Jul 05 2007
Resistance Is Futile and Just Do It
I recently mentioned that I didn’t have a television and hoo-boy did that spawn a bunch of comments on television viewing habits.
We talked about how much was too much, favorite shows, despised shows.
We discussed where the heck people put their televisions - there was television in a closet and one hidden behind a tapestry. Then there was a television with bumper stickers.
One thing that happens when you don’t have a television, don’t watch television and have no desire to watch television is that you lose a big chunk of social references.
Think about it.
So many people tap into the catchphrases of the latest shows. If you don’t know them, you may understand what a person is saying but really lose out on the extra connection of a shared reference.
So you’re with a friend at a bakery and he says, “Oh….doohh..nuts” as if in a trance.
You laugh because it is funny but you might find it funnier and more companionable if you realized it was the saying of the Homer from “The Simpsons” and then there’s the infamous “D’oh!” by the same character.
I haven’t watched TV in so long that my catchphrases date me.
“Da plane! Da plane!” - Tattoo to Mr. Rourke, “Fantasy Island”
“Resistance is futile.” - The Borg on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
“Where’s the beef?” - Wendy’s commercial
“Just Do It” - Nike commercial
“The truth is out there” - Fox Mulder, “The X-Files”
“Good night, John Boy”- “The Waltons”
“It keeps going and going and going …” - Energizer Batteries ad
You’re describing the after-date.
You say, “He just kept going and going and going…”
Think about how different the story is if you get the reference!
I know I’m missing out on a lot of (pop) cultural references.
Whatever. Like I care.
I think it’s really obnoxious when people (for some reason, mostly young men in their 20’s) quote some show at great length, and everybody thinks it’s hilarious. Makes me want to strangle people.
Although I am a little notorious for joining such quote fests should Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail comes up…
“What is the average airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?!”
I don’t see how the date thing is different given you have seen the commercial. I’m still turning it around my head, I don’t get it.
Irisi: “Life of Brian” is generally one big quote-bonanza.
When it comes to the date thing - I think it’s funny to juxtapose the Energizer bunny with the image of your date just well, rabbiting away. Maybe it’s me. Probably it’s me.
Ok, I lied, I read right away…I’ve often wished there were some kind of internet cheat-sheet website so I could just take a glance now & again and not be left out of so many lunchroom conversations. Seems like it wouldn’t be too much hassle for someone who watches the shows anyway - maybe one of those multiple author blogs or something.
Instead I’m usually saying “That’s TV, right?” Usually if a group of people I know are all talking about people I’ve never heard of as if they were fast friends, the answer turns out to be yes. :-0
Jill: I know what you mean about having people refer to characters on shows or SHOW CONTESTANTS as if they were friends. In fact, many people assume you know what they are talking about. They’ll say something like, “So do you think he’ll pick Jenna?” and I’m thinking, “uh, What?” and they’ll be referring to one of those dating shows, like “The Bachelor” I think it was.
I have a similar response to yours, “Are you referring to someone on TV?” I learned the entire cast of “Friends” via Cultural Osmosis along with knowledge of several episodes and all without watching the show! OK, I did end up seeing a few episodes (reruns on the plane) but really, never went out of my way to watch it.
I do know there are good shows out there. Many people who don’t watch much TV tell me that the writing on “Lost” is very good. “Heroes” sounded interesting. I have no idea if it’s even on anymore.
Sounds like you should take your lunch to a park instead of eating in the lunchroom!
Hey. I’m a TV junkie… :(.. I do agree that it helps me carry out conversations with various people and keeps me in the loop of pop culture. But I also think that TV is very bad… I actually cut down for the summer, so I can focus on being healthy :D….lol…
Christian: In your case you do something with your TV addiction - you write about the shows and celebrities you watch. I can read your blog and get a bit of a snapshot of what’s popular. I know that TV isn’t bad in and of itself. As Ricardo said, “TV is evil if you let become so.”
Well I meant “Let IT become so.” But you know what I mean.
“Heroes” rocked. It took a bit to get into, but the characters are quite good. They might be showing re-runs or something, but it will be back next season. Word has it that they’ll have a couple of TV movies as well.
My father is a reality show addict. He tries just about every one of them, and watches most. Sometimes, i get sucked in to some, but usually I can avoid it. (i’m still blaming my mother though for last year’s amazing race since she set it to record the whole season!)
The energizer bunny line is still semi-current. (at least, it’s still used, just not quite as popular.)
I had a boss and co-worker that would every so often obsess on some movie or TV show for a while. I got sick of the impressions after a couple of weeks. (probably because they were bad at it.) But, that was in another group. (which in a survivor sort of way, i ended up getting voted off by the power brokers there, and got on to big brother, a much better show.) [or, is that too twisted a way of saying i changed groups, and it wasn't my doing?]
And i think Nike still has remnants of the “Just do it” in their ad campaigns. scary.
“I choose you [insert name]” - Pokemon reference.
“Well I wont be needing these anymore” - Dunkin Donuts.
“Did I say you were my girlfriend? No, YOU said you were my girlfriend” - KODT
I only watch two or three TV shows. We have a dish but we hardly ever use it. I just set the DVR to record my favorite shows and then watch them when I remember too. Partly because I go to bed early.
I’ve never been big on “pop culture” references. I see it more as a sign that you fell for the advertising than anything else. Want to impress me? Be the person who drives the bandwagon not someone who jumps on the bandwagon.
Ricardo: I totally missed the typo when I cut ‘n pasted it! So yeah, I DID know what you meant!
ack: I read a little about “Heroes” and I liked the idea of a geeky Asian guy being a hero.
My mom loves reality shows and calls herself a “mindless TV junkie” or something like that. We joke around a bit when she’ll talk about some show contestant as if I know all about them and I’ll have to say, “Uh, mom, remember, NO TV here?”
I never watched “Survivor” but I know enough about the show to get your “voted off the island” reference. Scary how powerful cultural references can be!
HMTKSteve: I likes that, “Be the person who drives the bandwagon not someone who jumps on the bandwagon.”
I respect those types as well, especially if they really are making their own path and not bucking the trends just to be a rebel.
Here’s a new one so you don’t sound to dated
. . .
“Seriously” - can be used as a rhetorical question statement . . . affirmation of a someone else’s statement . . . . plain ol ‘ question . . . or plain ol ’statement
comes from Grey’s Anatomy . . .
Gary: Seriously?