Ah, the great herd mentality. If you have an opinion, you are part of the herd. If you don't, you are "other".
I see the news the way I see Soap Operas. It's all stories, based loosely on reality, for entertainment. I am considered ignorant because I avoid it all. I consider most people ignorant because they do not understand the mechanics and social dynamics of storytelling.
The only difference between me and most people is that I know when I have chosen to be entertained. Most people suffer the delusion that their entertainment is reality because it reflects elements of reality.
Most of the time those conversations are impersonal ways of looking for connections with other human beings. They want to know if you think like them and share their reality. Even if you disagree, you are part of the shared reality because you understand the cultural reference. Refusing to have an opinion and not even getting the reference put you outside the shared reality and makes you harder to connect with in an impersonal fashion.
Whatever you do, don't remind them that the characters in their stories are human beings. It embarrasses them when they realize that the people they are so quick to condemn aren't so very different from them. Reminds them of all of the stupid shit they do. That just makes you a know it all and a killjoy.
no subject
I see the news the way I see Soap Operas. It's all stories, based loosely on reality, for entertainment. I am considered ignorant because I avoid it all. I consider most people ignorant because they do not understand the mechanics and social dynamics of storytelling.
The only difference between me and most people is that I know when I have chosen to be entertained. Most people suffer the delusion that their entertainment is reality because it reflects elements of reality.
Most of the time those conversations are impersonal ways of looking for connections with other human beings. They want to know if you think like them and share their reality. Even if you disagree, you are part of the shared reality because you understand the cultural reference. Refusing to have an opinion and not even getting the reference put you outside the shared reality and makes you harder to connect with in an impersonal fashion.
Whatever you do, don't remind them that the characters in their stories are human beings. It embarrasses them when they realize that the people they are so quick to condemn aren't so very different from them. Reminds them of all of the stupid shit they do. That just makes you a know it all and a killjoy.