Literary Discussions

Alan: the point is that our media and entertainment CONDITION us as to what life is supposed to be like (good show/bad show not relevant) even NEWS coverage conditions us to look at life in certain way.  I used to hang out with her and didnt think about gender because I am old enough to be father, but she has raised the concern as to why most of her regular friends are guys. Good point about Elaine having mostly male friends. Someone in my friends thread also complained saying "where are MY four g/f s  like Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon) .... also, we are conditioned to think of romantic love in a certain way... consider Brideshead Revisited, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Brokeback Mountain...  such movies and TV series ROMANTICIZE what life and relationships should be like and often it is unrealistic. We were watching a police series where the cop is also an M.D. ... he has to fatally shoot the perp, and then looks forlorn and compassionate because he is an M.D. who has taken a life...   I pointed out to someone watching with me that in real life, people who have to use lethal force cannot be that sensitive or it would destroy them. Even medical shows.... all the drama of House or Bones or Gray's Anatomy .... I have spent hundreds of hours around such people and they cannot afford the drama or the feelings because it would devour them. They have to remain detached.  REALLY good point about Elaine.  IN FACT... I watch Desperate Housewives and marvel at how EVERYONE is drop-dead gorgeous... casting finds 1 person like that in 10,000 and the show depicts a life in which EVERYONE is drop-dead gorgeous... not realistic.

Whatever your job is, it is you job and you just get used to it and you do it, even if it involves lethal force... if you don't get used to it then it eats you alive.  OH, all those shows about high school teachers,.... Dead Poets Society,  ... from the 1960s, Mr. Novak,... in real life schools are not like that.  Basically real life is kind of boring which is why we watch a lot of movies and TV.