Forum - View topicWhy are we endeared by stories we take no part in?
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Syker 07
Posts: 149 Location: Kentucky |
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I decided to post this topic after watching a couple hours of really good TV tonight. This is slightly off topic, I suppose, but it does have to do with anime in a way.
There was a really good new episode of Stargate SG-1 on tonight, sort of a tear-jerker (for long time fans, anyway). Followed by that, I caught the last (2 hour) episode of M*A*S*H, and I got to thinking. These shows fall in line with a lot of anime that we all watch. We see the character's grow, we see them through their trials, we see them triumph and we see them fail. We feel it when they are hurt and we feel it when they experience a joyous occasion. My question is, Why? For some reason, we invest emotionally in the shows that we watch, and we are sometimes deeply affected by them. I hadn't seen that last episode of M*A*S*H for probably a decade. It really brought a tear to my eye. And tonight's episode of SG-1 spoiler[The death of Dr. Frasier] got me a little teary, too. Grave of the Fireflies came to mind immediately after watching TV tonight. As did Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop and Trigun. When you really think about it, it's strange. We have no real reason to become attatched to these characters. We know that what's going on is a fabrication, and yet, we are affected anyway. We relate to the characters, we relate to their plight, we relate to their pain and joy. But all we're really doing is sitting in front of a box that displays a bunch of colored light patterns and sound. What is it about these stories that evokes so much emotion in us? Do the creators, perhaps, lend a small part of their soul to these productions that really seem to have meaning to us? (This certainly doesn't apply to everything on the airwaves) Maybe it's evidence of a human collective unconscious? I don't know really, this question just popped up in my mind. Why do we get so attatched to fictional characters, come to love them or hate them, come to celebrate their accomplishments and their flaws? Ultimately, these little pieces of "entertainment" don't add up to much. They don't have much of a bearing on how the world turns (when it comes right down to it), they're really just a form of distraction and escapism. I guess I just want to hear from you fellow posters why you think we invest so much into these things. This didn't come out at all how I had planned, but I think what I'm trying to say/ask comes out well enough. Or maybe not. I dunno. Anyway, thoughts everyone? Syker Seven |
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lianncoop
Past ANN Contributor
 Posts: 1705 Location: Indiana |
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I think in a way you answered your own question. Part of what makes good entertainment good, is its ability to grab the audience and pull them into that world. Who wants to watch something that they can experience themselves everyday?
There are a couple ways of looking at this. Escapism can be seen as a positive or negative thing. On one hand for those 2 hours of a movie or 30 mins of a sitcom, we are transported into a fictitious world where we don't have to worry about our current, everyday life. It's a time where we feel uninhibited about reality and a nice place where we can see other people worry about things with no reprecussions on our own life. Whether or not we should get "attached" to these characters is beside the point. All that matters is that we are given a chance to relax from reality and enjoy ourselves for that time. Afterwards you can separate yourself from that comforting, "escapism" world and go on with your current life and not feel depressed about it. Or, you can say....man compared to "that" my life sucks and seek more "escapism" to avoid your own problems. Having something/one, fictious or not, that share in the same woes and happiness that you do makes one not feel "alone" in whatever their going through. There's something in the subconscious that is triggered like, "Hey, I know what they're going through because that's happened to me before." or "I know what I'm going through and I don't want to deal with it right now, so I'll lose myself in someone else's problems." That's why we can relate to entertainment so well. After all, these things are created by a humans just like anyone else. We don't "have" to get attached, but we choose to. I think it's human nature to want something that we can never have, such as a characteristic or situation that occurs in a movie or show...be it anime or just a regular sitcom. The real question that comes into play is whether or not you can separate yourself from what is reality and what isn't and can you accept it and be happy with yourself? |
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king_micah
 Posts: 994 Location: OSU |
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All that I know is they killed Akane's dub voice.
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jmays
ANN Associate Editor
 Posts: 1390 Location: St. Louis, MO |
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In one of my first posts on this forum, I took issue with John of Anime Nation's claim that all anime is essentially escapist fantasy. If you'll excuse the pompous banter, there are a few points that might interest you:
animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=11082 As for why they work, well, I wish I knew the secret of good storytelling. I could make a lot of money, and my friends would be spared from my incoherent rambling. In the end, it's probably about "suspension of disbelief," which is always easier when the story's told well. Reality TV has shown us time and time again that we (society) love living vicariously, and when you feel an anime character's emotions, it's quite similar. So I guess we do it because we like it. Why do we like it? Well, that depends on the person. I'm sure there's a general explanation, too...I just don't know what it is. |
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Syker 07
Posts: 149 Location: Kentucky |
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Thank you for your replies.
I know that I answered my own question in a way. I really just wanted to foster some discussion on why we love our entertainment so much. What I'm really getting at, I'm not sure, it's one of those shapeless, unidentifiable things that one can't readily describe with words. But the essence is there somewhere. It's a feeling or an insight that simply came up while I was enjoying something that was well-made and drew me in. But I couldn't and can't nail it down. Liancoop, you make a good point about whether or not we are able to separate ourselves from our entertainment. Some people just get lost in their fantasies and can't seem to find their way out. And you are also right, Miagi. We take part in these things because we like them. And you touched on the thing that I'm trying to nail down. Why do we like them? It's a heavily subjective question. I suppose I'm trying to find some deeper connection that all people share. I know that's not something I could find out about by sharing thoughts on a forum, but the discussion could certainly help me (and anyone who's similarly interested) think in the right direction. Also, thank's for the link, I'll read it when I get a chance. I enjoy those kinds of debate. Anyway, I'd like to keep hearing from anyone else who has thoughts or ideas on the matter. And thanks to those of you who take part in this discussion. Syker Seven |
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nevermind
 Posts: 41 Location: UK |
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This is a bit of a weird question, but have you ever had one of those dreams where you're watching something happen, like a story that's actualy happening (in you're mind), but it has nothing to do with you, and the "characters" take no notice of you? A good T.V. series or movie is a bit like that. It'll make you feel that these events are actualy happening, and you start to feel for the characters, like if something bad happens to one of them, you could feel sorry for them, even though they're just fictional characters that don't really exist. People become endeared by vividley imagined stories, ones that grab you, and make you want to keep watching to see what happens to the characters, and what paths they take.
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frostedsaiyan
 Posts: 637 Location: Maryland |
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I guess we become attached to the characters because of who they are. We see them when they got through tough times and we see them a very lot in all situations. So we tend to get attached to them. I know I do.
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Daimonwrath
 Posts: 133 |
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I think you have a grasp on the brunt of it. We are all part of one large thinking machine. I think we need to have these gifted senses exercised. Based on a variety of stories on fictional characters you are swept off your feet and taken into worlds that can be so different from our own. This alone is a form of knowledge that we wish to grasp in some way. Personally as a writer, Im constantly feeding and feeding my imagination, so when I see these works the ideas pile up and other questions of "what if" are formulated. In that way my mind is already thinking in the background in a form of "excercise". I think thats why I got more attached to anime now that I think about it. Because it takes my imagination one step further. To others there may also be a moralistic answer to life we search for sifted through all the ashes of crazy shows. These so called experts say all the time that we use 10-20 percent of our brains. Then you have your others that say T.V. stunts our brains. (sigh) which leads to more questions. Im gonna stop now, lol D.W. 
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Aaron White
Old Regular
Posts: 1365 Location: Birmingham, Alabama |
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Those so-called experts aren't experts at all-that "statistic" is bogus, cooked up to sell new age meditation programs. Susan Sontag wrote a great essay about how science-fiction films of the sixties helped us to deal with the horror of the atomic age, but in doing so banalized the horror. That's pretty par for the course with escapism; it's like any other narcotic. It can ease pain, but it can also deaden your overall sensitivity. |
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kamiboy
 Posts: 570 Location: CA |
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Because the stories we do take part in are so damn boring? I don't know about you but something like “boy saves the world from invading aliens” sound a hell of a lot more interesting than my “I did laundry today”. Seriously though, I don't think our affection with fictitious stories can easily be explained. It's probably the side effect of a mix of a couple of our instincts and generally the hidden inner workings and mechanisms of our brains.[/list] |
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11441 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Here are a few links to some other threads I think may help. The one I made about "anime being worthless" was made when I was still a dumb-@$$. I apologize if I sound too hard-headed or immature in my opinions, which is why you'll notice some are deleted completely. But I'm not the pessimistic, alcoholic bumble bee I used to be (and by alcohlic, I don't actually mean I'm an alcoholic. I don't even drink caffine. It's just that back then, I was kinda taking my frustration out on the world. Heh, yeah..... I was stupid
 ).
animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4388&highlight=anime+worthless animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4443&highlight=anime+worthless animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4389&highlight= |
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Vigilante024
 Posts: 578 Location: back. but not really. |
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it's actually a catharic release that Aristotle hypothesized about in regards to Ancient Greek drama in that people need a release or "escape" or a way to purge certain emotions that might otherwise not get released in our everyday lives. There is more information regarding this topic as well as studies done on the affects of cathartic release through violent or scary movies.
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Aaron White
Old Regular
Posts: 1365 Location: Birmingham, Alabama |
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Those dramas were performed once a year. Once a year people got the catharsis that comes from entertainment. Nowadays we get tons of entertainment all the time. Nonstop entertainment probably doesn't fulfill the same psychic role that annual theatrical festivals did. |
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Vigilante024
Posts: 578 Location: back. but not really. |
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actually they were performed several times a year. and while it may not seem like a release to many of us now it still has some psychological impact though with such an abundance we may not notice it as much. Though how often do people get an adrenaline rush from a movie or a show? |
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kamiboy
Posts: 570 Location: CA |
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All I know is that if it wasn't for anime and videogames I would long have started a local fight club with my buddy Tyler Durden. Ups! I forgot the first two rules; you would do well to forget what I just said for the sake of you own health. No Tyler! I swear I wasn't talking about you! NO! Please stop hitting me! |
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