Well that is encouraging, or else you are older than I thought. It isn't a non-sequitur if as I assume, people in a dangerous situation such as soldiering or people who are in an unpleasant industry such as morticians joke about what would normally, i.e., by people not so employed, be considered unpleasant and unfitting. But it is a fact that they do. It is also a fact that old people (who are by definition in a dangerous situation) joke about dementia. It is a fact that non-soldiers and non-morticians don't think their jokes funny or in good taste. Non-old people don't think the jokes of old people funny or in good taste. QED Lawrence _____ From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Judith Evans Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2006 11:31 AM To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Superman Returns LH>My problem is a worry about some form of dementia. LH>I know Judy doesn't like jokes about Alzheimer's but she's not as old as I am non sequitur ----- Original Message ----- From: Lawrence <mailto:lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Helm To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2006 7:22 PM Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Superman Returns I will be 72 this coming October and so have a different sort of concern than that described by Irene in her note below. My problem is a worry about some form of dementia. I know Judy doesn't like jokes about Alzheimer's but she's not as old as I am. Soldiers joke about getting killed, and you should hear the jokes the people who work in mortuaries tell each other . . . anyway, I had a jolt when I read Irene's note. I found it clever, intelligent and rational . . . gads! That's clearly not possible so can this be the first sign of A********'s? Worried Lawrence -----Original Message----- From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Andy Amago Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2006 8:36 AM To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Superman Returns [Original Message] > From: Omar Kusturica <omarkusto@xxxxxxxxx> > To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Date: 7/2/2006 6:07:29 AM > Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Superman Returns > > > > --- Andy Amago <aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > He also complains, appropriately, I think, > > that the characters are too young-looking for the > > part. They probably are, but that might be in > > large part because movies today are made with an eye > > toward world, rather than U.S. consumption. Most of > > the world (especially the developing world) are > > obsessed with youth. In a lot of the world, once > > you turn 30 you enter the realm of the living dead > > for the rest of your living dead life. > > *I find this rather puzzling. I would have thought > that it is the modern cultures that tend to emphasize > youth and physical looks, while traditional cultures > tend to place more value on maturity and social > accomplishments. This is no doubt a generalization but > I am still surprized that you would assert the > opposite with such certainty. > I would have thought the same, but it turns out that what I would have thought is a failure of logic. I was at one time personally acquainted with a quite number of Indians (I was taking a programming course run by and pretty much for Indians, although there were some Americans in it). To be sure, a lot of them were over 30 and quite alive and well. But age was definitely a consideration. There was one girl in the class (sample size of one, but not really), 25 years old, who considered herself the "baby", literally used the word baby. She agonized at a birthday. The instructor herself, who was probably about 35, claimed to be 25. And on and on. It was kind of pathetic, actually. The very fact that Supermans producers cast such young-looking actors, says it all. Note that Lois Lane is now a single mom. I almost defy you (almost) to find a Hispanic family of father, mother and children. Almost invariably its mother and children, no husband, and more than one father, even several fathers, for her children. The new and improved Lois Lane is the reality; the young Lois Lane is the societal construct. Note shes both young and with a five year old child. Thats reality the way it really is in a lot of the world, including the changing U.S. with its illegal immigrants. I invite you to watch a Bollywood movie. Notice that all the main actors are young, and white skinned (I have yet to see a white skinned Indian; I don't know where they get them). The old actors are all normal darker skinned. I don't remember if the bad guys were darker skinned or not in the movie I saw recently. Back when taking the course, I was invited to the home of one of the Indians (she had quite a nice home) and her television was on with an Indian movie. It was virtually the same thing, young white or light skinned actors. All their movies are basically the same formula. In the movie I saw in my Indian friend's home, there was also violence against women. That was absent in the Netflix Bollywood I saw. Also, much of the developing world has a high birth rate, so a lot of the population is in fact literally young, teenagers, as Andreas pointed out. It's also my understanding that in India a lot of Bollywood movies are what we would consider soft porn. Young women "clothed" in see through saris, etc. (Wall Street Journal I think.) Europe might be a little better in terms of allowing people to exist in time. Judy can tell us about England. I know when I was in England a long time ago, newspapers advertised for specific ages, invariably under 45 and most a lot younger than that. Russian employment ads are the same. Here in the U.S. there certainly is ageism but it's more covert and it's against the law. I think the laws that were enacted in around 1990 give protection to people over 40. 40, can you imagine. I also remember a post once from Didier about how he came to open a bookstore. It was because he turned 50 and basically (paraphrasing) he was too old to continue in his regular job. Here 50 is, they say, the new 30, and 60 the new 40. In theory anyway, but at least the sentiment is in some of the air and some of the water. Having said that, there are plenty of people in the U.S. who dread getting up in the morning because they're one day older, and try and find a birthday card that isn't some variation of older the hill, starting at, yes, 30. I have a personal friend who, when he turned 40 about 25 years ago, all but thought his life was over. He and his wife still have the potholder on their wall that says, 40 and still cooking. Kind of puts a perspective on things. I had no intention of seeing Superman Returns, but I think I'll see it after all. It might be fun for everyone to go out and see it and we can talk about it. Or not, as the case may be. _____ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.9.8/380 - Release Date: 30/06/2006