Bret Weinstein - Why I Oppose Entertainment
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- Опубликовано: 23 май 2024
- Bret Weinstein explains why he opposes entertainment.
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Do you agree with Bret Weinstein regarding entertainment?
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"If you're gonna to do drugs, don't be a filthy casual about it; I wanna see some overdosing up 'ere!" -Bret Weinstein
It's a rather stupid and pedantic point to make. Who is he to decide what the full depth of enjoyment is in something for anyone but himself?
I thought his statement was rather empty honestly.
@@aureateseigneur5317 Completely agree with you. He's just using the term "entertainment" incorrectly. After all, Weinstein has a podcast that most of his listeners would consider entertainment.
The question is who gets to classify what entertainment is, and as soon you give someone the ability to classify a thing as vice. It will forever be controlled.
@grygaming5519 This actually another fantastic point. The entire little speech of his was concerning.
I agree with him 100%. American entertainment is just mindless mental consumption now. I havnt put a dime into it in over 25 years and I used to love going to sporting events and movies. Everything to dumbed down or over-commercialized now. Just think... My Wet Puzzy by Cardi B has over a billion views on spotify and critics hail the song as a landmark song for the emancipation of women in the West. Most movies now jut regurgitate the same themes over and over again and try to dull your mind with special effects
You do not agree. What you are really saying is that entertainment has gone downhill. Movies at one point used to inspire people. Whole generations of people got into Roman history due to Ben-Hur. The Western inspired many young men to be more forward and masculine.
@@Art-is-craft2001 A Space Odyssey is another good example, a film that drove people to the theaters to think and ponder on things, yes even take drugs, it gets people talking. Even the porno movies of the 70s as trashy as they were were bedroom aids for couples and was an encouraged social activity. Today’s movies are strictly made to funnel in cash and desensitize you for 2 hours. There is no thought provoking messages, the only thing discussion is speculation on what character will show up in the sequel, it’s sugary breakfast cereal for the brain. There is absolutely no nutritional value.
@@mikeg2491
I do not think modern movies are about making cash. Most of the studios are producing them self to bankruptcy. 10 years ago the industry was in ok shape. And they deliberately started to make unmarketable movies.
I remember some years ago my ex feminist girlfriend reading a guardian article hailing Nicki Minaj as a liberator of women with her sexual and gangster lyrics. She argued with me that as a man I shouldn't be able to comment on it and that I was part of the male patriarchy. At that point I realised the relationship was a lost cause. Unfortunately her mindset is the norm nowadays. Vulgarity, pornography and materialism is the standard.
Not only is it the norm but they are walking around like they are some sort of person with enlightened views. Shes probably an angry woman sitting on her couch all alone with her cat now@@microfarming8583
All things in moderation, including moderation.
well said
Moderate meth, moderate morphine, moderate .. moderate
@@azsunburnsHow is doing meth moderate?
I see what you're trying to do with this comment, but none of the examples are moderate. They're called hard drugs for a reason, they're everything but moderate.
@@HelderP1337 that's the exact point. Moderation is a fallacy.
@@azsunburns Living in moderation includes the occasional feast and fast by definition
I think what Bret is really saying is that he opposes mindless entertainment, and that if you read a book, listen to an album, watch a movie, watch a TV show, etc., make sure it says something to you and something that makes you feel something deep. Now, not every show/film/album is going to do that, but you need shows/films/books/albums like that and quite frankly, we haven't been getting really serious, deep stuff for a long time.
So homework?
You can learn from entertainment and feel food from it. Nothing better than watching a good comedy.
The problem is, the only way to find out what speaks to you on that level is to try it out for yourself, and there's no telling what will speak to you. With something as subjective as music, film, books or whatever you can't always rely on other people's opinions to guide you on what is deep or meaningful to you.
One man's deep, thought provoking, art film is another man's pretentious, non-sensical drivel. Or, to flip it round, where many might see a throwaway popcorn movie, a minority might see something deeper in it and it ends up with a cult following.
Yeah, I mean if he was truly against entertainment then he would kind of have to be against people listening to his podcast.
I guess just moderate. I DO like watching thoughtful shows, and listening to emotional music with deep messages... but I also sometimes just like to watch trash TV and listen to mindless party music, you know? I don't do either ALL the time, but I mix them both, just based off of what I feel like doing.
A contrarian point of view worth considering.
What we let into our minds matters.
Reward without effort is probably not good.
The Weinstein brothers are more "contrarian" than most public intellectuals. I think in many cases their "contrarianism" is overheated and a bit too dramatic in the telling, often times venturing into vain self-aggrandizement. That being said, there is a solid kernel of truth in the point Bret is making here, but again I think he overstates it. The old aphorism about "moderation in all things" is really at the heart of what he's saying, but repackaged to make it sound like just wrestled the universe to its knees to cough up this closely guarded top secret nugget of wisdom.
@@jaykay6387 - LoL. Well put. I like Bret, have watched him off-and-on for years, including one such episode ( IIRC interviewing an ex-adult star ) and find moments where like you I think he overstates his point, conviction, possibly judgment against others who are not so "thinky" about things like Entertainment. Moderation is a word that is in my Top 10 of Go-To Concepts/Values, but as a friend added to the phrase you mentioned, "including moderation". There is a kernel of truth to what he's saying here, but my vote is in the end disagreement as to how far he's going with it. Or the topic is, dare I say it, much more complex than he states in this video ( edit ). Is the the judge for all as to what is wasteful or not? This is the kind of friction I get into with fellow Christians over what is "OK" or "good" or "personal taste vs wrong" or "wasteful", etc. Has Bret strayed out of his lane with his lamborghini?
As far as the "Lambo", reference, that's a rabbit hole I'll leave alone for now. However, we all should be able to enjoy "some" guilt free, stupid entertainment now and then. It's great to be able to emulate Mr. Spock as an embodiment of pure logic and reason, but humans need more than that, despite our best efforts to minimize those compulsions.
I wonder how he reconciles this position with the fact that most of us who see his clips are doing while at the destructive RUclips dopamine tough…
he's probably trying to get us all to be more aware of the junk youtube videos vs. the more enriching youtube videos by saying this message. Of course he can't force everyone to follow his advice, but he's putting it out there and probably causing some positive effects
Short version: Constantly ask yourself "How is this activity making me a better person?" If you can't answer it, do something that will.
Does play “make you a better person”? You could argue either way on this point. There is something a bit pretentious about this “better person” business. Play seems to be a basic part of human existence .
One might as well ask if eating makes one a better person. Play and entertainment are cousins.
How did writing your post make you a better person?
@@LobishomemMainstream corporate entertainment is a narrow view of what entertains most people. A shared experience or a conversation that leads to interesting ideas is entertaining to me and often this will be inside of a wider social setting. Simply hanging with mates, having a few beers and mocking each other as you can only do with real friends is right up there for me. If it's not fun or makes me happy I wouldn't be very entertained.
why does everything have to make me a better person, what nonsense, at times one needs to relax and get away from all the pressure.
I love the insight of Brett Weinstein. His wisdom and critical thinking always makes me look at things differently.
Bandana Man 😂😂😂
Okay, I'm an old man -- approaching 80. On my Internet feed, I can watch, for free, an endless series of English mystery movies (wealthy folk in small villages, killing one another).
Pretty light fare.
But it's a challenge to keep track of all the suspects and to appreciate, or to criticize, the solution produced by the writer or writers. And I can join the group comments thread, composing a cogent appreciation or critique to share.
Enjoyable, beneficial entertainment.
I guess when Weinstein talks about entertainment, he means distraction. What he recommends is to avoid activities that simply distract us, since that prevents us from reflecting (asking the right questions and looking for the answers to them), and if our time is consumed without reflection, our mind and morals become disordered.
That doesn't mean that we can't "get lost" in the deep beauty of something, for example, immersing ourselves in a melody and letting that melody make certain parts of our mind and spirit vibrate, but that's the opposite of distraction
Usually distraction and its twin brother, boredom, are symptoms of the lack of depth in our life (an unexamined life).
The activities you mention you do, enabled by technology, don't exactly sound like distraction.
@@huveja9799 I understand your point and agree with much of what Eric said about entertainment
(of which Neil Postman critiqued in his 1985 book Amusing Ourselves To Death) but find something a bit puritanical and moralistic in this whole discussion. One man’s “reflection”may be another man’s entertainment or “distraction”.
@@Lobishomem
I would agree that Puritanism would also be a distraction, since that would imply being distracted with the forms and not the content. I would also agree that moralism would be a distraction, since that would imply being distracted with the fulfillment of the law and not in the harmonious relationship with others. That does not imply that forms and the law don't have their place, everything is a matter of moderation, even with one's own reflection ..
From anecdotal experience:
• Experiencing pleasure without doing anything to earn it = depression.
• Expecting pleasure when you are unwilling to do anything to earn it = anxiety
I've also found that working and working and not getting any pleasure is very depressing too.
experiencing pleasure for the sake of itself can be it's own reward. Simple enjoyment of a simple sensation for example sunlight through closed eyes in a quiet place can help to destress and quiet the mind.
Said by someone who has never had to work themselves to death just to survive.
I think what Bret is saying is dont get addicted.
He spoke words. His words had actual meaning. There’s no, “I think he said.” There’s what he actually said, and then there’s your reductive rationalization of what he said. Why would you hear him say something so simple and so brief and then pretend it needed interpretation? What a crazy level of self deception you’ve normalized.
@@winstonsol8713 Here's another interpretation. You wanker
His mistake is in thinking there’s no practical purpose for “frivolous” entertainment. Sometimes to deal with a problem you need to let it rest for a while. Something mindless but fun is a great way to pull yourself away from being too deep in so that you can return and look at things with fresh eyes. The problem isn’t entertainment. Like most things, the problem is overindulgence.
Now that I am disabled I have to say that he is absolutely correct. Aside from the occasional viewing of shows to share with others I have ALOT of regrets here. I can't even begin to tally all the time I sunk into just being entertained when I could have engaged or learned something valuable or take on something to enrich my life on a deeper level. I would probably be in WAY better health as well if I would have exercised half as much as I watched TV or played friggin video games. NOW these are all I have left because I simply can't do those physical things any more, and what I can do just aggravates my pain. We truly have wrecked ourselves with entertainment and brainwashed our own minds with this particular addiction.
F&&& this is seriously powerful. Thank you for sharing.
Wow this is quite an incredible admission. Thanks you for taking the time to share your experience.
Check out Joe Dispenza’s teachings. You might find a solution to your pain ✨✨
Ha! I’m on board! I gave up watching all sports after those Black millionaires suddenly subjected us to their self-righteous, shallow, political correctness. I eschew media narcissism …better to walk on the beach!
It appears you exhibit similar narcissism in your comment. I'm with you overall, but "Black"? Really? I took a break from sports, too, but there was plenty of PC-Corporate BS going on from Whites as well. Disregard the color component, at least.
This is one problem I seem to have noticed about myself, he describes using the entertainment as a way to improve yourself. I see those stories and ways to self improve but at the same time lack any and all desire to implement those things into my life.
The key to life is balance.
True, there is a huge value based decision between Agrarian/Husbandry-of-Animals and Entertainment...that does not mean exclude one for the other....but it does take some real thought and application.
@@politicalflashshut the fuck up that response isn't balanced
And let's face it, most of us watch Mr. Weinstein are mainly doing it for entertainment purposes.
I tried but he’s not entertaining. There is something somewhat odd about him though.
Clarification of ideas and concepts, not entertainment
I don't think that is true at all.
Entertainment is kinda like saying "passing time".
Hearing the point of view of someone might be a pleasurable thing to do and you might say it's therefore also entertaining, yet it's pretty obvious you're mostly engaging in a thought process by listening and trying to understand someone else's points, opinions, knowledge and personal experiences.
We also listen to Brett to learn stuff we didn't know yet.
@@riukrobu Hedonism is the core of why civilization is decaying
@@riukrobu Just because you are learning stuff doesn't mean you are not watching it for entertainment. But we may have different definitions of entertainment.
I agree completely. Leisure, rest, relaxation are actually opposed to the constant search to be entertained, to "kill time," to be able to tell people what movie you went to see or what show... What if we could go back to simple times where we just rest, re-create (recreation!) and tell others, if they ask, "I had a great day off. I rested and thought and rested some more!"
Christopher Latch wrote his brilliant book , ' Entertaining Ourselves to Death ' decades ago . He also wrote his book , ' The Culture of Narcissism ' in the 1970s . A man way ahead of his time who died too young .
thanks for posting I plan to check out his books "At some point we must lay down the book...and start living at its hint."
@@AvalonMisty Enjoy
Was Postman - Amusing ourselves to death - but I don’t think he would agree with what EW is saying here
Bret seems to be overlooking ( or discounting ) the rituals of Society, of one's life, where what he might call "mindless entertainment" could be one's Monday Night RAW of pro-wrestling. Honestly, is everything to be high-art, everything utterly romantic in sex, everything utterly a lamborghini of time best spent to aim for in life? Where he seems to not be open-minded here ( hopefully not being elitist and prideful ) is the wide variety of possibilities that bring people joy that are NOT his personal choices. Is this an example of Bret merely being a bit narcissistic? Not taking a cheapshot here, it's something that he seemed to reflect during his podcast a year or two ago dealing with erotica/sexuality. He couldn't fathom or basically was judgmental against those who were more adventurous/expressive/into kinks than he is. It's a fascinating topic overall, i.e. "Entertainment", and would he include this podcast and his umpteenth "conversation" a complete waste of time or fine and good for some viewers? Is he guilty of hypocrisy here in wasting people's time and the deeper is he's doing it to make a living. Which is what a lot of Entertainment is about, isn't it. So, to those who love the endless dramas and action of pro-wrestling, all the more enjoy it. To those who look down their nose at it, do whatever you like doing. The pro-wrestling crowd might not be anywhere interested in what you're into. In the end, no matter the demographic, so what.
Not all choices, proclivities, and behaviours in life are equally worthy, sorry. To say otherwise is just relativistic nihilism
@@CommodoreGrayum Very absolute statement but perception of worth is inherently a personal concept. A brief chat with a neighbour could be of objectively more worth to an introverted person than ruminating on the grand questions of life. Finding the worth or merit in diverse occupations isn't nihilistic, rigidly assigning merit based on personal ideals can lead to an intellectual bias against simple experiences and missing nuances of experience that can't be seen at a glance.
@@clintonrobinson8070 "Perception" of worth is subjective. Worth itself is not. I might think the moon is made of green cheese, but that doesn't make my subjective opinion about the matter worth a damn.
@@CommodoreGrayum You might find studying Latin in your free time is of worth, in some very narrow modern fields it would be. I am referring to the common human experience not random 5h1t like "I like licking the floor so it has worth to me subjectively". If you have no conception that there is such a thing as subjectivity then go back to school.
@@clintonrobinson8070 Except the original comment and my reaction to it has fuck all to do with whatever you're talking about now. Also, good job ending your comment like a snippy teenage girl. "Go back to school"? Holy shit
I've said this about weed because I've seen it so often. It's theoretically harmless in the moment, but it can totally undermine your motivation to actually build your life. I know guys who never advance past menial jobs, never get a proper relationship, or start a family, because the weed gives them the joy they seek, in a surface way. I know parents who derive as much or more joy out of pot than the milestones their kids are experiencing, and they don't improve their lives and homes _for_ the kids, they just maintain enough success to maintain the kid and the weed. There's a frightening, weird demon in those types of activities.
Yeah not buying into Timothy Leary light here, very few folks find any value in "getting high" and recommending it, even tangentially, is ill advised. Poor form Mr. Weinstein, poor form. Medicinal use aside, with which I am not 100% onboard, actively promoting the use of psychotropics is something that should be relegated to AO conversations. Not something for dissemination to the poorly formed psyches at large on YT.
It used to be that in order to watch a classic movie I had to drag the Huge TV downstairs, and stay up until the other stations were going off air, and watch the movie in the middle of the night. Or I would never see it, maybe read about it in a book. At this point I can watch the same movie, and the next 20, with zero hindrance. It is great to have all this access, but one used to have some spacing, and the reminder of great themes was spread out.
Then there is the issue of what the non stop binge watching is doing for one as far as putting off other uses of that time.
‘Entertainment’ is a distraction period. Though sometimes distractions are warranted and even necessary, entertainment for its own sake becomes a addiction. ‘Here I am now, entertain me...’ Nirvana
Distraction is avoidance. And what is the individual trying to avoid but themselves. God forbid one looks inside themself to address who they truly are...
This is word-for-word what my Baptist church taught back in the 80s. Can't stand religion now, but it's great for kids.
Hopefully he didn't say the reward was built in for an "evolutionary reason", though.
Unfortunately, our modern church services are just continuations of the same lame stuff they were doing with us in Sunday school as kids. All of the deep adult-level stuff has long since been stripped away.
If this is what your Baptist church was teaching back in the80’s - andI think you are exaggerating - that Baptist church was improved by your leaving it.
@@CSUnger You funny! IDK, things were very different 40 years ago. That particular church had a very enlightened youth minister.
Totally Agree, I just had this conversation the other day but I used the words activity as in One engaging in something just simply in keeping One distracted or busy, all of these Social norms simply to keep going, create empty unfulfilled mindlessness. ... and we are seeing the results of it after many years ....
I fully agree, and at 24, I've been doing this for a couple years now. It feels SO much better, and I never get that feeling of dread when you're sitting there, watching something, and you can FEEL that you're wasting your time, and you can FEEL boredom in the very back of your mind, but you're too lazy to do something else, and you can FEEL that too.
It feels so good to only consume art -- film, books, music -- that feel like REAL art that enriches my life for having experienced it. And it immediately eliminates 75% of the entertainment in the world.
I think I’d have to hear more to really understand what he’s saying.
He's not really saying anything...he never does. Don't be fooled by the professorial demeanour, this guy is the intellectual equivalent of the Taliban. He hates everyone and everything. He is a horrifying human being.
but entertainment isn't "tricking whatever is supposed to actually make you feel good", the entertainment is ACTUALLY the fun thing.
enjoying movies or jokes or music, those are exactly the things that are supposed to be fun, they're not substitutes for "the real thing".
I guess when Weinstein talks about entertainment, he means distraction. What he recommends is to avoid activities that simply distract us, since that prevents us from reflecting (asking the right questions and looking for the answers to them), and if our time is consumed without reflection, our mind and morals become disordered.
That doesn't mean that we can't "get lost" in the deep beauty of something, for example, immersing ourselves in a melody and letting that melody make certain parts of our mind and spirit vibrate, but that's the opposite of distraction
Usually, distraction and its twin brother, boredom, are symptoms of the lack of depth in our life (an unexamined life).
I don’t often agree with Brett Weinstein, but in this situation I do (to a degree). I especially appreciate his statement about stories at the end-a good story does enrich you. It shapes your soul. This is actually what the humanities are supposed to be. It breaks my heart when I see what they’ve turned into today. We need to turn from entertainment and back to the “true humanities.”
I’m 81. This is exactly what my experience has been.
I wonder if he’s going down the Heinlein route where the idea conquered the man. He talks about overcoming our biology yet here is suggesting we should devote ourselves to it. Is this the daily fight making a miser of the man?
Way ahead of you Bret. I've been an anti TV/movie buzzkill and it has actually helped me with my memory and I also got tons of time back
Entertainment used to be an occasional relief from the every day grind. Now it's 24/7, in your home and your pocket, unlimited choices of distraction. Maybe, just maybe, it's designed that way for a reason...
He may very well have 80% of the truth here.
There is some worthwhile entertainment. I think the brain needs breathers. Now if he's saying to be mindful in your entertainment, sure, I agree.
Mr Weinstein is always worth considering though. I do often enough try to pursue entertainment that is also edifying. Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Bradbury and Pratchett all fit that bill, eventhough they're all fiction, they teach something. Many kinds of entertainment work that way as well.
I agree on excess of entertainment consumption, but the inverse needs to be considered. Many people, probably even the majority, work all week with little to no sense of accomplishment. So the movie in the evening, or some alcohol, maybe something more intense on the weekend, fills that void. To toil with no accomplishment seems it could be just as harmful as reward with no effort.
I suppose the heathy response would be to find that fulfillment outside of work in a hobby.
Skip the booze or drugs, choose uplifting, funny or positive things to watch. It helps a lot.
"Dont waste it, make use of it." Every time I take mushrooms, I weep. I do feel deep euphoria, but it's always used for a deeply meaningful look into my mind, my heart, my flaws, how I can be better to those I love around me.
I’m glad Bret is there to put this idea into words. I’ve had similar thoughts when it comes to violent revenge movies, I feel like they are an indulgence of our baser instincts. It taps into our desires to have the green light to do horrible things without any moral qualms. Same thing with zombie movies…no moral issues here, they’re not even human. Every time I hear someone say “have you seen this new show ___), it feels like there is some real world opportunity they will never have. On my death bed I will never wish that I watched more TV shows.
At this point, I find it hard to believe Bret Weinstein is entertained by anything. But he's entitled to his opinion.
Don't chase quick dopamine hits (manipulatively sold to/pushed on you like a drug from a dealer who wants to control you) aim for long term serotonin.
It's important for our actions have meaning but this is too much performance anxiety to me
Exactly I feel like I’d ironically start getting less out of books and films if I went into each one trying to get something life changing out of it.
As someone trained in psychedelic therapy, I have a nuanced disagreement with Brett on this. Recreational use of psychedelics has a place, if for no other reason than to get used to the substance and what it does to you before introducing therapy into the mix. We earn some of the safety needed for the therapy experience through recreational use. Additionally, recreation CAN be healing in it's own right, particularly when using psychedelics. With that said, his larger point about not squandering your mind on entertainment makes good sense, and I generally agree.
It’s a good way to explain both. Too much of this happens behind closed doors, where “The Debil” can do or say whatever and no one will see.
Zero-tolerance approaches may work well in a perfect world, but they backfire when people choose to dabble in drugs or vice. Drug education should maybe be adapted to someone’s needs … probably more appropriate in therapy, but that may be too late. However, you don’t want to risk teaching a future alcoholic how to be a lush. Still, if you know how to take drugs “more safely” then you may be able to turn around and stop. Some drug dealers may try to condition you to become addicted by introducing you to specific habits or by playing games.
E.g. stimulants: don’t increase the dose; the effective dose is proportional to the maximum recent dose… BUT the effects are from your neurotransmitters.
In other words, the classic trap for stimulant addicts is “I want to feel that again, I need more” when self-dosing in the short term. So they associate the drug with the feeling when it’s the neurotransmitters & hormones, which are depleted. So it doesn’t work but you absolutely can exacerbate your tolerance. Done long enough, this means you need to use (or to buy) more, forever.
Terrible advice for most people, but for someone who is already experimenting, other approaches may be better.
I’m not sure whether we are all trying to be happy or are trying to avoid suffering, they are not the same thing. Many (including myself) are as afraid of happiness as they are actually persuading it. It’s not an original observation but we are caught between a fear of life (and failure) and a fear of death. While most affirm they seek happiness their behavior suggests otherwise.
Bret doesn't seem to realize that people listen to him on Rogan for 90 minutes because they find the interaction entertaining. Casual entertainment and recreation can be incredibly rewarding and tap into deeply thoughtful and insightful things you find out about yourself and other people. I think Bret needs to go play basketball or go kayaking (although he is likely too out of shape, ha).
but, for example, not all music has to be 'important'.....we all need to just relax sometimes and enjoy something. Bret might be taking every part of life a little too seriously.
Balance is the key
Where's the whole interview?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I think even music can be just another form of escapism. Why do I always have music playing in the background, in my car, or have headphones in? It’s just more dopamine hits.
Well there is the appreciation of skill and talent that went into making a piece of music. Don’t stop listening to music!
Music is one of the greatest things in the world. Listen to Bach, Haydn, Monteverdi, and others that make your life richer.
Reductionism isn't an argument.
We really overdo almost everything with our phones. It’s an addiction for a lot of people. It can fry your mind in terms of dopamine function and I think that’s what he’s talking about. Moderation and do things cuz they matter, not cuz they are there to be done.
Thank you God Bret for handing this down from on high! I have always considered you as entertainment so I show my worship for you by saying goodbye.
Interesting. This sounds very similar to what Ayn Rand would say about entertainment. Is he a fan?
Well, I half agree with him. I can't get actually find pleasure in entertainment until I've actually done something. Where I might disagree is that I don't think this 'doing' need be an 'achievement' or at least some grand or profound achievement. Entertainment just can't seem like a good use of my time, "until" I've done some chores, completed some tasks for work, or had some good exercise. And I'm not going to sit down to a movie or television series until the end of the day when I've accomplished much of that. But I don't see it as invaluable to watch something that one is entertained by even if I don't learn much from it, as long as I've done earlier stuff in the day that felt like I was accomplishing something. I don't see the problem in giving a little bubble gum to the mind now and then (all the time, sure). That just feels needlessly puritanical to me.
I agree
I came in feeling one way, and left agreeing with his points.
Be intentional about your pursuit of entertainment? Guide your choices consciously and with purpose maybe? Interesting idea.
Totally agree. What does being entertained actually give you? Nothing
It doesn’t really give you anything. Rather it robs you of time. Time that could have been spent doing something worthwhile.
Happiness is not nothing.
@@aureateseigneur5317 Entertainment is not happiness.
Neil Postman wrote an excellent book on this subject called Amusing Ourselves to Death.
Who is the guy who wrote 'entertaining ourselves to death'? So true, a nation of addicts
I understand his point. But then EVERYTHING should be done with intent and respect. It is not an easy thing to do, however.
I agree completely. Felt this way for a long time.
But we all know u still watch TV......including Weinstein.
He's a psuedo intellectual, plain and simple
The US citizen would have done well to understand the mindlessness of entertainment decades ago. We have been served up a banquet of idle mindless junk and the masses have long developed a craving taste for it as those in the entertainment sector have lapped up the glory to their own demise.
He’s right. Mindless distractions are an old trick to keep us separated. There’s nothing the establishment fears more than people capable of critical thinking.
Entertainment can be from a Beethoven symphony to a casual game I am not against it we don’t live to write research papers only there is more to life than trying to get ahead of others
I hate to break it to you Bret but this is entertainment...
Not every sexual encounter has to be an attempt at a spiritual bonding and not every trip has to be a shamanic quest for knowledge. Taking hallucinogens when in a good frame of mind with trusted friends can open up what I would call low level thought transference or possibly a higher order of subconscious cue processing. Sex is generally better with a compatible long term partner I think but if 2 adults can enjoy each other without any falsehood or use of sex as a tool both the sex and the trip can still teach us things worth knowing. Don't forget the value of play as a learning and experiential event but being with the right people is as important as not being around the wrong people.
I feel like David Foster Wallace already said something kinda like this but with way more nuance years and years ago.
Entertainment is hugely important, a lot of what we see is in no way entertainment, we lack entertainment, we need more genuine good quality entertainment not less.
That's exactly why more and more people are turning to Japanese entertainment like anime, because it actually conveys values and important things
Entertaining video!
wow! this completely changed how view things
With the dizzying rate of progress in AI, its relevance will only grow over time. Right now, you can have a computer create any image or music you can imagine, and this capability will only get better, cheaper, and faster. As we gain access to anything and everything, what happens to the mind? Being more selective in our experiences will become increasingly important.
Interesting
Not really. These western Khazarian thinkers are really unimpressive
Warhammer as a hobby has enriched my mind in more ways than one, but I'm way past doing psychedelics anymore 😅
dont let anybody tell you what to do or how to think. you decide that for yourself
He is totally right. Finally it gets said
1:39 The fundamental problem here is Bret is essentially appealing to some form of higher order to try and apply an 'ought' to your evolutionary mechanisms (an "evolutionary reason" he calls it). This would necessarily need to sit external to the evolutionary process itself, as the "reason" for evolution, or else someone feeling good consuming porn all day has as much evolutionary reason to do that as someone who abstains to later "enjoy them at their full depth".
I agree with him though, btw. But i think he has no real presuppositions to apply an ought.
Down with Entertainment (bread and circuses): Up with Leisure.
He made a valid point. Another way to think about that, is the whole culture war stuff. Sure the woke thing is really bad, BUT is a very bad sign that grown ups create lots of content complaining about Marvel, Disney and so on, because he loved this IPs when were young, but don't realize that if we let this stuff ( and woke stuff) fuck thr market, the market maybe realizes that grown ups aren't interested in lots of childhood IPs remakes. But isn't that happenning, it is the opposite.
The cycle of culture feed seems to stopped in teenage taste loops. I didn't saying that consuming childs stuff is bad as adult, but its really wierd that nowadays adult, or more dense stories lost their space
Very wise advice.
He's right.
As long as entertainment isn’t getting in the way of your life, and priorities, then it’s fine. Stop making it so complicated, Brett. lol
I think in the end I'm mostly just quibbling over his definition. I more or less agree with what he's saying, probably about 95%. I just disagree with how he's using this word and disagree on what "qualifies" as enriching. I've no qualms about watching a popcorn flick and "turning off my brain" while watching it, only to later compare and contrast the experience against a more "enriching" film. I do this with books, songs, theater...every piece of art really. Because in my mind, ENGAGEMENT with the experiences and really reflecting on them is the critical thing. "Oh man that was soooo fun!!" Ok, sure, but why? And how was that "fun" different from the "fun" of something else. I had "fun" watching Dumb and Dumber. I also had "fun" running my first marathon. Isn't a big part of life examining and cross referencing those. What exists in Dumb and Dumber, some of the most low brow art imaginable, that somehow shares something with running the Big Sur Marathon along the California coastal highway, a truly spiritually transcendent experience. I think understanding in what way those two experiences are similar is a rather enriching process, because that's not easy to work out. But it's worth reflecting on, in my opinion.
I listen to Bret because I find his arguments entertaining
Where is the full interview? I know Bret but I don't know this other guy.
Send this to all the people that are still watching CSI
sometimes I just need to watch something dumb - my brain is tired from a long day, etc. everything in moderation.
That's just entertainment with extra steps.
Renoir (painter) said he disliked movies because he didn’t like his feelings manipulated that way. This was 100 years ago. I think about that a lot.
He manipulated peoples feelings through paint. He just didn't like the new way it was being done becauee it wasn't the way he grew up doing it.
Agree with him 100%.
So, Human Centipede 1-3 is probably not going to improve my life?
The sequels left a bad taste in my mouth.
I’ve never agreed more with one person than I have Brett Weinstein.
i oppose someone like this telling what to do and not do. So fortunate to live in a country wherein I don't have to give a shit what this dude thinks, Praise Bob.
I've always thought amusement parks are an assault on one's appreciation of effort/reward.
In the future, AI and VR will deliver any emotion you want instantly. And it will be a dangerous trap.
Thanks for the advice Boringstein
Thanks Bret.
hes right, i mean how many movies or netflix speacials can one watch, they are all the same story over and over again.
Brett with more wise words.
I agree!
Absolutely