Fuck yeah!
Looks like my OP got eaten. Here it is again:
Yeah, the new movie is only about two weeks away, and it’s probably driving you batty that so many people are excited about it. It must truly frazzle your brainy self to have to endure all these idiotic losers talking about those idiotic movies that you are far too sophisticated to like. But what to do? How to stem the tide of these intellectual midgets who actually like Star Wars? I know, crap on them in every thread you can!
Yes sir, there’s nothing that shows you as the pinnacle of cool and cerebral like a good old-fashioned thread-shitting. Nothing looks more impressive than going into a thread discussing something about Star Wars and gleefully announcing how much you hate the movie, always hated it, or (for extra bonus Coll Points) have never seen it and don’t intend to. That’ll teach those nerds to like something you don’t!
And while you’re at it, be sure to make cutting remarks like “it’s just a movie” or “it’s a kid’s movie” or “the Force isn’t a deep concept.” I mean sure, nobody’s arguing otherwise, but there’s nothing wrong with staking out your side of the fence before the fence is even put up.
So three cheers to you, He Who Hates Star Wars! Hopefully your work will help all those poor deluded fans see the true light! Play your cards right and maybe they’ll come to you to approve all of the things they enjoy - soon we’ll be hanging on to your every directive. Should I like ‘The West Wing’? Is it okay to enjoy this book? Does this band pass your rigorous screening?
Hey, back off bunkie! I’m still cheesed off about the who mitoclorians/mitrochondria thing… Ohhh that really pissed me off.
Ripping on Star Wars is much like ripping on your own city’s major professional sports team. By analogy, a conversation I once had in college:
New Yorker: “The Phillies suck!”
Me: “Don’t you be talkin’ trash 'bout my team!”
NYer: “But I heard you ripping on them last week!”
Me: “Yeah, but they’re MY team!”
Star Wars works much in the same way. Those of us who obsess over George Lucas have legitimate reason to have a beef with Midichlorians or the Ewoks. Everyone else is just being mean. 
I love Star Wars, as much as anyone (saw SW 10 times in the summer of 1977, own the tapes, am waiting impatiently for Ep 2 and the DVD release of all the movies), but, c’mon, it’s only a movie. Heck, it’s not even good scinece fiction, just 1940s space opera straight from the pages of * Thrilling Wonder Stories* . The movies are a great deal of fun, but even the most hardcore fan has to admit that Lucas is a lousy writer with a tin ear for dialogue and that the movies are eye candy aimed very much at kids and adolescents. It’s not disloyal to admit that SW has flaws.
It’s OK to acknowledge that SW is no more than a 2-hour roller coaster ride . Roller coasters are fun!
Is anyone saying it’s not just a movie? In none of the threads that people have felt they must come in and declare their hatred for Star Wars is anyone saying “Yoda was like a brother to me.” or “The Force changed my life.” Maybe there are some kooks out there who do feel like this, but they’re kooks. In general, it’s been:
OP: Hey! I got my tickets for AOTC! Hooray!
Asshole: FUCK STAR WARS IT SUCKS READ SOME REAL SCIENCE FICTION INSTEAD OF YOUR KIDDY FILM FOR MORONS!
I mean, what the hell? Do you also go into the threads about the latest episode of Angel and say “FUCK ANGEL THAT SHOW BLOWS GOATS!” Probably not, because it’s seen as rude behavior. Yet for some reason, Star Wars seems to be fair game for people to come in and start declaring loudly how much George Lucas sucks and how bad the movies are. And then they all start high-fiving each other for being members of the Cool Club.
Yeah, it is just a movie. So why does it bug you so much if people like it?
You mean, all one of them that have been released? 
Huh? I love SW, but I’m not blind to its faults. I love Boone’s Farm, too, but I don’t pretend it’s champagne. It doesn’t bug me at all if people like SW: I like it, too!
SW isn’t science fiction; it’s heroic fantasy with space opera trappings. SW is the BBQ Hawaiian kettle-fried potato chips of cinematic junk food (which is very high praise 'cos kettle-fried chips are yummy!).
What is it with people purposefully misunderstanding what I write?
Yes, Phantom Menace has been released on DVD, but the first three have not. I am waiting for them to be released on DVD (which will be until 2006, after the theatrical release of Ep 3, at the earliest).
Sorry, gobear in my response to you I was still sort of halfway talking to the theoretical recipient of the original rant, who does seem bothered that others like the movie. That wasn’t very clear.
And while I’m here, let me point something else out that I haven’t made clear. I personally don’t give a fuck who does and doesn’t like Star Wars. Makes no difference to me. I’m not complaining about people not liking it. What I am complaining about is people who feel they have to declare their stance in any thread on Star Wars that happens to pop up. Because of circumstances, a lot of fans are exciting that the new movie is nearly here and have been posting threads about it. Some clown constantly has to wander in and earn his Cool Points by declaring how stupid the movies are. It’s not the opinion that bugs me but the blatant breach of SDMB etiquette. If you don’t like X, then don’t go in the thread about X and say so, unless the thread is specifically asking whether or not you like X.
This is a pet peeve of mine in general. It doesn’t just happen with Star Wars, either. Someone starts a thread to talk about how much they like, oh, let’s say Scooby Doo. And a few other people chime in with other positive comments, like, “Hey, remember that time when the ghost turned out to be the grumpy old man? I loved that episode!” And then someone drops in with, “I always thought Scooby Doo was really stupid. Why does anyone even like this crap?” And then they never come back! Or worse, they try to defend their POV but have only seen two episodes and a commercial, and don’t know what they’re talking about.
I like when people challenge a book/movie/band/show that I like, but only if they’re willing and able to actually discuss the topic. If you don’t like whatever I like, that’s absolutely okay. Differing opinions are great. But if you’re not interested in getting in a debate, keep your unsubstantiated opinions to yourself.
OK, I getcha. If a SW thread about the relationship and significance of Jango and Boba Fett is interrupted by some asshat saying, “SW sux, losers,” then I can see being annoyed.
Carry on.
Amen to the OP. Besides, there isn’t anything “cool” (or “uncool”) about loving some bit of pop culture. It’s probably uncool to be so super geeky that you feel that Star Wars changed your life (and I do know people like this) but to just enjoy it? Wholeheartedly enjoy it? That’s always cool.
[hijack]For some reason, I am reminded of a party I went to a long time ago, where I met a TV writer (Dr. Who - I have no idea for which episodes). For some reason, we started talking about opera, and I mentioned that I was enjoying “The Ring Cycle” (Wagner) being shown on PBS. I was enjoying the plot - the dragons, the giants, the dwarfs, it was all very cool, I thought. And this writer guy huffily says “Well, there’s a lot more meaning to it than that, you know.” Yeah, I figured there was more meaning to it, but I enjoyed the dragons and giants, is THAT OK with you, mister? He acted as if my enjoyment of it wasn’t good enough. Screw that. I enjoyed it. God Forbid I enjoy it for my own reasons.[/hijack]
Ahem. Well, that’s how I feel. People are too afraid to just enjoy things - they are worried that it’ll make them look “silly”, or that their tastes are not “high falutin’” enough. I can’t say that I don’t have any snobbiness in me (we all are a little snobby sometimes) I try to curb it, because it’s shitty to rain on someone else’s parade. If they ENJOY something, they enjoy it! Let 'em!
I misunderstood what you posted, gobear, and I apologize. Characterizing me has having “purposefully” misunderstood it is overreacting on your part and not particularly friendly. Sorry if you’re having a bad day. Please don’t take it out on me.
Argh. Preview is my friend. I meant to say: Enjoying something wholeheartedly is always cool. (Some of us are too afraid to show our enthusiasm. But enthusiasm keeps us young! Enthusiasm is cool!)
OK, I’m done now.
I misunderstood your intent; I apologize for my brusque tone.
Apology accepted, Captain Needah.
Wow, this thread is extremely polite for a Pit rant.
Are you saying there are people out there that DON’T like Star Wars?
Get outta here. I refuse to belive that. Star Wars Ep 2 is going to rock my world, and I cover my ears and yell “LA LA LA LA LA! I’M NOT LISTENING!!!” to anyone who criticizes the movie or me. But I’m odd that way.
Fuck ‘em if they don’t like it, and I agree: If you dont’ like it, don’t go into threads that are discussing the upcoming movie release. There’s lots of shit I don’t like, (Like Moulin Rouge, for example), but I don’t go around to people who I KNOW loved it and say “Jeez, it’s just a movie. Lighten up. It sucked”.
Zette
Sounds to me like you should chill out with a well-prepared dinner at a fancy restaurant!
(insert smiley here)
Count me in with those who LOVE the Star Wars movies–hell, I even liked Jar Jar Binks!! (I fully realize that I am likely in the smallest of minorities here.)
As for those who are too intellectually mature to stoop so low as to enjoy a piece of the pop culture pie, well, enjoy yourselves at our expense. Since, in your opinion, we are so mentally constipated anyway, we probably wouldn’t even realize that we are being insulted. :rolleyes:
I just think that people who behave this way have to make themselves appear superior somehow, and they have no better way to do it than denigrate others for their “inferior” tastes.