if any, so it's a method that is ultimately doomed to failure. Also, I have no problem reposting my reviews, and I can keep reposting them just as quickly as you vote not helpful, so it's a waste of time on your part you worthless maggots. At some point the lowlife God-errors who perpetrate this sort of behaviour will hopefully wise up to the fact that reviews aren't some kind of popularity contest, and some of us do it because we feel like it, not because we want to be "the best". If not then I dearly hope that something medieval happens to you, preferably involving mice, barbed wire, anthills, and a very "large" man named Zed.

Since you all asked so nicely, here's my REAL review of NGE :P

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:34:15 -0700

Note - some of you may notice that this is different from my original review of NGE. The reason for that is simple. This review is supposed to be critical, the other one is supposed to make people angry :) Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most debated animes in history. Some would argue that there are numerous hidden messages in the show, while others argue that it simply plays up to a certain puerile idealogy of the world. Whatever the case may be, NGE established itself as the hot topic in anime for well over a decade. NGE first saw the light of day as a manga by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, and was published in Shonen Ace magazine from February 1994. It's purpose was to raise awareness and public interest in the anime version that was to be released in October of the following year. The anime was directed by the famous Hideaki Anno, and is hailed by many fans as his masterpiece (although there are numerous people who disagree with this point of view). Animation The animation in NGE is actually very well done considering the time it was made (and the fact that Gainax was running out of cash). The colour palette used for the show was decidely bright in many ways, and at the time it contrasted well with the serious tone of the story. The characters were well designed for the most part, but the real breakthrough in terms of design were the EVA units and the Angels. NGE pushed the boundaries of mecha design in anime to a new level, something which no other show of the time could achieve. It also wasn't afraid to show an enemy who had no visible relation to humans - something that was a rarity in those days (although Anno had used a similar technique in Top wo Nerae). The animation in the show is generally very fluid, and although there are some notable flaws, they don't actually impede on the enjoyment of the show. Sound The sound in NGE is very good in general. The VAs in the japanese version are very good, and are able to deliver a greater depth of emotion than their american counterparts. The effects used are also quite good but never really stood out as much, partly because of the overwhelming visuals, and partly because they were generally stock effects. The music is generally good throughout the show, with a mixture of classical and other styles scattered here and there. One of the most memorable things about the music in NGE is the theme tune. Anno had originally wanted to use Borodin's Polovetsian Dances as the theme music for each episode, but was overruled by TV Tokyo, who felt that this would confuse and alienate the audience. Instead he settled on what has become one of the most played anime theme tunes in history - A Cruel Angel's Thesis, which was performed by Takahashi Yoko. Characters This is the area where NGE failed as an anime. Prior to making NGE, Hideaki Anno had suffered from depression for a while, and the characters in NGE were created in such a manner as to reflect his struggle against mental illness. Each of the characters is flawed in different ways, something that was unusual in anime at the time. Given Anno's talent as a director, this should have led to some interesting, and highly original, character development. Unfortunately the show failed in this area because of one key factor - Ikari Shinji. For many people like myself, the main issue we have with the show isn't the story, or the animation, or the sound. It's the characters, and in particular, Ikari Shinji. In creating him, Anno and the rest of the production team lost focus on the other characters. Shinji is not your typical hero in that he isn't, courageous, or handsome, or intelligent. In fact, Shinji consider's himself to be worthless. The issue I have is that the show focuses far too much on Shinji, almost to the extent where the other characters were simply plot devices for his devlopment, and not enough on the characters around him. That's not to say Shinji is a bad character. He's not. The problem is that one can only stomach so much unjustified self pity (which unfortunately most of it was in his case), before wanting to slap some sense into the person in question. It's been pointed out to me that Shinji wanted to kill himself because he thought he was worthless, and that he should be pitied because of the bad hand he was dealt. I'm sorry but that argument doesn't wash with me. If someone truly wants to kill themselves then they will, so Shinji didn't really want to die. In addition to that, I know quite a few people who have been dealt the worst hands possible, yet they do not whine and complain about it (and many of these people did consider themselves to be useless/worthless at one time or another - yet they suffered in silence for the most part). What Shinji wanted was for people to pity him and tell him he wasn't worthless, and while this is not necessarily a bad thing, it was over-used in NGE (to the point where I wanted to put him out of his misery - and not because I pitied him). The fact that Shinji's character has a tendency to ram his sense of worthlessness into the faces of the other characters is what put me off, as that type of behaviour is usually for attention rather than a cry for help, and because of the show's focus on Shinji, you can imagine how much I wanted to hit him afterwards. It wasn't that I didn't understand, it was just that they failed to depict him as an object of pity, and instead he came across as a whining, self pitying, attention seeking, and generally loathesome person. As for the other characters, in particular Rei and Asuka, they did get a certain amount of development throughout the series. Unfortunately though, their characters, as well as the rest of the cast, were overshadowed by the mammoth amount of development given to Shinji. Story I actually quite enjoyed the concept behind NGE, as it made a nice change of pace. I did, however, have some issues with the convenient deus ex machina of Unit 01, as well as a number of other "coincidences" that were scattered throughout the series. The story itself isn't all that original, and it has clearly borrowed elements from other sci-fi stories. What made the story seem to be original was the inclusion of psuedo-religious and psuedo-philosophical concepts, as well as the inclusion of "Fruedian" psychology. These formed core elements of the story, so what would have been a standard "save the earth" scenario became a dive into the psyche of the characters. The basic plot is borrowed directly from Space Battleship Yamamoto, and the idea of "young" people protecting the earth was used by Anno himself in Top wo Nerae. Unfortunately the story breaks down in several places. Anno tried to make a show that merged all perspectives into one single view, and while he managed to achieve this in some measure, he failed because he focused too much on Shinji, to the extent that no other options were ever considered. Here's what I mean. NERV is a quasi militaristic outfit, and as such, would generally have backup options available to them. The convenient deus ex machina I mentioned earlier effectively removes all chance for anyone else to come to the fore - except for Shinji that is. If the viewer is to believe that an organisation such as NERV was supposed to protect the earth, then they would at the very least, look for other options, especially considering Shinji's character flaws. This would effectively mean that they would have at least some combat veterans or trained soldiers who could handle the EVA units. The use of teenagers as the leads in the show was simply so that it would appeal to the teenage audience. Another area where the story breaks down is in it's use of religious symbology. Many fans believe that what is shown in NGE is taken directly from religious beliefs, in particular Kabbalism, Judaism and Christianity. While the names used in the show may be true to those religions though, in many cases the manner in which the reference is used is actually based on Anno's own definition, rather than the religious viewpoint (something for which Anno has been heavily criticised). In truth, The religious symbology used in the show was only really used to give the series an edge over other "giant robot" anime (i.e. Macross, Gundam, etc), and all of the various interpretations since have been ascribed to it by the viewers rather than the creators (something which is very well documented). One big plot hole that I noticed, and one that should have been obvious to most people as well, was Shinji's isolationist attitude, and Gendou's reaction to it. It's obvious to any who've watched the series that Gendou feels little sympathy towards Shinji, however due to that convenient plot device using Unit 01 I mentioned earlier, Gendou needs Shinji to pilot the EVA unit. So, what you effectively have is the leader of a militaristic organisation who feels little for others, and a teenager with supposed mental instabilities. This being the case, why wasn't Gendou forcibly dosing Shinji with meds to make him more compliant? If your purpose is to protect the earth and it's people from attack by extremely powerful beings, and you're basically a selfish person with your own agenda, then conscience or paternal instincts don't come into it, you simply do what's necessary, no matter what anyone else says. It's interesting that the whole "psychology" angle is only really supposed to apply to Shinji, isn't it? Characters like Gendou have been "toned down" because their actions would have drawn too much attention to themselves, another convenient plot device. Enjoyment Neon Genesis Evangelion is a tough show to rate. According to Anno, if you're a normal, well rounded person then you won't learn anything from the show. While this may be true in some cases, the things that one can learn from the show are juvenile at best. Many of the older fans of NGE have a tendency to view the show through the rose tinted lenses of nostalgia, and while this is not a bad thing, it inhibits the ability to view the show objectively. Many of the younger fans, on the other hand, are fiercely loyal to the show, and have a tendency to react harshly to any criticism of the show. The unfortunate side effect of this is that the show has gained a certain notoriety that it could have done without, and many people who watch the show for the first time, do so with certain preconceived notions already embedded in their heads. NGE is one of those shows that could have been great. Unfortunately the glaring flaws in the plot, coupled with the lack of develpment amongst the other characters in comparison to Shinji meant that I, at least, only found the show to be mediocre. NGE was a let down for me as I am a big fan of Top wo Nerae, the show that is effectively the older sibling to NGE (and is considered by quite a few people to be the superior show). I'm not going to suggest anyone watches the show, as that is a decision you should make for yourself. Likewise the choice of whether you love it or hate it is something that only you can decide. The only thing I can say about the show is that, when watching it, be as objective as you can. NGE is no Top wo Nerae by any measure, but it is a classic. Unfortunately, it really isn't Anno's best work, and the rebuild is making the same errors all over again.

My Pet Hates.... Part 2

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:43:02 -0700

This is the second part of my little rant, and in an effort to stay on topic I'm making this specific to MAL. :) As before, these are my opinions only, and rather than criticising or justifying them in any way, I want you to consider why I have these opinions in the first place.I may be completely wrong on many things, but that isn't for me to decide, nor is it my place to force my opinions on to you. My only hope from this is that you question your actions, your opinions, your motivations, in the same way that so many of us have had to. Enjoy the ride (if you have the guts to stay on that is). 4. People who write reviews for a show that has just begun During my various trawls on MAL I've come across numerous reviews for new shows after one episode has been aired. Why in god's name is this necessary? How are you able to judge the quality of a show after only one episode? It defies any kind of logic and effectively negates the purpose of the review in the first place. I can understand if you've watched a few episodes, decided you didn't like the show, and have written a review based on your conclusions, but how the hell can anyone judge if a show is any good when they've only watched one episode? You may think you're being helpful by doing this, but in actual fact you're just stroking your own ego. What you're actually saying is "Look at me! Aren't I great? I'm so clever and smart cos I can write a review! Praise me!" Seriously people. Get a grip. This is not a popularity contest (and if you think it is then you're truly sad). 5. People who want to show off how clever they are. Have you ever been involved in a discussion about an anime or manga when someone joins in the conversation and insists that they are right and you are wrong? These people are truly annoying. If I had a way of shutting them up for a while then I would happily use it. Having a discussion about a show does not entail having a winner or loser. There is no right or wrong in an expression of opinions, yet these people will always insist they are right, and will always want to have the last word. Why in the name of all that's holy are you so concerned about being right? Are you mentally deficient some way? Are you truly unable to accept that other people may be right, because if that is the case then do me a favour and never speak to me. I have little to no patience with the crass whinings of the rabid emo fanboy and fangirl element of MAL, in particular those of you who are unwilling or unable to hold a rational, logical argument with your peers. You're so scared of losing an argument that you automatically resort to spurious rules and laws relating to online discussions. One specifically springs to mind in the form of Godwin's Law Godwin's Law relates to the fact that the longer an online discussion or forum thread goes on, the more likely it is that Hitler, Nazi Germany, or the Holocaust will be mentioned. UNFORTUNATELY, the loser fanboys and fangirls out there don't seem to know the basic facts about Godwin's Law and it's application (i.e. it does not apply to any discussion involving mass murder or genocide). Instead of learning what Godwin's Law actually is, you lot went and made up the biggest pile of excrement I've seen for a long while. You actually believe that Godwin's Law means that the first person who mentions Hitler, the Nazi's or the Holocaust, or anything related to them, loses the argument, and to top it off, you believe that the thread of the discussion is then closed. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN SMOKING YOU MORONS!?!?!?! First you can't hold your own in a discussion, then you make up your own bullsh*t rules on how the discussion should work. Here's a newsflash for you - most of us don't give a crap about your so-called opinion, and using your spurious methods in an effort to win an argument just proves how much of a child you really are. If you're going to apply a rule like Godwin's Law then for heaven's sake - LEARN WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS! Consider this fair warning. Until now I have purposely limited the scope of my discussions with various people (you know who you are). In future I won't be holding back if you decide to hold a discussion with me, so make sure you know what you're talking about. I'd rather not have you crying to mommy that I, or someone else, has ripped you a new one for being so bloody childish and stupid. 6. People who make accusations without bothering to check their facts first This one ties in with number 5, and it's a doozy :) During various discussions on MAL I have been called a nerd, a child, a fanboy, a loser, etc. I am not the first to "suffer" this kind of vitriolic behaviour here on MAL, and I have no doubt that I will not be the last. This then, is dedicated to all of you people out there who really haven't got a clue about the person you're talking to. You've assumed that the person you're talking to is about the same age and mental level as you (in other words, that they have the IQ of a lump of coal). My question is - What have you achieved in your life? You sit there and happily insult someone who has way more experience with life and the world than you do, and you think it's cool to do so. I'm not unique on MAL, as most of us "older" folks have numerous achievements that put your exam successes to shame. If you're going to call someone names then I'd suggest you find out a little about them first, otherwise your going to end up crying as we will rip you to pieces. You may think that you're talking to someone of your level so you can shoot them down, but you know what they say about assumptions. It may turn out that the person you're talking to has much sharper teeth than you, and more of them too. I'm going to stop here as I may have gone a little off topic at the end there. I'll proably re-write some parts so that the monkeys among you can understand what I'm talking about. Feel free to criticise me for what I've written, but before you do, take a moment to consider why you are offended by what I've wriiten. It may be that I've struck a nerve..... :)

My pet hates....

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:27:07 -0700

I call it my pet hates, but it's essentially a rant so if you're easily offended, can't take criticism, or generally feel that your views and opinions supercede anyone else's then STOP READING NOW These are my opinions, and rather than criticising or justifying them in any way, I want you to consider why I have these opinions in the first place. I may be completely wrong on many things, but that isn't for me to decide, nor is it my place to force my opinions on to you. My only hope from this is that you question your actions, your opinions, your motivations, in the same way that so many of us have had to. Okay. For those of you with the courage to continue, let us begin... 1. I hate people who consider themselves cynical, yet have no real life experience on which to base their so-called "cynicism" on. Throughout my trawls on the internet and through life in general I've come across many, many people who consider themselves to be cynical, and the unforutnate fact is that most of them are children, or childish in their outlook on life. I have to question the basis of their so-called "cynicism" as, at least to me, it sounds more like the petty whinings of a spoiled brat who has no real life experience. All of you so-called "cynics" out there should ask yourselves why you feel the need to advertise that you're cynical. Is it "cool" to do so? Are you simply jumping on the bandwagon because you feel being cynical will make you unique? Do you do it because you feel it will validate your opinion? Many people are cynical at one time or another. However, the majority of people in this world cannot put forth the sustained cynicism that is so often advertised by children and childish men and women (you know who you are so I won't mention any name). Evidence of this unwarranted world view (i.e. you haven't earned the right to truly be cynical about many of the things you have opinions on), is rife, even here on MAL. It may just be your opinion, but don't insult our intelligence by claiming to be something your not. Just say "this is my opinion". Don't say you're being cynical. 2. People who find others to validate their opinion. Why do this? So you have an opinion, big whoop-de-doo. Why do you feel the need to harass people you've never met or spoken to in order to justify your opinion? Why not be courageous and actually challenge someone who has an opinion that is at odds with yours? Are you a coward? Are you afraid of being wrong? Are you afraid of challenging an opinion on your own, so you feel justified in having others who share your opinion. I pity you. What a small view of the world you have. It's not enough that you are so lacking in self confidence that you feel the need to inflict your opinion on the rest of us, you also bring your "followers" (i.e. SHEEP), along for the ride as well. You're probably the type of person who believes that all muslims are terrorists, or all africans live in mud huts, or all the british have bad teeth, etc, etc, ad infinitum. I bet you have a t-shirt or poster with Che Guevara on it, or a copy of Mein Kampf, or something that has someone else's opinion which you then adopt as justification for your small view of the world. There's a philosphical argument put forth by Karl Popper which essentially boils down to this - it's easy to prove something if you already believe it to be the truth. Th true test is to prove something you believe as false. The more you fail, the truer it is. To all you people out there who feel your opinion is justified, try destroying it yourself. See if you can do it. It's a healthy mental exercise which will ultimately make you a better person, and a better example of humanity. 3. People who have missed the point entirely, yet refuse to acknowledge that they have done so. This one's fairly straightforward. Here's a couple of examples, so stop me if you've heard these: You're talking to someone and suddenly you realise that the other person has got the topic of the conversation completely wrong. Did they do it on purpose, or did they just miss the point of what you were saying? To further compund matters, they insist that they understand what you were talking about completely, and then give you some lame, poorly thought out justifications to prove the fact that they in fact, didn't miss the point. Ever been in that position? How about this one then, as it's more MAL appropriate. You're reading a review, or following a discussion about a particular show, manga, or character. You stop and ask yourself if they were watching the same show you did, and whether you were implying too much into the show. You then realise that it's not actually you who's missed the point, but them. You feel like pointing out the parts that they've so obviously missed or misinterpreted, but you know that all too often (especially on MAL), this leads to the phenomena of trolling, so you decide to let it go. Sound familiar to any of you? Here's my point. You're all so afraid of offending the other person by forcing them to acknowledge that they've got it wrong that you are willing to just lie back and take it. Have you no backbone? Are you that scared of confrontation that you would be willing to let it go because it makes your life easier? Are you the type who mouths platitudes like "Stop the war in Iraq", or "End world hunger", but refuses to get off your fat lazy ass and do something yourself? Have you no shame? The truly sad part is that people who fall into categories 1 and 2, will generally fall into category 3. If you've managed to make it this far, and you don't fall into any of those three categories then congratulations. You're a well rounded caring individual who is a credit to humanity (maybe). If you fall into one or two of those categories then shame on you. Get off your ass and learn about the world. Most especially learn the fact that your opinion is worth nothing in the great scheme of things, and justifying any further ego stroking on your part will ultimately lead to a sad and miserable future (and oh how I wish it to be so if you don't change your ways). If you fall into all three categories, then you should know one thing. The problems caused throughout history, all the pain, suffering, terror, horror, etc, inflicted on mankind, have been allowed to happen because of people like you. Do me and the rest of the world a favour. Take a good long look at yourself, then imagine what it would feel like for you to face true hardship (and no, I don't mean being stuck in a traffic jam or not doing your homework, or anything so "nice"). There are many ways for a person to grow, to become stronger, to develop themselves. You've chosen to ignore them all and lock yourself up in your own little world where everything revolves around you. My how nice your existence must be, to have a home, and family, and food, and clothes. To have a computer, and clean water to drink and wash. To have a car, an education. To have the opportunity to better yourself. If you don't recognise the fact that you, the privileged few, have so much more than the BILLIONS of others around the world, then the world would be better off without you. In truth, you're no better than Hitler, and far more evil by the simple fact that you can do something about it, but you choose not to. You make vain attempts to conceal your inaction by covering it with "opinions" and excuses. Do all of us a favour and just accept that your afraid to stand up and say "You're wrong" or "This is wrong" because your afraid to be ostracized by your friends and family. There's nothing wrong with that fear. What's wrong is the way you attempt to use it as an excuse to cover the fact that your lazy, self serving, selfish in the extreme, should I go on? I'll end this now, as I'm sure that many of you are offended or angry at my "criticism". As I said, this is simply an opinion, and it doesn't necessarily follow that it is aimed at you. If you feel it does, then maybe you should question why you feel that way.