For instance, my 23 year old sister and her 25 year old boyfriend were over the other night and I insisted we watch The Parking Lot (http://www.theparkinglotmovie.com/). The parking lot's bigger picture theme is about the owner's management style. By giving his staff human decency, respect and ownership of their jobs, it in turn creates loyalty and a sense of reverence for the owner and the job at large.
The boyfriend suggested we watch "Juice" with Tupac a few nights ago. In this film, Tupac wants to prove he's got "the juice" (i.e. manhood) to himself and his Harlem community. To do so, he shoots up a liquor store, killing the guy behind the counter; then progressively kills all of his friends because they're accessories to murder. Me, being the rebel that I am, advise that we watch "Four Brothers" last night so that I could compare and contrast. Based in roughneck Detroit, this band of brothers commit to avenging their mother's death in the same violent manner that was reflected in "Juice". Needless to say, they were disinterested in Mark Whalberg and Andre 3000.
My findings leave me bewildered.
I communicate my secret study to them and then ask "If you're not drawn into the bigger picture, what do you think about?" THEY COULDN'T ANSWER. They did not have a response. So I'm just left to believe that this demographic thinks about nothing? Or worse, they only think about themselves? Is this limited to this demographic, or is it a growing pandemic? My roommate thinks its due to the generation gap between me (31) and them. Whatever it is, it's extremely disheartening.
I don't know that I'd equate it to a generational thing. Certainly it may be true that as people get older and mature they become more interested in different aspects of films and stories. I've met plenty of people older than me who have no interest in looking at the bigger picture or trying to understand the various levels of a story. Some people just aren't into it. The thing that has been difficult for me is not judging them for it. It's easy to think that because I like to analyze the things I watch and listen to, I'm a better, more intelligent person.
ReplyDeleteYou can always bring up the things you see and they are oblivious too, but I recommend bring it up as a suggestion. Maybe there's something you saw that will pique their interest. It's a frustrating thing when you've got stuff you want to talk about in a film and everyone else just wants to 'veg'. But apparently some people get annoyed when they just want to relax and people around them keep trying to make them think.