MetaChat - Have I Officially Become "Too Old For This Shit?"

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12 March 2011

Have I Officially Become "Too Old For This Shit?" →[More:]

Okay, recently there was a link on the blue about some dude playing Wham's Careless Whisper on the sax, all dressed in vinyl pants and what-all. He'd IE places like malls, college classes and do this Careless Whisper thing while cops came and tried to get him out.

Thing is, I don't care. I think it's played out, stupid even. If there's such a thing as a half-trick pony, this'd be it.

And forgive me, but I have no opinions on Sad Etsy Boyfriends. Hipsters in DIY Toques - I get it. I just don't know why it's on offer.

I feel like I've hit a kind of escape velocity with irony or something. And this kind of stuff used to really inspire me.

Should I just hide behind the newspaper and scowl at Alla You Kids for the next four decades?

post by: Lipstick Thespian at: 18:37 | 35 comments

Sometimes I feel waterlogged with stuff like that. Whenever I feel that way, I step back from it. Then I either relax, move through it and come back, or I forget about the stuff altogether. Either way, it works.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 12 March | 18:41

you're trying too hard to self reflect and categorize I think. Something someone else finds funny or interesting isn't moving you. No need to feel a gawkerish urge to snap at it and/or an internal urge to decide you're beyond it. It's there. You're not feeling it. Life goes on. :)

posted by Firas 12 March | 18:53

Nope, I'm with you. It's never been of particular interest, but of late it's made more acutely averse to the blue. I could not possibly care less.

posted by tortillathehun 12 March | 19:02

Yeah, see - Tortillathehun is hitting closer. I stepped away from here and Metafilter for a good long time just because life took me away for a zillion reasons, so recently I'm checking back in and the waves of hurfdurf seem larger somehow.

I read the posts on the blue (not all, mind) and I'm thinking "okay there's the one with the Starcraft trailer done My Little Pony stylee - zzzzzzzzzzzzzz."

It's like everything referential is driving me up the wall. And I've never had this feeling about pop culture stuff before.

Anyway, yah, what Firas said too. (Hi Firas!)

posted by Lipstick Thespian 12 March | 19:10

Hey man. what's been up?

posted by Firas 12 March | 19:22

That's the feeling of needing fresh input.

posted by fleacircus 12 March | 19:54

I don't know if this improves your lot or not, but MeFi is no longer even close to being the best source for those links.

posted by Ardiril 12 March | 21:12

Whatever the best source is, I am glad that MeFi is not it.

posted by Miko 12 March | 21:26

has it become less explosively thread-closing-necessicatingly dangerous to talk about mefi these days?

posted by Firas 12 March | 21:29

I do get tired of the sort of mad-lib post of "someone ironically mashed up this pop-culture thing with this other unrelated pop-culture thing". Today it was Starcraft with My Little Pony, yesterday it was Inception remade as a victorian woodcut.

posted by octothorpe 12 March | 21:30

I actually popped onto MeFi the other night to look for the inevitable quake thread. First time I visited the site in at least 3 years I think. But it was politicsfilter that chased me off. The stupid videos and goofy browser games, those I actually miss. And yes I found this link very amusing. So if MeFi isn't the best source for this junk, what is? Send me there.

posted by weretable and the undead chairs 12 March | 22:24

I rather enjoyed both those threads you mentioned. OK, maybe only slightly amused. But the real winner was the one about what's in Spock's scanner. However, I'm thinking you probably shouldn't go there tonight.

posted by DarkForest 12 March | 22:39

The stupid videos and goofy browser games, those I actually miss. And yes I found this link very amusing. So if MeFi isn't the best source for this junk, what is? Send me there.

I get a lot of that at The Daily What.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 12 March | 22:43

Sometimes I try to remind myself that people on mefi differ in age from late teenager to their fifties. I think it's natural that tastes and interests differ with age. But you don't have to be a curmudgeon about it.
One difference is that when you're in your twenties finding a partner is a big part of your life. So being hip etc is important. When you're a bit older and have kids you're no longer in the thralls of that drive and that whole dynamic leaves you somewhat cold and you view it with detachment; what is that silliness all about?
That's ok. You can still notice it, realise it's not for you (anymore) and move on. Just like Firas says. Instead of being cranky and railing against it.
Personally I find that there are often threads on mefi that I don't agree with. I'm struck how hard it can be to just accept that other people have other tastes. Liking something is an attribute of you, not of the thing. But still people start arguments why the thing is 'bad' and people who like it are stupid. (aka 'your favourite band sucks').

posted by jouke 12 March | 23:04

I like Geekologie. He reads like a 35yo indulging his inner 12yo, but he snags all the best ones. Or, you could just choose 3 tumblrs at random.

posted by Ardiril 12 March | 23:30

Welcome to maturity.
Stop reading BoingBoing.
Beer?

posted by Thorzdad 13 March | 05:44

I love you people.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 13 March | 08:22

I frankly admire your restraint in not killing him.

posted by jonmc 13 March | 11:10

JONMC! This thread is now closed to comments while JonMC and I go down the pub and talk about how the world is going straight to goddam hell and what for with all this kiddie pool krap.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 13 March | 11:30

After you're too old for a while, you can enter your second childhood (if you remember the password.)

posted by Obscure Reference 13 March | 11:30

Nope. We're all done with that shit. It's just so profoundly ....00s, you know? So we sit around waiting for the new thing.

I'm thinking ponytails on guys.

posted by The Whelk 13 March | 11:49

Relevant

posted by The Whelk 13 March | 11:51

Also,*watches video* ...not a good joke. Played out. Copy of a copy. It apes the form of something funny but not the content. Thus the form has been used up and new content must be created.

Have we tried to revive the Western recently?

posted by The Whelk 13 March | 11:58

" people on mefi differ in age from late teenager to their fifties" how about 60's...
It did get tedious there, I finally left when the whole "old white guy" thing hit the fan a month or so ago. There are some good people, there's the possibility of interesting conversation, but it's hard to wade through some of the other stuff...

posted by HuronBob 13 March | 12:05

I'm sad that I can't really participate in the computer tech threads anymore since they've gotten as GRAR as the political threads.

posted by octothorpe 13 March | 12:29

HuronBob, old white guys are welcome here ;)

There are people in their 70s and 80s on Metafilter, and who knows, maybe 90s and beyond. I think Postroad may be 80 by now and there's a woman in her 80s whose name I can't recall.

has it become less explosively thread-closing-necessicatingly dangerous to talk about mefi these days?

Well, you know. It's a slippery slope. Considering that almost all of us are expats or current mefites and that half their admin are members in good standing here (and that I carve a fresh ice sculpture in Matt's likeness daily), I don't think it's good form to be too critical. You're free to disagree, of course.

I still believe that a good relationship with MetaFilter is important to MetaChat.

posted by iconomy 13 March | 12:36

The Onion is always topical.

I've never understood the appeal of the pop culture stuff like that video. I lack the gene, or something. I guess I should be glad that now I'm getting old enough that I'm not the only one in my cohort anymore.

But the sad etsy boyfriends were hilarious.

posted by enn 13 March | 12:39

iconomy, I have no problems with mefi, I'm just permanently mad that a thread where ethylene and I were talking harmlessly about having rejoined mefi and discovered new sections was summarily closed a couple months ago. I keep that fire kindling to avoid thinking about much more substantial upsetting things that have occurred in my life. lol

posted by Firas 13 March | 13:13

Oh, no worries, Firas, it was just a general comment. That's a good thing to dwell on if you don't want to think about larger issues ;P I'm a dweller too.

I thought sad etsy boyfriends was funny. But as someone who sells on etsy and makes a buttload of treasuries (those compiled photos of items you see when you go to etsy.com), I've seen so many better examples of sad boyfriend. I have a son who models some of my stuff there and he's pretty much totally perfected Sad Boyfriend although in his case it's Sad Son.

posted by iconomy 13 March | 14:26

I think it is both a feature and a bug of MetaFilter that there are so many people with specialized knowledge, obscure interests, and a shameless preoccupation with various types of trivia. I skip a tremendous number of threads these days because they don't interest me. And in anyplace on the blue, if you engage in an area you don't know much about, certain MeFis on the thread will verbally gobble you alive. On the other hand, I've learned a lot about bands, TV shows, games, foods, authors and art I never would have known about but for MetaFilter. I've also learned in areas where I am usually strong, like politics and history, sometimes in the most contentious threads.

I am always torn between feeling that MetaFilter is a giant time suck and an experience in discourtesy, and a wish that I could immerse myself more deeply and for longer periods.

None of this has much to do with age, though, I think. I think it has to do with hanging in a place where there is both a sense of community and of separateness, adjoining but not always getting along.

posted by bearwife 13 March | 15:22

I'm sorry you're still mad, Firas, and thanks for the reminder of the guidelines relating to the MeFi relationship, iconomy. Sorry I wasn't thinking about this earlier when I commented - I have been traveling and my head was elsewhere when I checked in briefly last night.

What we really want and need to avoid is allowing MetaChat to become the place you go to complain about MetaFilter. MetaFilter has its own place to complain about things there. We've all agreed not to let that happen, and appreciate your help.

As always, if anyone wants to discuss anything about the adminning/moderating here at MetaChat, present or past, please get in touch - emails in profiles.

posted by Miko 13 March | 17:52

MeFi: bands, TV shows, games, foods, authors and art.
MeCha: bands, TV shows, games, foods, authors and art.
One way or the other, we gotcha covered.

posted by Ardiril 13 March | 19:01

See what happens when I go off-line for a weekend? The admins start forgetting the rules ;-)

Clearly, I need to spend more time here. You know, just to make sure.

posted by dg 13 March | 22:04

Clearly.

You should come more often ;)

*eyebrow wiggle*

posted by iconomy 14 March | 08:54

Got it - more often, not as fast, right?

posted by dg 14 March | 23:31

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