Introduction of sorts

Let me state simply that my posts will mainly be concerned with us at play, what we do with our leisure. In particular I’ll be focusing on video games partly because I’ve had a lifelong love affair with them but mainly because they’ve become the most obvious example of political imbecility and shameful pandering.
But that’s another post entirely.
“So, what’s an entertainment poster doing on a social commentary blog?” you may ask yourself.
What better way to view a society than through their leisure actions? When meeting a new person our conversations always drift to common interests.
“What movies do you like?”
“What music do you listen to?”
and on some dates you might even use
“So, bondage or flasher porn?” (ed note: ANIME TENTACLE SEX!)
It stands to reason that if we gauge individuals by their interests, then what a society as a whole does for fun should give us some inkling as to what the collective mentality is like.
The romans, for example, would cheer and roar whilst enjoying a fine calm Sunday at the blood soaked arena watching those heathen Christians get fed to the lions.
During plague days Londoners would throw damn near a carnival while men were hanged.
In Texas they fry people for laughs on Saturday nights.
It is with a sad air then that I must inform you that one of the most popular sports in this country is NASCAR.
What was that? Did I hear the sound of a snap judgment?
When most people think of NASCAR fans they get images of hootin’ and hollerin’ good ‘ol boys with beer guts and whisky breath. And yeah, a good many of the fans do fit that description. But there are also many blue staters (maybe even some on this very site) who wholly enjoy stock cars and the oval beast.
It’s easy to see why. This country has had a love affair with automobiles for decades.
Just like it’s hard for people to dismiss their first impressions on individuals, it’s even harder to dismiss notions about whole societies. My point, I guess, is that we need to view things with an eye of doubtful reason, don’t just immediately play the party line. Look a little deeper and learn about the other side so that you’ll be better equipped to attack intelligently and cut deeper.