C300: A Bleeping Actor

I'm not trying to say suicide is humorous in real life(just passed the one year anniversary of someone I knew), but this was not real life. I can separate and compartmentalize. Maybe I'm just wired to handle these types of things, or my brain adapted to it, because of my exposure to these types of things from shooting news. I grew up playing video games, watching Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck get shot at and have their faces "blown off" and violent movies, as well, and I've never thought of committing suicide or "going postal", as it used to be known. Too many "social justice warriors" who want to seem superior and "more enlightened" than everyone else...
 
Run&Gun said:
I'm not trying to say suicide is humorous in real life(just passed the one year anniversary of someone I knew), but this was not real life. I can separate and compartmentalize. Maybe I'm just wired to handle these types of things, or my brain adapted to it, because of my exposure to these types of things from shooting news. I grew up playing video games, watching Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck get shot at and have their faces "blown off" and violent movies, as well, and I've never thought of committing suicide or "going postal", as it used to be known. Too many "social justice warriors" who want to seem superior and "more enlightened" than everyone else...
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I don't think anyone commenting is confused about whether this is real life or theatre...

Your position is basically "This doesn't affect me. The people it affects are being sensitive. They need to learn how to not be sensitive, or they will be unhappy."

And I understand how, from your perspective, that makes sense. But it's flawed, because it assumes that everyone is a rational actor with the ability to make a binary choice: be sensitive to your own feelings, or laugh / don't let anything affect you. Not everyone has that level of control, or compartmentalization ability, or even the physical means (e.g. there are chemical and reflexive responses to something like a depiction of suicide, read up on suicide contagion effect if you're curious about this).

I think you want to live/believe it is possible to live in a world where no one expresses any sensitivity or requests others to accommodate their own sensitivities and preferences in order to be happy, because you sure don't need/expect anyone to do that. To be honest, this would be ideal! But the problem is... it's impossible.

Getting the entire world to the point where no one feels sensitive or needs accommodations to feel happy isn't a matter of starting a campaign to get people to lighten up / learn to laugh about things. It's wayyyy more nuanced than that.

Now, assuming you accept my proposition that a sensitivity free world is an impossibility, here is an experiment for you: instead of allowing yourself to get annoyed/upset/critical when you witness what you perceive to be "sensitivity", or "social justice warriors" (the fact that you conflate this with creative/artistic depictions of suicide tells me you may not be fully considering either issue), or enlightenment posturing, or anything else in that vein.. try taking your rationality and just being grateful for the fact that you apparently don't need anyone to be sensitive on your behalf in order to feel good. You're already living in your own ideal world. Who cares if other people aren't?

Because saying stuff like

Too many "social justice warriors" who want to seem superior and "more enlightened" than everyone else...
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just sounds bitter and resentful that other people aren't living the way you are. Who really cares?
 
You will grow when you will have your own kids and will see this from different perspective.
(In another words, complexity of the decision making will raise as a result of heightened entropy in system called 'your life'.)

Therapeutic effect of creative process is well known. Keep `em coming.

At the end, It's a win win situation for you.
It will also boost ROI on the gear. Professional help can be quite steep.
 
I see both sides. I also think folks have become super wussified as of late, BUT, I also hate having discussions like these about my own work (I havent done a short in a long time but I do write songs and sketches). So, at this point I ask myself “will the audience most likely to see/hear this find it offensive?” and act accordingly. Its no fun working hard on something only to have people tell you youre “wrong”. Sometimes sticking to your guns simply isnt worth it.

Going to the really touchy places (racism, religion, sexual/gender stuff, suicide) etc. in a humorous context requires a really deft touch and most people cant do it. Sometimes even the pros. Just look at the reception of Dave Chappelle’s last netflix special.

Theres also something to be said for the artist’s intended message vs what was received (by the majority of the audience). It’s usually agreed that if the two are not aligned, it’s the artist’s fault.
 
Hmmm. Maybe its just my Facebook friends. All the ones who’ve commented about are deeply offended. You’ll know by which parts if youve seen it.
 
Well if so many of your friends are commenting about the show then it must be a big hit.

Controversy breeds discussion and viewership. This topic may be shorter and less viewed (and thus the movie less viewed) if it wasn't for the suicide.
 
Well there we have the recipe for instant youtube succes, be controversial get to get views. I think that is a dead end.

No american movie without guns. About your short film; if the guy decided to pick up his old waiter job at the school-restaurant instead of killing himself, would that be funnier or even sadder?
And when he found peace and happiness in his job at the school he could have been killed in a school shooting.

Questions, questions, have a nice weekend!
 
I would have enjoyed that. Now, Im off to write the most offensive thing I can think of. Something that makes groups of people who normally hate each other come together and say, “too far, man.”
 
Josh Bass said:
Hmmm. Maybe its just my Facebook friends. All the ones who’ve commented about are deeply offended. You’ll know by which parts if youve seen it.
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It has a 99% audience score with over 37,000 votes cast.

What makes the show reviews somewhat more noticeable is a great divergence from the critics 35% rating.

PS. This brings to mind a Midwestern music critic's lukewarm review of the 1980 Queen concert that I attended (and that wasn't even close to a sellout).
 
Life can be like that. I have a lot of facebook friends from the improv theater/arts scene. A lot of younger ones. Guess which way their thinking skews.
 
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