Trite Long Penny
By Rene Jimenez
When leaving a movie that is a bit strange or "out there", I'll often overhear audience members making a comment that goes something like "What kind of drugs were they on when making that?".
When questioning any number of my coworkers on what they were currently reading, they described a series of tropes instead of an actual plot, before proceeding to show me a book I will only ever judge by its cover.
When I ask what someone is currently listening to, they proceed to show me a playlist titled "chill vibes".
Social media would be too easy to blame. The zeitgeist has always existed and will continue to exist. My pursuit isn’t counterculture or anything like that. However, our collective approach to art and the world at large is exhausting. I think we all share the blame.
Referring to something as “pretentious” has become a catchall term for anything remotely challenging. I personally don’t believe in pretention anymore. For me, it is much worse to assume that there is something ingenuine about something or someone simply because it confuses me. I believe more people can benefit from this approach.
What good does it do anyone to feel upset at anything with a metaphor. I believe easily digestible slop is cool too, but that can’t be the only thing we’re okay with consuming. Using the word pretentious for me is like refusing to drink water and eat vegetables.
I especially dislike the phrase as it relates to music. Frequently, anything that is conscious or meaningful will be referred to as doing “too much” or “hoe-scaring music”. These sentiments are made by Twitter users who brush crumbs off their tummies. The engagement of art should not be dictated by the need to impress somebody else.
This leads me to another frustration, which is the idea that a given piece of art is made only for a certain group in mind is probably one of the most annoying things I especially see my generation's practice. “Male manipulator” this and “Female manipulator” that, and it’s just a movie in the IMDB top 250 or an album made by a woman who doesn’t get radio time. Just empty and anti-art.
On anti-art sentiments, I think back to my brother and various coworkers who rate movies based off how many cameos and references they feature. “This movie was good it had a lot of cameos in it”- my brother. What are we even talking about anymore? The standard for engagement should never be “Ready Player One” or "Deadpool and Wolverine".
I just feel like every other new major film I see is redundant. I don't see the point in showing up for the live-action version of an animated movie. There is no value in having a whole movie about real life Pikachu or The Smurfs.
We're okay with total "entertainment" all the time now.
I liken our collective consumption and interaction with the world at large to a long penny. Much like paying a few cents for an elongated coin of Bart Simpson at Universal Studios, our time is spent on worthless novelty. An easily disposable memory of something fun you did once.
Without making this sound too mean and preachy, I think my greatest frustration is really the lack of challenge most people I meet are willing to take. People seriously get offended when something is unfamiliar to them. I think that we can all benefit in a small way by making the entertainment we consume challenging.
There should be a total rejection and disgust when we're handed another forgettable streaming comedy or another live-action version of a cartoon. Not everything has to be mystified in layers of symbolism and metaphor, but at the very least more things should have to try to say something.
I understand most people want an escape from our real life struggles through easily digestible media, but that just isn't right. Much like I wouldn't recommend relying on fast food as a substitute for an at home meal, I believe people are robbing themselves of something great and important in their lives when they go see Mufasa or listen to a Drake X The Weeknd AI song.
I think we're losing a little bit more humanity when we don't encourage ourselves and each other to finish a book outside of our comfort zone or listen to an album beginning to end. I don't think virality and box office should justify intrigue in a project. I don't believe in "style over substance" or "pretention", I believe we can all benefit from having more to say.