Thursday, 15 January 2009
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Currently
Minutes to Midnight
By Linkin Park
see relatedThe Title of This Post is Overrated
At some point in the last ten years it became fashionable to be overtly knowledgeable about popular culture. The best way to show how much you know about pop culture is to be pretentious about it, and the best way to be pretentious about it is to arbitrarily say something is “overrated.” For example, Little Miss Sunshine was a critically acclaimed movie, but Steve Carell enthusiasts like to say that it was his least inspired work. I’ve heard by snobby music fans say that Gnarls Barkley is overrated and don’t deserve their popularity, even though the only people who listen to Gnarls Barkley are snobby music fans, themselves. Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged is widely regarded as the greatest novel of all time, yet it’s often cool for smart literary people to smugly say, “’Who is John Galt?’ I don’t fucking care!”
It’s okay to like things, and it’s okay to not like things. We can consider some things to be good, and we can consider some things to be bad, but nothing can ever be “overrated.” (Conversely, nothing can ever be underrated, either.) We live in a civilization where people like to say things are “overrated” just because it makes them feel intelligent. However, everything in society is rated exactly how it deserves to be rated. There is nothing wrong with the amount of attention that Gnarls Barkley receives and the amount of praise that Little Miss Sunshine has collected. Also, John Galt, at the very least, deserved to be defined in a two hour speech. If it pisses you off that Britney Spears is on heavy rotation on Top 40 radio stations, then turn on your iPod and listen to MGMT as many times as you want to. That’s what the “repeat” feature is for. If you think society is falling apart because mindless films like Iron Man and High School Musical make ridiculous amounts of money, then subscribe to Netflix and rent No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. You and the rest of the film genius’ can have a critically-acclaimed-movie orgy in the comfort of your own damn living room. If you complain about things being overrated, then you are no different from people who feel that they deserve better. The fact that you’re trapped in your own personal sphere where you consider yourself bigger than the society in which you are a part of is the exact reason why you’ll always be unhappy. It’s like complaining that you’re underpaid at your job. The truth is that everyone gets paid exactly what they’re worth. If you think you’re underpaid, don’t complain about it, but find an employer who will pay you what you want. If you think society owes you more than what you’re getting, then go do something about it and don’t complain to people who don’t want to hear it. The only thing that pop culture owes you is pop culture, whether you think it’s overrated or not.
My taste isn’t better or worse than anyone else’s, and, quite frankly, I just don’t fucking care.
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Comments (8)
this entry is overrated.
did you eve see that gnarls barkley video for "who's gonna save my soul" where the dude rips his own heart out?
man, what a classic.
Jessica Alba is overrated.
So is Kate Beckinsale.
everyone is entitled to their opinion. i don't say things are overrated because it's a general term. i say something sucks, is good, excellent, or mediocre. Atlas Shrugged is an excellent novel, with some clunky parts. overall it is a magnificent novel. i do agree that it can be annoying when people say something's overrated - "you try and accomplish what rand had." and what exactly does it mean when they say it? i have been guilty of saying it, i have to admit. but i'm careful about where and to whom i say it. i only say it around my husband. people might take offense - they may like the very thing i'm saying's overrated. at the same time, i don't give a shit if someone else says it. i merely disagree with them if it's warranted. i don't hesitate either because i want to nip it in the bud. yuck. i hate agreeing for the sake of it.
"If you complain about things being overrated, then you are no different from people who feel that they deserve better."
The more I read your posts, the more I'm convinced I have no redeeming qualities.
But ... then again, I don't agree with your statement because it's a bit of a stretch. Just because I say Harry Potter is overrated, doesn't mean I think I'm bigger than everyone in society. I get just as excited as everyone else when a new HP movie comes out, but I probably shouldn't, considering experience tells me that the new movie will probably be just like the old ones, except maybe with better special effects.
If you pass judgement on people for simply using the word "overrated," then you are no different than people who think they're bigger than everyone in society. Oh, haha! Now you're back to having no redeeming qualities. Phew! All is right with the world and I feel better.
@nora2186 - All I'm saying is that it's okay to like and dislike things, but when you say that something is "overrated," you're indirectly acknowledging that society's collective opinion does not meet your defined standards. Culture shouldn't be standardized.
@manilajones - I'll have to agree with you to a certain extent. Because now that I think about it, I tend to argue with people about things they find "overrated." Usually, they're passing judgement on something that they have no idea about (music, movies, art, etc). But I like to think I'm right when I claim certain things as overrated. I think I just like to argue sometimes. I do tend to think I'm better than some people. Le sigh. I'm back to having no redeeming qualities. Damn you manilajones.
If anyone says I'm over rated, I'll make sure to kick them in the nuts.