I don't know, maybe I suck at life, but I just don't understand people who get so excited over certain things. This is in reference to the Twilight movie that just came out. I just don't understand people who get so excited to see a movie, or read a book, or play a game, that they have to stay up until midnight to do it.
First off, I want to state that I have never and will never read the Twilight books (or see the movies). I know a little bit about them, from talking to a few people who have read them, and they just don't seem to be for me. Sparkling vampires, to me, are lame. Vampires that don't drink human blood, and have no fangs anyway, are super lame. These things probably aren't central to the plot or anything (maybe?), but you throw in the fact that it's basically a romance novel with vampires, and I have no interest in reading/seeing it.
Now, I'm not some sort of a snob who turns his nose up to a book/movie just because it's popular. I've read/seen all the Harry Potter books/movies and I enjoyed them all. Sure, they aren't the best books/movies I've read/seen, but I enjoyed them nonetheless. I've just never been so excited about them that I would even consider staying up until midnight just to be one of the first to read/see the latest book/movie.
When it comes to games, something I spend most of my time doing, I don't even get that excited. I'm not a big gamer by any stretch of the imagination, but I do play a game called World of Warcraft. Some people who are big gamers may view me, as a World of Warcraft player, the same way I view the Twilight fans (i.e. lame). However, the two reasons I play are a) it kills a lot of time and b) it's relatively cheap. I can't afford to do much else right now, and at only 15 dollars a month, I get a lot of bang for my buck. Anyway, on to my point.
Last November, Blizzard (the company that makes WoW) came out with an expansion for the game. There was a midnight release around where I live, and for the briefest of seconds, I thought about going. I thought to myself though, "Why do it? It won't kill me to wait until the morning." At that point, I decided to wait until the morning and I was right. It didn't kill me to wait.
So, my first question is the question I asked myself. Why do it? Why go to the midnight release of something? Do you go to prove to everybody how big of a fan you are? Do you go because you want to be all hip and trendy? Do you go so that you can tell everybody that you went? Do you go to just pass the time, out of sheer boredom? Do you go just because it's something to do?
My second question is from the opening thought of this post. Why do people get so excited over certain things? And this doesn't just apply to movies, books and video games. Some people get really excited to see a band/concert (I have never went to see a band before and I have no desire to go to a concert). Some people get super excited to meet a celebrity/sports star (I guess it would be cool to meet my favorite celebrity/sports star, but I would never send them fan mail or actively seek them out). Some people get excited to go to a sporting event (I've went to sporting events before, but I don't even cheer or scream when something good happens for my team).
I don't know, maybe I'm not normal, maybe I'm not human. Maybe I'm doing it wrong. And I've always been like this, for as long as I can remember. Anyways, I know that these questions will go unanswered, seeing as how no one reads this. They are pretty much rhetorical questions anyway, so there. Five Internets go to anyone who answering them though.
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I don't think that you're strange by any means in this regard, but I also admit to being someone who's done the midnight thing for a few movies (and for the last Harry Potter book), and enjoys live music and sporting events (but don't go often enough to either). I think those two categories are somewhat different, and I think the reasons for them are also somewhat different, though perhaps overlapping.
ReplyDeleteFor movies/books/videogames/other types of non-live entertainment, the common factor is probably that people get to interact with other fans who feel strongly about the same things they do. Most of the things you refer to are pretty solitary activities (although I suppose online games aren't, but I don't play those and so can't speak to how that works, really), so people probably appreciate the energy at a midnight showing/release. Can it be over the top? Definitely. But it's also pretty fun.
Live music/sports can (and should) be a totally different experience from listening to recorded music or sporting events on television. There's also that social aspect, certainly (though crazy fans can be annoying), but you notice so much more watching a sport like hockey live than you can over the television (although when you have Ken and Mick breaking it down for you, it kind of evens out). And man, you should definitely see a band you like live. There's no substitute.
-Keith
Is this the great Keith Fudge? If so, I'm honored that you read this!
ReplyDeleteYou've hit the nail right on the head though, it's the social dynamics of it all. I didn't really consider that aspect of it, but you're absolutely right. I can understand that it would be really fun to go do/see something with someone you really like, and people who are like-minded.
In regards to sporting events, hockey is the only one I like more live. I enjoy football and baseball a lot more on television. I can't say much about basketball because I'm not a big fan, but I think it would probably be better live too, especially if you had courtside seats.
And the problem with me, in regards to music, is that I don't like very many of today's artists. I can't even think of a band that I like enough to go see live in concert. I prefer music from the 60s, 70s, 80s and early 90s, so I guess if I had a time machine....
Anyways, thanks for your comment!
Oh yes. The "great" Keith Fudge indeed.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about music--most of my favorite bands/musicians are either dead or well past their prime music-making years. But I have really loved seeing bands I like live.
Hope that you're doing well. Are you still following the Wings as much as you used to? I try to catch as many games as I can, but it can be hard now that I live in DC. But I still keep up with them on the internet as much as ever, although this season's been a bit depressing...
I'm doing alright, thanks for asking. How have you been doing?
ReplyDeleteI must admit, ever since the lockout, I haven't followed the Wings as much as I used to. Not because of the lockout or anything, I've just become a bigger football and baseball fan for some reason. I still look up the scores and standings a few times a week though, but I don't watch every single games anymore.
Anyways, it was nice talking to you again. Feel free to message me on here or my Facebook anytime.