Today, I was telling my sister about how the internet is so full of useless stuff to waste our time with. Yet, people busy themselves reading stuff that has no merit, that does nothing but enter their eyes and heads for a moment then off they go to the next useless site. They collect information, facts, and opinions, but gather no knowledge or wisdom.
Now, I spend a lot of time in front of my computer because one of my jobs is teaching online. Because I teach courses on contemporary culture, students post links to websites to help explain or give examples of media culture and social media.
So, recently, I entered FMyLife. At this site people send in horrible things that have happened to them that other people will find funny. (It's a requirement of your post getting accepted--it has to be humorous. The other requirements are that you have to start with the word "Today" and end with "FML"). Doesn't this sound so .... entertaining? Reading snippet statements of the bad, hurtful and stupid things that happen to people?
Now, since I have been teaching Chris Hedges' Empire of Illusion and also researching vampire culture for my upcoming class on literatures of the supernatural, this FMyLife post did make me laugh (it's one of the Top FMLs):
"Today, my girlfriend dumped me proclaiming she wanted someone more like her "Edward". I asked her who Edward was. She held up a copy her "Twilight" book. She was talking about a fictional vampire. FML" [my hyperlinks; his typo]
It seems fantasy is where many people prefer to live. Illusion is preferable to reality. It seems this guy's girlfriend is not the only one who always had a thing for vampires. There's even a meadow you can go to to find him. And who really knows how many Facebook, MySpace, bebo, Youtube or other fansites there are with members fantasizing over a fictional vampire? Many, many middle-aged women go gaga over Edward, credit Twilight for "making them feel like teenagers again" and "improving their sex life", and others like:
"Maruchy Lachance wants you to know that, at 46, she’s 'a fairly well-behaved individual' who has a great job and a loving husband and son.
She just also happens to have a thing for a fictional teenaged vampire."
10 comments:
I never could get into vampires and werewolves, even in my teens. Escapism of the weirdest kind.
Yes, there's a lot of useless time wasting stuff on the net. Maybe even my blog :-)
I used to enjoy the old Bela Lugosi vampire movies when I was young. Of course, they are all formulaic. There is a Peter Beagle novelette, "Lila the Werewolf" that I think is really great, but it might be too 60's for kids these days. It's odd how these vampire and werewolf pieces so closely reflect their contemporary culture.
I hate vampires and warewolves! But I know younger people are absolutely abducted by them. It's strange and sad how interested they are in ugliness and sordidness! No wonder they don't react to what REALLY is happening in the world... Hugs, M.
By the way, I'll be "disappeared" for a few weeks as I'm moving to a town near Barcelona. Hugs again, M.
I have not any magnifying mirrors at all so I cant't see any zombies or vampires.
hello all, sorry for my absence from the net; I was busy working and attending a conference. More on that later.
Vampires --yes, you either hate them or love them, I guess! It is escapism, romanticism, desire for the "bad guy"...
I will check out the Peter Beagle novelette as I will be looking at some old vampire stories, too. One of them has a very funny description of a vampire, as they were not quite so sexy looking in the old days. More like repulsive.
Today, however, sex sells, so the vamps must be young, beautiful men.
I think that the culture of fear that runs rampant in conservative times is at the heart of the popularity of vampire stories. So, I too believe the stories are an outcome of the historical times.
MP, enjoy your new home. Is it only for summer or for good?
Ari, watch out not to look in that mirror at midnight...especially if you have drunk some pontikkaa...
After good pontikka you'll see NOTHING !
By the way Leslie Nielsen is the best vampire I have ever seen, Klaus Kinski is number two !
Ari, about the first point: I know. Martti seta made me and Katja drink some pontikka way back when, when he was still alive.
About Nielsen and Kinski I don't know anything. What movies are these?
For good. I'm retiring and moving to mainland Spain. Hugs, M.
What an interesting post! I would agree that fantasy is preferable to reality (just check the news every day. yuck) I just can't see the object of my fantasy being a vampire, even if as good-looking as the man in your photo!
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