Well, I can’t speak for neutron, but my answer to all of those would be “no” (with the exception of the first [“is there anything you like?”] and last questions - not waiting in line for hours or spending exorbitant amounts of cash for an event hardly renders “the entirety of media nothing but a quintessence of dust”). Sure, when I was in my teens and early 20s I might have gone to those lengths, but now I realize it’s not that big a deal - if a movie/album/book/whatever’s released, that means it’s going to be available for some length of time, so why should I want to be surrounded by hyped-up jackasses in order to get it the very first second it’s out? Its quality will not change if I decide to wait until the furor’s died down. As far as concerts go, IMHO, there’s never been a show that’s been worth $100 or more that I’ve been to, and I’ve been to plenty. I can easily live a happy life without seeing a band live, even if it’s my all-time favorite.
Funny that you should mention that, since barely more than 24 hours ago I posted the following in this CS thread:
Still, even if I got to go back in time and do that, I seriously doubt that I’d dress in spandex and put on a fake Freddie Mercury mustache for the show.
And I have driven three (well, four, actually) hours each way to see a Rush concert before, but I didn’t alter my face and hair to look as hideous as Geddy Lee. 
I’m still going with my first instinct here to give all you nerds wedgies and noogies. Clearly nothing else will work.
Just because I’m a nerd doesn’t mean I can’t kick some ass.
I’m a nerd, but I’m a nerd that bites. Not in a nice way, either.
If you do, we will perform a panty raid on your girlfriends’ sorority and install hidden video cameras, followed by putting liquid heat in your jockstraps.
Which is all very fine and good, but I don’t understand the problem some folks have with people who DO enjoy that sort of thing. Those hyped up jackasses are, to look at them another way, genuinely excited about whatever they’re dealing with. Do you consider that wrong? You might consider it childish, and that’s your right, just as it’s their right to consider it fun and enjoyable.
Why buy a book? It’ll arrive in the library eventually and you can check it out.
Why see a movie? In a few years it’ll end up on Fox or CBS or whatever; you don’t even have to get more than basic cable.
Why would you want to meet an author? It won’t make their next book any more interesting and they aren’t going to become your best friend.
Why meet new people? They aren’t likely to be any more interesting than the ones you already know.
When I went to the opening party, I got to chat with kids about something we were both interested in and excited about. I got to meet their parents and other grownups who shared my interests. I even saw a few old friends I hadn’t seen in years – their daughter had been eight when we lost touch; she’s fifteen now and was delighted and amazed to see the green and grey striped scarf I knitted for a trip up to Canada. I stood in line and met a few new people and chatted with them about all sorts of things that had nothing to do with Harry Potter. Some of them, yes, seemed like the sort of people who ought to get out in the fresh air more often and meet some women/men/whatever. I’m glad they got out of their rooms and met more people in person who shared their interests, though. Perhaps they’ll talk to those people next week, share coffee, get out of the house a bit more often. Perhaps it’s good for big ol’ dweebs to have their own lives outside their homes.
Here. I was never a big football fan, but I was bored the evening of the Rose Bowl and ambled over to my local theater – they were playing the game for free, though you had to buy beer and wings and whatever else. I thought it would be an entertaining lark on a boring night; besides, my alma mater was playing, and while I’d never been to a game of theirs and wouldn’t linger more than five minutes if I was flipping channels on TV, I went in.
First downs were celebrated like touchdowns. Touchdowns were celebrated like wins. I was not a football fan going in and I’m not more of one having left, but I acted a complete fool in there – I jumped around and waved my arms and when UT finally (spoiler!) won the game, I yelled and shouted and cheered and hugged everyone in sight and they all hugged back. The energy in that room was amazing…
…and not one of us was playing in that game, and not one of us was actually THERE. We were in a theater in north Austin and most of us probably didn’t even know anyone who was out there. We acted like complete ninnies without a shred of dignity over a game that affected our lives not at all. It was thoroughly unimportant.
neut, I’d have only known this if I stalked your posts 
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But you’d not go dressed as Freddie Mercury, and that’s fine. Is it, then, the scarves and pleated skirts with a graduation robe thrown over them that trouble you? It is, yes, dress-up. Like we all did when we were kids, draping a towel over our shoulders to play Superman. It’s goofy and silly and you could even call it childish.
So?
I think most, if not all, of the people who dress up for these things (little kids more or less excluded) REALIZE THEY LOOK SILLY TO YOU. Also, THEY DON’T CARE.
If suddenly all of Queen were back together (and alive, we need no zombie Freddie), and I’d be right there beside you at that performance. I’d sell my car to be there) and there was some huge crazy fan in the crowd dressed up like the guys on stage, the sort of guy who will in the fullness of time buy every album and paint his walls to look like album covers, well, I’d think he was a bit silly. But I’d also say to myself “That guy looks like he’s having a hell of a lot of fun. Go him!” I wouldn’t pants him and shove him around and tell him “YOU KNOW FREDDIE’S GOING TO DIE, RIGHT? RIGHT?!”
You agree that would be rather shitty of me; you’ve said it above.
Admittedly we’ve stretched a metaphor to goatse proportions, but you see what I’m driving at. I don’t really think I’m going to convince you of anything, mind, but I kind of enjoy arguing sometimes…
Look, it’s fine with me if they’re genuinely excited. Thing is, whenever I’ve been any kind of crowd where people are “excited”, they end up being obnoxious and annoying the living fuck out of me. Dressing up is fine - it’s all the yelling and lack of respect for others that I object to.
I didn’t say I don’t buy books - I said I don’t need to have everything right when it comes out. I’ll wait for paperback for any book, unless I’ve got some credit at the local used book store and can’t find anything else. Besides, I don’t know what the library’s like where you are, but mine hardly has every book in publication. Especially with the less popular stuff - not a lot of cult authors at my library.
Well, I much prefer waiting for stuff to come out on Netflix - the high prices to see movies in theaters, as well as the same level of obnoxiousness as I mentioned earlier, are enough to keep me from going. Occasionally I’ll make the trip, but I almost always end up regretting it. And they sure as hell don’t show a lot of independent movies on basic cable, no matter how long you wait.
I guess it would be nice to meet an author if you could actually have a real conversation with him, but to stand in line to get an autograph? Don’t need it. I did meet one of my musical heroes, but we had a real (hour-long) conversation, so it was worthwhile to me. As far as meeting new people, you can never know enough interesting people. But I don’t assume that since I’m at a concert that I share a deep bond with everyone around me just because we happen to enjoy the same music. So far, I haven’t had any trouble meeting people without trying to force a relationship because of some superficial common interest.
They can dress up as Gandalf or Luke Skywalker or Harry Potter all they want in the privacy of their own homes; when they do it out in public it’s sad, irritating, and childish.
Not likely, our library’s book selection is a bit average, to say the least. Besides, then you have to give the book back, so you can’t read it again later.
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I don’t have cable, and seeing a movie on a 40ft screen is an entirely different kettle of fish to watching it on a 51cm CRT.
I wouldn’t, and don’t understand why people want to queue up for ages to get a signature on their book from the author.
This is true- I’m not a huge fan of meeting new people for the most part, unless they’re friends of people I already know, FWIW.
How is doing something that you enjoy that doesn’t impinge on other people’s life any of the above?
At this point, I’m surprised half of you can make it through the day considering how other people’s pursuits ruin your lives.
This board is depressing.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so depressing if you didn’t exaggerate quite as much. Don’t recall anybody claiming their lives were ruined by HP fans.
You mean it’s really not at all important to those who are complaining? Because based on this thread, it sure seems to matter to some of you.
Well, this is where people bitch and vent about shit that annoys them. I doubt it actually ruins anybody’s day; it’s like 90% of the stuff in the Pit - ranting at minor occurrences, ratcheted up a notch so as not to comee off as too lame or weak.
Well, “sad” and “irritating” are surely subjective and/or debatable, but when adults are dressing up as characters from a children’s book, “childish” seems to be the very definition.
And thus it comes off as petty and hysterical AND lame and weak. It’s a four-fer!
I propose that instead of hamsters, the SDMB should be powered by petty, hysterical, lame, weak rants. There’s enough of them to go around lately.
Eh, everybody’s petty about something. Planes don’t have to fly into buildings for people to get upset/annoyed. I’m sure you could dig up posts to prove every single person who’s ever posted in the Pit has been seemingly hysterical over lame and weak shit if you wanted. The people on both sides who are taking all this so personally come off looking lame in this instance, IMHO.
It’s OK. They’ll get over it.
Oh yeah? Well I’m sitting on the fence and I’m still taking it personally, so there.
[sub]Er, wait a minute…[/sub]