In response to a NY Times article on the Oscars
Frankly, I stopped watching the Oscars a while ago. I used to be a serious movie buff as a teen. I would buy Leonard Maltin's guide and rifle through films I'd seen. I was big on old B&W films. VHS tapes of Oscar highlights when Marlden was president were in my collection.
Then one day I started to wonder why we care so much about this. What are the qualifications? Why do we care so much about what a particular industry thinks of itself. We've all seen awards for films that weren't exactly the best.
I took it one step further with films. I used to read reviews, A.O. Scott and Peter Travers were tops for me. EW magazine, Rolling Stone, NYtimes, WAPO, LAtimes, ... and then one day I also decided I would never read a review before watching a film. It was refreshing to not be conditioned. Eventually I got to the point where I barely look at reviews even after watching a film, unless I want some insider info etc.
As entertainment, Oscars and other award shows, ok. But, maybe we should find a way to care and highlight the achievements of things that really matter for our future existence on this planet with the same gusto. There was a commercial a few years ago about young people wearing t-shirts with a scientist's face and harping her achievements. Don't remember what it was selling but I liked the idea.
Young people looking up to brilliance not superficiality.
Then again, it is 2020 and look at who's president. Image still sells, both ways.
I wrote this on NYtimes.com in the comments of this article Dear Oscars, I Love You But We Need To Talk
Then one day I started to wonder why we care so much about this. What are the qualifications? Why do we care so much about what a particular industry thinks of itself. We've all seen awards for films that weren't exactly the best.
I took it one step further with films. I used to read reviews, A.O. Scott and Peter Travers were tops for me. EW magazine, Rolling Stone, NYtimes, WAPO, LAtimes, ... and then one day I also decided I would never read a review before watching a film. It was refreshing to not be conditioned. Eventually I got to the point where I barely look at reviews even after watching a film, unless I want some insider info etc.
As entertainment, Oscars and other award shows, ok. But, maybe we should find a way to care and highlight the achievements of things that really matter for our future existence on this planet with the same gusto. There was a commercial a few years ago about young people wearing t-shirts with a scientist's face and harping her achievements. Don't remember what it was selling but I liked the idea.
Young people looking up to brilliance not superficiality.
Then again, it is 2020 and look at who's president. Image still sells, both ways.
I wrote this on NYtimes.com in the comments of this article Dear Oscars, I Love You But We Need To Talk
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