Well sure, I talk to myself often, you see.

___________________
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

HAW HAW YOU SO FUNNEEE.

No, but I think we're talking about two different things, here.

Some of the most interesting times from my own life have been in periods of utter disconnect. I wasn't a luddite, I was just too poor for internet/a television. And I grew up between households (surprised face!) where one didn't have a television device at all well into my mid teens, just out of principle. So I think I have lived both ends of the pop culture exposure spectrum, and am better from either period. I'm not supposing superiority, I just feel more complete when I go great extents not subscribing to the depressive feed that they keep people so reliably roped in by.

I know there's really no way to escape it if you still like any vestige of civilization, but people who try to dwell in the quietude of life are not incomplete, they're just standing outside of the automatic cycles most people allow themselves to be dominated by. But of course you have a great point in that it's far more interesting to temper ones criticism of culture from within, rather than without. I just find it necessary to wander away from the deluge if one wants to dry.

___________________
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

Of course, and I wasn't suggesting otherwise. What do you think camping trips are for?

It takes significantly longer for me to squeegee the filth of modern man out of my eyes. Lol, gross.

___________________
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

In any case, I find it much better to create and define pop culture, rather than to laud what already exists.

But since there's nothing new under the sun, we have to go UNDERGROUND! It's a necessity of masturbatory necromancy, as is the essence of all things interesting.

___________________
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

Does coffee count as pop culture?

___________________
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

That bad, huh? Again, I don't see what the big deal is. Just because we're surrounded by it every day, doesn't mean we're automatically "subscribing to the depressive feed". I actually think it's important to have a constant reminder of it, and be able to critique it for what it is...to me that's grounding. Whether we like it or not, this is the shit that's going on in our world. There has to be some moment where we acknowledge it, even if it's just to dismiss it quickly thereafter.

Well I really don't disagree with you, I just value being relatively ignorant at times. It's not always a bad thing, because it can really help you appreciate things you've never noticed before, natural things.

It's funny that Intellekshual mentioned not having running water or lights at home, because I did live like that for a few months. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't some third world simulation I opted in to get to know my self better - we could drive to 'town' and buy fresh water and such, so I was very much still living like whitey. But falling asleep each night when the lights went out, not having to tolerate the din of cathode ray hums or the flickering of liquid crystals... there was an austerity to it. I taught myself how to read again! And how to walk about and not feel like I was missing something at home or that I had to be back by a certain time to see this show or that.

I know this isn't precisely what the topic is addressing, but I don't believe it's terribly unrelated. Attention to pop culture, even if its of an all-too-common dismissive nature, is still attention, and can most often only serve to distract someone from things that are much better, more fulfilling. Balance is everything, of course, I am completely with you there, but imbalance is important to experience as well, and it's not always a detraction to oneself.

Though something that hasn't been addressed is just how one defines what 'popular culture' is. I think it's just whatever is on primetime television or A-list celebrity news. But it's obviously a very vague term, as popularity, itself, is such a very amorphous thing.

___________________
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

Perhaps it can be said that pop culture is the antithesis of nostalgia? I like that thought. Both extremes have their perils.

___________________
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

Welp, back to the low standards thread.

I don't know enough about pop culture to judge how connected I am to it.