PROSA From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5440 posts, RR: 5 Posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 1455 times:
I recently started a thread by mentioning my near-complete lack of interest in WWE pro wrestling. There were some interesting messages in the thread. It got me thinking about how some people just aren't interested in cultural diversions or activities that are otherwise extremely popular. I certainly have my share:
- I seldom watch sports on TV or read the sports pages. Right now, I couldn't tell you any of the division leaders in major league baseball, and couldn't care less about the upcoming NFL season. There are exceptions, I've watched some of the Olympics, enjoy watching boxing and "extreme" sports such as skateboarding and BMX, and, of all strange things, have become almost addicted to the bull riding on the Outdoor Life Network!
- Many years ago I tried reading one of the Lord of the Rings books but didn't get far, finding it unreadable and totally uninteresting. I've never tried reading them again and had no interest whatsoever in seeing the recent movie trilogy. On a similar note, I saw the first Star Wars movie way back in the 1970's, hated it, and haven't seen any of the others.
- I almost never watch any of the broadcast TV networks, although I'll occasionally catch a Simpsons episode. Most of my fairly infrequent TV watching is on cable.
- Despite being at an age (47) when most men are finding themselves drawn to the golf course, I have no interest whatsoever in the game.
On the other hand, until a year ago I scoffed at the idea of visiting Disney World - then I finally went, and now I can't wait to go back!
So, does anyone else have examples of popular cultural things that you find uninteresting?
"Let me think about it" = the coward's way of saying "no"
JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 1442 times:
'< Victor Meldrew rant >
- Popular music - its been absolute crap since the early 90's. Hip hop ? Morons with learning difficulties and too much jewelry - learn to SPEAK !! You can't ALL be Jamaican. Britney Spears and her millions of pouty, mascara-ho clones, showing how all you need to succeed is a pushy trailer-trash mom, big breasts and absolutely no self-respect.
- Sport especially soccer - some spamhead teenager being paid a million pounds a week for a 90 minute match, and somehow they're a 'celebrity', and we are supposed to be deeply rivetted by who they choose to sleep with.
- In fact, while we're on the subject, the whole 'I'm a Celebrity' culture - spoiled talentless nobodies, footballers' wives, super-models, former chat show hosts, silicon-enhanced vacuities dominating prime time TV and the ragged-arsed utterly crap British tabloids.
- TV reality shows - don't even GO there. Big Brother ? Big Wanker more like. NOBODY CARES !!!
Cptkrell From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 2606 posts, RR: 13 Reply 2, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 1436 times:
Not in any particular order, my choice of ten:
1. Most stick-and/or-ball professional sports (except playoffs & championships)
2. Most all rap, rock, or any other 'music' that I better define as 'noise'
3. Expensive tennis shoes
4. Sports, 'celebrity' autographs
5. Computer games and such (what's xbox, anyway?)
6. Any entertainment oriented reporting (such as on TV or in magazines)
7. 'Boom boxes' in cars
8. Other goofy shit on cars and goofy cars in general
9. Earth-based thrill rides
10. 'Popular' Diets
KYIPpilot From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 1383 posts, RR: 7 Reply 4, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1405 times:
To briefly name a few...
Reality TV shows
MTV
Rap
Expensive name brand clothes
"pimped" out cars
Also, I couldn't care less what Celebs do, and I especially hate those Enterntainment tonight and Access Hollywood shows.
"It starts when you're always afraid; You step out of line, the man come and take you away" -Buffalo Springfield
ConcordeBoy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1398 times:
In accord with what several of you have written, I completely fail to understand the "celebrity worship" concept...
...just cannot see how people can be so fascinated by folks that they don't know/never will meet (many of whom have zero redeeming characteristics other than their looks) to the point of wanting to take time out of their own lives to follow up on these folks.
CactusA319 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 2918 posts, RR: 28 Reply 6, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1397 times:
Popular music - its been absolute crap since the early 90's. Hip hop ? Morons with learning difficulties and too much jewelry - learn to SPEAK !! You can't ALL be Jamaican.
They're not ALL trying to be. But thanks for the sweeping generalization anyway.
That said, here's some popular stuff I couldn't care less for:
1) Pro wrestling
2) The obsession with celebrities and how great their lives are supposed to be.
3) Most reality TV.
4) Lord of The Rings (what's the big deal, honestly? )
Tristarenvy From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 2265 posts, RR: 4 Reply 7, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1392 times:
I have no interest in what anyone in showbiz has to say about anything. How many that swore they'd leave town the minute Bush became president? And how many did?
Most of today's music is crap, as well.
What the hell is the big deal w/stupid looking huge-ass wheels on cars?
Reality TV, w/the exception of shows like "COP's" is junk. I DO however have a strange fondness for that wacky game show from Japan , that's seen on "Spike TV" on Thursday nights "MXC"
[Edited 2004-08-16 18:41:09]
If you don't stand for SOMETHING, you'll fall for ANYTHING.
ConcordeBoy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1388 times:
Lord of The Rings (what's the big deal, honestly? )
Basically the same concept as Star Wars/Trek...
...just that no one was willing to bring it to the screen for decades due to 1) Tolkien's wish that they didnt and 2) cost/risk based on the complication of the storyline.
PROSA From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5440 posts, RR: 5 Reply 9, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1369 times:
Lord of The Rings (what's the big deal, honestly? )
I think you have to have a certain mindset to enjoy LOTR. Some people have it, some don't. It's not so simple as a like or dislike of the sci-fi/fantasy genre, either; I had no interest whatsoever in LOTR but find Harry Potter fascinating.
"Let me think about it" = the coward's way of saying "no"
Yyz717 From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 15999 posts, RR: 59 Reply 10, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 1356 times:
Popular Cultural Things That Don't Interest You:
1. Professional sports. Whether NHL, NBA, NFL, etc. Always been boring. Always will be.
2. Concerts. Never liked em as a teenager, young adult. Never will. Will never attend one.
3. Weddings. Unless you're a sibling, cousin or very best friend, I ain't going.
4. Work social events from xmas parties to golf tournies. Yawn. Boring. If I have to deal with you people, let's keep it 9-5.
5. House parties in general. I hate em. I have to bring a bring a bottle of wine and complement you endlessly on your stupid house. Please -- don't invite me. I ain't coming anyway.
6. Christmas presents & parties. Save your money & time, and I'll do the same.
7. Fancy/fussy cooking -- the mantra of the modern male. Look, our ancestors did not get to the top of the food chain by sprinkling Spicy Thai Sauce on everything. Eat red meat and exercise -- you'll be as healthy as a horse.
8. Wine tasting and wine expertise. If I meet one more self-labeled wine expert, I'll vomit on his face. Don't swirl it, just drink it. Oh, and fill it up to the top of the glass THE FIRST TIME will you?
9. Blind dates and other set-ups. If I want a damn date, I'll get one myself! I don't care if you've been my buddy for 15 years -- keep your nose out.
10. Political correctness. This too, one day, will pass.
Panam, TWA, Ansett, Eastern.......AC next? Might be good for Canada.
DesertJets From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 7677 posts, RR: 18 Reply 12, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 1345 times:
Pro-sports and movies.
It seems that all of my friends are up to date on everything. If you asked me I would still think that Jim McMahon was quarterback for the Chicago Bears. I enjoy watching a good football or baseball game, but I don't care enough to really keep track of the game. Same thing for movies. Some of my friends see each and every big new movie. I don't go to the movies that often, I prefer to rent. And I only like a small segment of what comes out. I am willing to admit that I have never seen The Lion King or any of the LOTR movies or Harry Potter.
Stop drop and roll will not save you in hell. --- seen on a church marque in rural Virginia
NKP S2 From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 1714 posts, RR: 6 Reply 13, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 1335 times:
- Spectator sports. I care even less about the behind the scenes personalities or other BS. OK, I'll watch a baseball game now and then, but when it's over I don't care about who lost/won, what their stats are, how the minor league farm team coach's bursitus may effect whatever.............
- Celebrity worship. Can't stand it... all the hollywood gossip and shows like ET and such. I guess I'm in good company here. There's hope yet......
- The OJ trial from day 1. A media bonanza and nothing more. If a stranger tried to bring it up as "small talk" to kick off some dialogue I immediately wrote that person off as a shallow dolt.
- The bag-of-bones hottie chick du-jour bit; What's with the obsession with the bean-poled look, with about 2% body fat? Granted, a women that's "five by five" doesn't light my fire, but some of these celeb chicks look like they were just sprung from Auschwitz, they're so bony. Christ, getting it on with them would be like rolling around in bed with with a duffel bag full of coat-hangers.
- Stupid prime time shows that generate a buzz with a life of their own, as if they were household words: Survivor, American Idol etc..........
- Overly dramatic weather coverage. It's gonna be hot in the summer, and cold in the winter. It might rain or snow like hell and cause problems...It might not and cause problems. It always did and it always will. Stop with the alarmist "storm of the century" bit, OK? The earth is 4 billion years old...recorded historical data, much less accurately measured data is but the tiniest sliver of that- no way in hell you're gonna extrapolate a trend from that.
- The obsession with with wealth and wall street. Another situation where a buzz or aura created gets a life of its own, which can negatively effect the real thing. Can't talk about holidays without hearing about the money end of it these days. An obsession with unsustainable growth in profits. Nothing's worth a damn anymore unless it's "upscale".
- Analyst opinion diarrhea. We can't get enough lists and stats. We never get to see a "batting average" of sorts detailing how good a soothsayer they are, yet, hungrily eat up every pronouncement as though we were hearing from the big G almighty himself.
ElectraBob From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 931 posts, RR: 4 Reply 14, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 1333 times:
I don't know if these are considered "reality TV" or not....but these makeover, or extreme makeover shows. I don't care if they are trying to make an ugly woman attractive, completely re-do a kids bedroom, change a person's garden and backyard, or gut and rebuild someone's house, I have no interest in these shows. I realize they are quite popular.
Speaking of ugly women.....I can't understand how some women (and men) are so desperate for love and affection that they plaster their pictures all over the internet. Just for fun, I have looked at photo's of women on some of these sites....I feel like I am looking at the humane society's web page. Bow Wow Wow!
Having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a swimming pool.....
CactusA319 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 2918 posts, RR: 28 Reply 15, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 1330 times:
I think you have to have a certain mindset to enjoy LOTR. Some people have it, some don't. It's not so simple as a like or dislike of the sci-fi/fantasy genre, either; I had no interest whatsoever in LOTR but find Harry Potter fascinating.
I agree. I just can't get into LOTR, but I have found the Harry Potter movies interesting. Same thing with the new Star Wars trilogy. Doesn't appeal to me at all. Then again I'm not big into Fantasy/adventure movies.
Derico From Argentina, joined Dec 1999, 4233 posts, RR: 13 Reply 16, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 1330 times:
Staged Wrestling, the 'Bling-bling' obsessed thugg-culture, cumbia music, and increasingly American football (which used to be an interesting sport but is more and more a freak show), are the things I could care less for.
There are many other things that don't interest me, but I can see their cultural value. I can't see much value on the above mentioned.
My internet was not shut down, the internet has shut me down
PROSA From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5440 posts, RR: 5 Reply 17, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1312 times:
Overly dramatic weather coverage. It's gonna be hot in the summer, and cold in the winter. It might rain or snow like hell and cause problems...It might not and cause problems. It always did and it always will. Stop with the alarmist "storm of the century" bit, OK? The earth is 4 billion years old...recorded historical data, much less accurately measured data is but the tiniest sliver of that- no way in hell you're gonna extrapolate a trend from that.
"Coming up on Eyewitness News at 11 .... a special team report from our Storm Center on the three inches of snow that paralyzed the tri-state region this afternoon ... we'll also have a report on today's outbreak of nuclear war in the Middle East."
"Let me think about it" = the coward's way of saying "no"
JBLUA320 From United States of America, joined May 2002, 3163 posts, RR: 20 Reply 18, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1303 times:
1. The Olympics
2. Sports
3. Bill Clinton
4. OJ Simpson
PROSA From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5440 posts, RR: 5 Reply 19, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1289 times:
Wine tasting and wine expertise. If I meet one more self-labeled wine expert, I'll vomit on his face.
What?? You mean you cannot detect the apple and cherry undertones, the hint of oak, the subtle aromatic nuances, and that faint vanilla aftertaste?? You Philistine!
"Let me think about it" = the coward's way of saying "no"
SWA TPA From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 1559 posts, RR: 43 Reply 20, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1283 times:
Hmmmm...lets see....
-Harry Potter
-Low Carb life
-Those ricer cars w/ the huge noisy exhaust pipe!!!!!!
-Political correctness. Stop being so darn touchy about every little thing. Waaaah!!!
-Low carb beer???? Gimme a break people!
-Small yappy dogs. If you want a dog, get a real dog, get a big dog
-People who dress their pets or tote them everywhere ie. Paris Hilton style.
-Emotional support pets People really cant handle life without an animal to get them thru normal day to day situations?!?!?
Yyz717 From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 15999 posts, RR: 59 Reply 21, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1280 times:
What?? You mean you cannot detect the apple and cherry undertones, the hint of oak, the subtle aromatic nuances, and that faint vanilla aftertaste?? You Philistine!
Chuckle. What a load of crap all that is. Just drink it.
Panam, TWA, Ansett, Eastern.......AC next? Might be good for Canada.
KYIPpilot From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 1383 posts, RR: 7 Reply 22, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1274 times:
Overly dramatic weather coverage. It's gonna be hot in the summer, and cold in the winter. It might rain or snow like hell and cause problems...It might not and cause problems. It always did and it always will. Stop with the alarmist "storm of the century" bit, OK? The earth is 4 billion years old...recorded historical data, much less accurately measured data is but the tiniest sliver of that- no way in hell you're gonna extrapolate a trend from that.
I live in Michigan, and every time the first significant snowfall of the year comes, the damn reporters come and say, "Oh now be carefull driving. Snowy and icy roads can be very slippery, so slow down and be carefull. watch for forstbite, etc."
No fuc*ing shit, sherlock. We have all driven in snow before just 8 months earlier. Maybe if we got snow once a year I could see it reporting like that but not here in MI.
"It starts when you're always afraid; You step out of line, the man come and take you away" -Buffalo Springfield
An-225 From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 3950 posts, RR: 44 Reply 23, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1271 times:
Thank you for a great thread.
I can't stand news coverage in this country, period. Fox gives Bush a virtual blowjob every time, while CNN focuses on celebrities and other bullshit. Which brings me to...
Celebrity worshipping. It's been covered enough over here. I hate it when people at work turn on the TV and there's a hype about when Jennifer Aniston is going to become a mom. I don't need to know that crap, and I don't care.
Sunday/Monday night football. While I don't mind watching a game or two, I hate the fact that those two days are nothing but football. Give me a break.
Also, I hate baseball, plain and simple. Don't even get me started on that.
Reality shows blow. Real World, The Apprentice, Survivor, etc... all the same bullshit. It's sad that more and more of them start popping up.
Come to think of it, there's nothing decent on TV anyway. I prefer reading books.
Overpaid celebrities/sports stars. You can cut their salaries in half, and they'll still be better off than about 95% of the population. Their contribution to society is minimal.
Popular magazines, media, today's music, MTV, VH1, E! that advertise bony chicks. A woman needs to have curves.
Miller Lite vs. Bud Light commercials. Both beers taste like piss, get an import!
Star Wars, Star Trek, LOTR, Harry Potter, Spiderman 1 and 2 could be described best by an untranslatable Russian word - poeben'.
Miracle on Ice. It was a good game. Americans deserved to win. It happened 24 years ago, so you might as well move on.
The style of today's cars, especially Honda Element. God damn, that thing is ugly.
I'll add some more.
Money does not bring you happiness. But it's better to cry in your own private limo than on a cold bus stop.
EA CO AS From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 12595 posts, RR: 64 Reply 24, posted (8 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 1234 times:
Here's my list:
Tattoos
- I'm sorry, but I don't want to have explain to my kid when I'm 40 that "the design on mommy's lower back was from when she was drunk, stupid, and wanted to be part of the 'in' crowd."
Boy Bands
- Why is it everywhere I go I see magazines with 5 pretty boys staring back at me from the cover? Stop.
Celebrity Feuds
- Who honestly thinks I give a rat's ass about what Britney did to Christina or what Lindsay Lohan did to Hilary Duff?
Celebrity Couples
- Oooh! It's Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz! Oooh! It's Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore! Oooh! It's another has-been and a never-was! They change partners quicker than square dancers do, so who cares?
Ghetto Yodeling
- Or "Urban Yodeling," if you will - you know what it is..that Mariah Carey-esque thing most African-American singers do by changing their pitch 10 times in three seconds when singing JUST ONE WORD like "Yeah" or whatever. Unnecessary and over-used.
"I Love the (Insert Decade Here)"
- Y'know, VH-1 had something good on their hands with the 80s....and then proceeded to run it into the ground.
Roxy
- Quiksilver clothing's "female empowerment" clothing for teens and young women. Looks fine, but the whole "I'm a ROXY girl!" thing with the stickers in your back window? C'mon now.
Abercrombie and Fitch
- the clothes only fit if you're between 5'9'' and 6'4'' and weigh 125-170lbs, with the weights proportionate to those heights. Otherwise don't bother - I think they'll even turn you away at the door of the shops.
Old Navy commercials
- nothing gets me saying "Let's put in a DVD" faster than those glittering pieces of shit
Hollister
- See "Abercrombie and Fitch" above
Von Dutch
- Let me see if I've got this straight - adding a stylized emblem of eight letters suddenly makes this t-shirt go from $10 to $75 ?
Flavored alcohol
- does EVERYTHING have to be mandarin, raspberry and coconut flavored? You don't see Johnnie Walker wheeling out Raspberry Scotch, do you?
Low-Carb ANYTHING
- The best T-shirt I've seen lately? "I EAT CARBS." Besides, all the good low-fat stuff is being pulled in favor of the low-carb shit of the week. We're being assimilated!
Flashy-things on cell phones
- Do you REALLY need a blue strobe light announcing to everyone, "HEY, LOOK AT ME! I'M ON A CELL PHONE!" ?
Poor grammar
- phrases like "Where you at?" and "Lemme axe you something," just make you sound like a poorly-educated person. Don't emulate people who talk in such a manner.
Poor spelling/over-use of spell-checkers
- People should know how to spell, and over-reliance on spell-checking applications results in things like a sports columnist for The Arizona Republic writing "At lease the U.S. Olympic Team was able..." instead of LEAST.
Apple iPods
- You have to download the songs you want without getting sued by the RIAA, upload them, buy devices to make it compatible to your car, etc. It just looks like a big headache to me.
Red Bull
- It tastes like shit (yes, even mixed with vodka) and makes you fat. Yeah, sign ME right up!
Flavored Gatorade
- Gatorade should have ONE flavor, the original lemon/lime concoction that University of Florida researchers came up with. "Arctic Blast" doesn't tell me what something tastes like, pal! I've never been to the Arctic Circle with my mouth open to ingest the wind.
Two-Way Radios
- don't get me wrong, they're great when hiking or camping...but just TRY using them at the beach, a theme park, or anywhere else where 10,000 other people had the same idea you did! Worthless.
jetBlue
- Oooh! TVs in every seat! So sleeping on night flights must be like trying to sleep in Best Buy's video department. Fun - NOT.
[Edited 2004-08-17 00:22:52]
"In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem - government IS the problem." - Ronald Reagan
25 DfwRevolution: The I-Pod. Just don't understand it. I can't listen to half a gig of music in a single sitting, and I'd much rather use a device that can be used for
26 SWA TPA: EA CO AS- OMG! I think I love you! I agree with every one of your annoying cultural things list! LOL, today I saw several of those stupid ROXY sticke
27 747buff: The only time I watch television regularly is during the NFL season. I could care less about all the reality shows and other crap on TV these days. Po
28 767Lover: EA CO AS I totally agree about all the flavors of Gatorade...and I thought I was the only one! Things I can't stand (I know that technically some of t
29 MD11LuxuryLinr: Sports in general. I used to be a gigantic baseball and football fanatic but as I got older, they became almost nothing to me. I have absolutely no in
30 PROSA: Strip clubs. Done it once and was unimpressed. I have better things to do with a wad of one dollar bills.. You might've been a lot more impressed with
31 Aa757first: -Sports. I hate playing them and I hate watching them. -Abnormal haircolors. I shouldn't be able to pop a balloon with your seven inch spikes. -Abnorm
32 TYSGoVols: Britney Spears not sure why but hey I like my women natural not plastic. < Garen and the cheap shots roll on
33 767Lover: I thought of another... I HATE those cropped pants that have become so popular with women. They are about the least-flattering things a woman can wear
34 N6376m: I too am a Gatorade purist. Green or Orange and that's it. Which leads me to another pet peeve now that my daughter is starting to play in quasi-organ
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From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
Aaahhh that's better.
From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 15999 posts, 
Look, our ancestors did not get to the top of the food chain by sprinkling Spicy Thai Sauce on everything. Eat red meat and exercise -- you'll be as healthy as a horse. 
From Germany, joined Jul 2001, 20901 posts, 
From Argentina, joined Dec 1999, 4233 posts, 
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