Joss and I agree
POSTED BY: Niki2
UPDATED: Sunday, July 9, 2023 08:01
VIEWED: 3503
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I put this up in "General" 'cuz it's Firefly/Joss-related, but I can't help sharing it here, 'cuz it's WORLD-related, too, in my opinion.
I bought a rare copy of Entertainment Weekly 'cuz it had Joss on the cover and an interview with him. And here is something he said which blew me away:
"I think the world is largely awful and getting worse, and eventually the human race will die out. And it'll be our own fault. I think that's absolutely the case. I think we're actually becoming stupider and more petty. I think we have one shot--and that's education, and that's being defunded along with all the social services. What's going on in this country, and many countries, is beyond depressing. It's terrifying. Sometimes I have to remember who I'm talking to. I'll say something about climate change, how terrible things are, and meaningless, and the world is headed toward destruction and war and apocalypse. And at one point my daughter goes "Hey! I'm 8!" She doesn't want to hear that stuff. But I can't believe anybody thinks we're actually going to make it before we destroy the planet. I honestly think it's inevitable. I have no hope."
While, unlike Joss, I haven't completely given up HOPE--I believe in hope, because nobody can KNOW--his words express precisely how I feel. Especially the part about education and social services, which, I feel fairly sure, along with his remarks about climate change, don't sit well with our resident righties, but once again show how Joss sees REALITLY quite easily.
If it's still on the newsstands, get it; the interview is impressive...JOSS is impressive. Even my Jim, who NEVER reads such magazines, returned it to me with a shake of his head, expressing what a great interview it was and how intelligent Whedon is. I certainly concur.
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I agree with Joss, but with some caveats.
We're not going to destroy the planet. 9_9 The planet is four billion years old and managed to outlast having a good fifth or so of the crust ejected from the surface by an asteroid impact to form the moon. There are also various limitations for Earth in regards to extreme events like a Venusuvian runaway greenhouse effect or Marsian atmosphere loss. So whatever happens with the climate will probably over a very long period of time eventually reach an equilibrium - though likely without any of us or existing animal species as we know them still around.
We PROBABLY will destroy ourselves. It might be by climate change, but it's a good bet it'll be via something even dumber. 100 years is a pretty long time for a civilization after all, and look at all the lovely chemical and biological weapons our idiot scientists are working on. And that's without a possible Artificial Intelligence war or nanotechnology doomsday.
You're an existential cynic, Joss. Remember existentialism? Life sucks and we're all going to die anyway? The means by which we die are actually not all that important.
*shrug*
I have some ideas about solutions as well, but this world is pretty much bullshit and he's right on the money there.
Speaking of, for the lols, maybe we should form a betting pool about what will be the downfall of humanity/civilization. Of course none of us will be able to collect, but even the Romans knew that in the end times you might as well keep people entertained.
We should gather some ideas and make a rudimentary effort at presenting the odds.
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http://www.esquire.com/blogs/news/apocalypse-now-with-dan-martin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risks_to_civilization,_humans,_and_planet
_Earth
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I feel sorry for any 8 year old who has to hear the doom and gloom of climate change when in fact, there's nothing to worry about. That is, nothing to worry about more than the realities of living in a hostile world in a hostile universe, which often has periods of calm and tranquility.
Joss admitting he has no hope is a bit discouraging, though it does explain a lot. That seems to be the underlying theme of all his movies and stories.
Fight the good fight, even against all odds, and even when things look their darkest, if you keep on fighting, there's always a chance.
Until you realize all is lost, and you're doomed.
Seriously. His stories are like that, almost always. The hero is basically dead, or does die, and ( for effect only ) comes back to life, or makes a herculean effort to fight their way back.
And then everyone dies.
The end.
Well, that WILL be the ultimate story of this planet, and our universe, there's a whole lot more to the story to be told.
Joss reminds me a bit of Denethor, from Lord of the Rings. Yes, there is doom and gloom, if you look through the Palantir and see only the bad parts. But you have to pull back, and look at the greater whole.
As bad and brutal as the ugly gets, it all doesn't suck. 
Really, Joss. It doesn't !
Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen
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" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall
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As bad and brutal as the ugly gets, it all doesn't suck.
...Pretty sure that's the definition of sucking. Bad, brutal, and ugly. Happening to someone. Every second. Multiple times per second to multiple different people. An incomprehensible endless scream into the universe of pain and suffering dwindling to nothing, over and over and over, 7 billion voices vying for their agony to be heard.
The rest of the time it's disgusting procreative rituals that lead to fleeting moments of heightened brain-chemical induced delusion, but which never drown out the one final truth - you will all die someday. Forever. Extinguished into the vast void of a universe that does not care.
Enjoy!
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Originally posted by BYTEMITE:Quote:
As bad and brutal as the ugly gets, it all doesn't suck.
...Pretty sure that's the definition of sucking. Bad, brutal, and ugly. Happening to someone. Every second. Multiple times per second to multiple different people. An incomprehensible scream into the universe of pain and suffering dwindling to nothing.
The rest of the time it's disgusting procreative rituals that lead to fleeting moments of heightened brain-chemical delusions, but which never drown out the one final truth - you will all die.
Enjoy!
The point being, which some how you missed, is that even though there's ugly somewhere in the world, it's not every where, all the time.
But hey, for those who want to play the King of Pain, go for it.
Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen
Resident USA Freedom Fundie
" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall
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The point being, which some how you missed, is that even though there's ugly somewhere in the world, it's not every where, all the time.
:(
Yes it is.
Even the things you consider "good" actually hurt. That is where the term "bittersweet" comes from. The more good it is, the more it hurts. The more bad it is, the more it hurts. The more bland it is, the more it hurts. Hurts. Neverending. Hurts hurts hurts hurts hurts.
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Thinking of you, Byte -
Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen
Resident USA Freedom Fundie
" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall
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I don't think Joss said anything about it "all" sucking. He says a lot more in that interview, maybe Rap should read the whole thing before "judging" everything about the man from one statement. Or not, that might be too much for him.
And oh, yeah: "His stories are like that, almost always. The hero is basically dead, or does die, and ( for effect only ) comes back to life, or makes a herculean effort to fight their way back.
And then everyone dies.
The end."
Buffy. Firefly/Serenity. Avengers. Yeah, that's what they're all like, everybody died. You betcha.
And Byte, we know how you feel about the world, but that doesn't make it "so". Not for anyone else. I get more joy out of every day than I think anyone deserves, and we ain't got much, we're old and physically screwed up. If one looks for it, there's joy all around, and laughter to be had without even asking for it. I'd bet Joss would agree.
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Buffy. Firefly/Serenity. Avengers. Yeah, that's what they're all like, everybody died. You betcha.
Not to go all spoilery, but did you SEE Cabin in the Woods ?
Last episode of Buffy - Spike dies. Anya dies. Gee, anyone else ? Sunnydale is a giant hole in the ground.
Last episode of Angel - Sure, Spike has 'come back', but for how long ? Wesley dies. Gunn pretty much dies ( heading into a major battle, already bleeding out )
* Sorry, I don't follow the comic books, so what's on screen is what I'm left with
Wash and Shepherd Book both die in Serenity. .. Fanty and Mingo aren't shown dying, but we're to assume the worst. Mr Universe gets a sword put through him. How weird is that? Not major characters , but I still liked 'em.
Mal, Simon and Kaylee only lived because Joss was hoping for 1 more movie, at least. Inara is gonna die, and soon.
Dr. Horrible - Penny dies.
And I'm not even going to touch Dollhouse!
And those are just how those shows left OFF! I don't have time to rattle off the characters who had already died, through out the show!
screw it... here's a video
Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen
Resident USA Freedom Fundie
" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall
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