The medias affect on humor
October 11, 2015 at 1:56 pm
(This post was last modified: October 11, 2015 at 2:12 pm by Reforged.)
There are dos and don'ts in mainstream society. You can't laugh at certain things. I'm not commenting on whether this is morally right or wrong, I'm indifferent and find that side if the discussion extremely boring. However, there are certain things which you laugh at in private you would never laugh at in public. You understand its funny but in poor taste, it cannot be shared that you find it funny or you will be stigmatized. The forbidden zones where humor is not ever allowed.
This translates into a contradiction and hypocrisy in the media which by and large is poor with things like nuance or context. So, where is this leading us? In my opinion it leads us to an age where a formula is followed and almost never deviated from. Where more and more comedy films and series that come out are aimed at the PG13 bracket. Experimentation is rarely pursued, thats why we're surrounded mostly by mediocre crap. This is however on television and cable. On the internet however, on the internet its a different story. Its a place that frequently crosses "the line" and goes deeper still into the dark occasionally plucking out of it brilliant gems. Every hilarious youtube video, web series, every funny jpg. All of these come from a freeflowing environment where people can experiment with media as they see fit. Those which become gems rise, those which do not are never seen or heard from again. This doesn't follow the forumla. It doesn't take into account taste, it simply takes into account what makes you laugh.
Simply put; Internet has CollegeHumor, Funny or Die and reddit. TV has Mrs Browns Boys, Michael McIntyre and various types of miscellaneous sludge. TV reduces the risk of social stigma on creators by not doing anything that steps outside the formula. The internet reduces it through anonymity and an understanding that the internet is a place where anything goes.
Netflix has been around for a while and now google, amazon, yahoo and various others are producing media content for the web in the form of series and films. What does this mean for the free flowing environment? In time will it expand it or restrict it? I'm excited to see.
So, thats my thoughts on the matter. To back up my point I have a video. A video made by a serious french director. A man who decided to tackle the complex problems of people with disabilities when it comes to intimacy through coordinated gymnastics and ballet. He was attempting to make a serious point on a sensitive issue. I would argue he failed and created one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Watch it before judging me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4pLOLU_7Jo
EDIT: All of it, seriously. The standing ovation made me burst out in hysterics.
This translates into a contradiction and hypocrisy in the media which by and large is poor with things like nuance or context. So, where is this leading us? In my opinion it leads us to an age where a formula is followed and almost never deviated from. Where more and more comedy films and series that come out are aimed at the PG13 bracket. Experimentation is rarely pursued, thats why we're surrounded mostly by mediocre crap. This is however on television and cable. On the internet however, on the internet its a different story. Its a place that frequently crosses "the line" and goes deeper still into the dark occasionally plucking out of it brilliant gems. Every hilarious youtube video, web series, every funny jpg. All of these come from a freeflowing environment where people can experiment with media as they see fit. Those which become gems rise, those which do not are never seen or heard from again. This doesn't follow the forumla. It doesn't take into account taste, it simply takes into account what makes you laugh.
Simply put; Internet has CollegeHumor, Funny or Die and reddit. TV has Mrs Browns Boys, Michael McIntyre and various types of miscellaneous sludge. TV reduces the risk of social stigma on creators by not doing anything that steps outside the formula. The internet reduces it through anonymity and an understanding that the internet is a place where anything goes.
Netflix has been around for a while and now google, amazon, yahoo and various others are producing media content for the web in the form of series and films. What does this mean for the free flowing environment? In time will it expand it or restrict it? I'm excited to see.
So, thats my thoughts on the matter. To back up my point I have a video. A video made by a serious french director. A man who decided to tackle the complex problems of people with disabilities when it comes to intimacy through coordinated gymnastics and ballet. He was attempting to make a serious point on a sensitive issue. I would argue he failed and created one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Watch it before judging me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4pLOLU_7Jo
EDIT: All of it, seriously. The standing ovation made me burst out in hysterics.
"That is not dead which can eternal lie and with strange aeons even death may die."
- Abdul Alhazred.
- Abdul Alhazred.
