MST3K and Aye-ko!
This past weekend I had my first experience with the cult TV show "Mystery Science Theater 3000." The program started as a public-access oddity in Hopkins, MN, and grew into a geek classic, not-quote-on-par with Monty Python or Romero's "Night of the Living Dead" (I say "geek" with love; these are my people).
"MST3K" consists of a regular Gen-X guy and his two robot buddies silhouetted in front of an old movie or TV show and snarking at it, "riffing" their way through. Genius, right? It's something I would do with friends, except the robots are slightly wittier than the average peer group. One episode was probably enough for me, though I can see how it could be addictive.
The Robots and Guy were watching a 60's-era Batwoman TV-movie with a terrible plot, wooden acting, the stupidest fights on film, and gender stereotypes galore. The villians' weapon was a pill that made women dance uncontrollably (unnecessary, really; the Batgirls danced at every opportunity anyway). Interaction between men and women was thick with unhealthy power dynamics. Clothing. Even Batwoman herself, ostensibly the hero, wasn't smart or strong or otherwise heroic. It was funny, tempered with sad. It was archaic.
And it hit me; my parents, my co-workers, and half of my fellow church members grew up in that context earnestly. That Batwoman episode reflected real attitudes and relationships. To me, it was a foreign culture.
David Brin once pointed out that science fiction in the 50's imagined a future of air-cars and rockets to Jupiter all piloted by young white men. We're not on Neptune yet, and I didn't fly to work this morning, but our astronauts are men and women of all colors, shapes, religious beliefs, and sexual identities. What amazing progress! Within a generation!
So "Aye-ko!" (Ewe language for "Good work!") to everyone alive and our society since the 1950's. If you are 55 or older, you have seen social transformation unequalled in human history. You have survived, many of you have helped and pushed change along, and things are alright for us. Broken and fractured as we can be and feel today, I can't help but think we're steps closer to the Realm of Love Christ talked about so often. It's been a hard path, and it may get harder. But there is enormous potential for good as well: green energy, ending poverty, and curing AIDS could all happen in the next 50 years. Stepping back and seeing the long arc of progress and expanding possibilities gives me hope that were fallibly, haltingly, hewing closer to the path of Jesus.
"MST3K" consists of a regular Gen-X guy and his two robot buddies silhouetted in front of an old movie or TV show and snarking at it, "riffing" their way through. Genius, right? It's something I would do with friends, except the robots are slightly wittier than the average peer group. One episode was probably enough for me, though I can see how it could be addictive.
The Robots and Guy were watching a 60's-era Batwoman TV-movie with a terrible plot, wooden acting, the stupidest fights on film, and gender stereotypes galore. The villians' weapon was a pill that made women dance uncontrollably (unnecessary, really; the Batgirls danced at every opportunity anyway). Interaction between men and women was thick with unhealthy power dynamics. Clothing. Even Batwoman herself, ostensibly the hero, wasn't smart or strong or otherwise heroic. It was funny, tempered with sad. It was archaic.
And it hit me; my parents, my co-workers, and half of my fellow church members grew up in that context earnestly. That Batwoman episode reflected real attitudes and relationships. To me, it was a foreign culture.
David Brin once pointed out that science fiction in the 50's imagined a future of air-cars and rockets to Jupiter all piloted by young white men. We're not on Neptune yet, and I didn't fly to work this morning, but our astronauts are men and women of all colors, shapes, religious beliefs, and sexual identities. What amazing progress! Within a generation!
So "Aye-ko!" (Ewe language for "Good work!") to everyone alive and our society since the 1950's. If you are 55 or older, you have seen social transformation unequalled in human history. You have survived, many of you have helped and pushed change along, and things are alright for us. Broken and fractured as we can be and feel today, I can't help but think we're steps closer to the Realm of Love Christ talked about so often. It's been a hard path, and it may get harder. But there is enormous potential for good as well: green energy, ending poverty, and curing AIDS could all happen in the next 50 years. Stepping back and seeing the long arc of progress and expanding possibilities gives me hope that were fallibly, haltingly, hewing closer to the path of Jesus.
MST3K and Aye-ko! posted by St. Peter's UCC at Monday, July 24, 2006
1 Comments:
And just like that, I ran into this book - "The Sky Is Falling?!?" at Philosophy Over Coffee.
You can read the first chapter online - I suggest it.
Do you notice a theme over the past few weeks? I've been feeling a lot of WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?!?!?! lately, but these are first steps about it. -h
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