snarks on a plane

[substitute]

Five years of a blog that runs about 70% snark and grump, maybe more. I complain too much on the Internet, and it's bad for my writing. Occasionally I catch myself and write a happy piece about kittens or Chinese dumplings or a really stellar masturbation session. But a gloomy Andy Rooney/James Lileks atmosphere threatens. It's a flaw, and I'm surprised that's not pointed out more.

Most of the time, though, my small and friendly readership either agrees, suggests a different yet sympathetic angle, or clears the buffer and moves on. I don't get a lot of "oh hell no" or "you bastard, you pissed on my dream" reactions.

And then there was that time I dissed the Snakes on a Plane astroturf ad campaign, and found out there are still people who care enough to stand up for Jesus calculated viral marketing!

Comments

[nebris.livejournal.com]

There's a lot of bogus feel good 'empowerment' around SoaP. "Hey, Teh Intarnetz told Hollywood what we want!!" And you peed on the parade. Such is life, eh, my man. ;P

~M~

[threepunchstuff.livejournal.com]

I don't think this flaw is evident in your writing significantly more often than anyone else I read. And I read a lot of people.

The snakes thing, I understand why it's posed such a problem in so many venues of discussion. Even when the commentator is careful to be nuanced and civil, no one wants to think they're foolish for being momentarily amused by something fleeting, that they've been had and the joke's on them, that their passing amusement is a tacit endorsement of certain manipulative and immoral social forces. Even if it's true.

A possible solution is to conclude such posts with "...I'll probably end up seeing it anyway, though." Then the joke is on all of us together!

[fimmtiu.livejournal.com]

I don't think that complaining, per se, is the objectionable part; I think it's the tone. I, for one, saw it on opening night and had a fun time. I did not enjoy it with "a detached sense of superiority", nor do I think that I am a perpetual 12-year-old gleefully shilling for my corporate masters in a hip, post-modern, ironic fashion. We've known each other a long time; would you really describe me that way? That's the kind of implication that'll get 30+ posts on a thread.

Hey, Isn't Anyone Going to Encourage His Self Destruction?

[gutbloom.livejournal.com]

Last time I checked this was America and in America you have a right to complain about anything you want to complain about. That's right. I know it doesn't make you happy and you'd rather not, but that vitriol makes for good blog reading. I dig the snark, man. The more you do the less I have to, and I have the exact same monster lurking beneath my skin.

I feel superior because I read your journal.

The tone is fine. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a copy editor or something.

[yoscott.livejournal.com]

Snark is Snark is Snark, unless its THAT kind of snark.

I think your commentary on society is usually spot on, but as you posted in another message, you have been taking some anger buildup and kind of using Snark as a way to expunge that anger out of your body. By posting that anger-riddled snark into a place where dozens of people read, you are bound to get people who are also having "off days" too. The people of the Internet, having the luxury of not having to look other people in the eye forget to bite their tongue when exposed to this. So I'm not surprised in the least that there was a mixed response. I think the response is magnified due to the meaninglessness of the subject at hand (Snakes on a Plane.) Had the snarkiness been about Bush or the War in the Middle East or something, I doubt there'd have been much of a response.

Either way, like I said, I usually think you're spot on with your snarkiness, I just hope that it isn't creating fuel to your anger fire. I hope you can let it out, let it go, and move forward.

If nothing else, at least you aren't trying to market your anger/snark ala those stupid fucks at Gawker that think they are journalists.

[kynn.livejournal.com]

I think it's hilarious that anyone disagreed with you, when you are so very clearly right.

[vanmojo.livejournal.com]

You know, in this day and age, cold, merciless ridicule may be the only weapon we have left against the forces that are trying to crush the last vestiges of humanity out of us...

Personally, I believe it was our ability to do this that allowed us to survive high school.

I say it's time to leave the impression that with very little provocation you will vaporize every impure thing that crosses your field of vision with the outrageous power of your contempt... leave the safety off.

But that's just me...

mojo sends

[dr-strych9.livejournal.com]

The good news is that one of my aspiring screenwriter/director has cast me and drieuxster in a short film she's planning to take to some festival or another (she's got a track record of success in that regard). It's a "wry commentary" on the nature of viral marketing. No mention of SoaP in the dialogue, but it has it does have its moments.

Anyway, your post reminds me that I'm doing my part to mock the vapid and facile viral marketing posers, and I should absolutely start engaging in a viral self-promotion campaign to market the product.

"Hello, my name is LEGION," indeed.

[tuliphead.livejournal.com]

well... i read your post. i also went to a midnight showing that for $25pp included a full open bar, a private screen in a plush theater, and lots of rowdy, happy people in costumes with plastic snakes and toy planes all over the place. and yeah, the movie sucked, and i had a fantastic time.

i understand that you weren't addressing me in your anti-soap post. i saw that you were speaking to the months-obsessed endless-posting soap fanatics. but i have to agree here that the tone of it was rather more sweeping; personally it set off my "i don't like this because i'm above it" attitude alarm.

i usually agree with you; i think you reason things out well, you're well spoken and you are familiar with what you discuss. i think you are right in saying that the tone of the post was probably brewed with your mood of late. but yeah, it was snarky... even if in point it was right.

s'ok, though; i know what you meant. :)