'Member oppositelock before Kinja? I member. A short essay.

"Nibby" (nibby68) 10/27/2016 at 12:38 • Filed to: None

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If you haven’t watched the current season of South Park yet, I suggest you do if you have the time. It’s brilliant how Matt Stone and Trey Parker are critiquing not just the US election but American society.

These “member berries” are basically nostalgia drugs. Our culture has developed a raging obsession with nostalgia over the past few years. Here in just this 47 second clip, which uses Randy Marsh as a representative of the average American man, you can see how nostalgia takes Randy to a phantasmagorical state. He relishes in his fond memories of things like Star Wars and Bionic Man... but as soon as the berries mention “being safe” or “’member when marriage used to be between a man and a woman” Randy gets disturbed and spits them out. You gotta take the good with the bad... as a society when we remember things we loved we like to drain out the bad stuff during that time as well.

South Park later on in the season makes note of how Donald Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again” stresses for a return of how things used to be. Here are some modern day examples.

A lot of movies these days are newer versions or adaptations of TV shows and movies from decades ago. The Magnificient Seven, Star Wars, tons of super hero movies, etc. Yeah, they’ll make great money off them cause we love nostalgia. So so much. They’ll re-release DVDs/stream on Netflix old shows before they send out the new version in theaters to make even more money. It’s a great scheme since it is an easy way for those spanning across different generations to interact and spend time with each other.

But often times it does not go as planned for the audience. My cousin and I both loved Zoolander. It quickly became our favorite movie when were 12 years old. We saw the sequel when it came out last year and it was absolute rubbish. It tried way too hard to capture the charm of the first one and just felt rehashed, plain, unoriginal, unfunny, and void of content. You can only milk a cow oh so much before it runs out.

Now I’m not saying nostalgia is a bad thing. But like most things, nostalgia should be consumed in moderation in order to prevent over-saturation and shitty remakes with no personality. There are benefits, like tools such as http://archive.org which is a great resource for finding old articles and files. I’ve used it for research during graduate study.

As one should, be aware of your cultural surroundings and how they’re affecting you. Nostalgia is EVERYWHERE these days - in your TV commercials and programs, in your sports stats (a fun thing we do at work is talk about hockey players we’ve forgotten over the years... ‘member Colton Orr? Arron Asham?’).

Your cars.

K-Roll posted this picture recently. It’s perfect for this use case. For nearly a dozen years, the Mustang has stylistically echoed its legendary predecessor from the 1960s. And they’re selling like hotcakes. The Camaro and Challenger also use this formula.

The Mercedes G class has been able to sell very well at its astronomical starting price for what it is... at its core, it’s a 70s design with modern bits and pieces.

And a lot of you collect older cars, computers, electronics and tinker on them because it’s a hobby and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a great way to learn more about whatever you’re working on and one day you will pass that knowledge on to younger people.

As a side note I’ve actually gotten rid of all my old computers and sold them off on eBay and internet friends. It was fun but I reached that point of figuring out what I can and cannot do with them and... quite frankly I don’t even play my older games much anymore. And I can just run them in a VM or DOSBox anyways.

The point of this really is just be aware nostalgia is everywhere and it’s not going away. While it is fun to ‘member the 90s and whatever else you grew up on it should not interfere with modernity.

CB > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 12:41

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And remember: while you may yearn for days of the past, they had great things like polio, high infant mortality, and plenty of people who were considered “not as human”. The past sucked.

Gamecat235 > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 12:42

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Nibby > CB 10/27/2016 at 12:43

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Yep... and there was a time when you could buy a Chevy Celebrity!

For Sweden > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 12:46

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Member when Mack and Porsche9146 would contribute?

https://web.archive.org/web/20120104112355/http://jalopnik.com/oppositelock/forum

https://web.archive.org/web/20120127021350/http://jalopnik.com/oppositelock/forum?

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 12:48

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This is good oppo.

CB > For Sweden 10/27/2016 at 12:48

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I miss Mack (although I’m not part of the old guard here).

Nibby > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams 10/27/2016 at 12:51

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Thanks

duurtlang > CB 10/27/2016 at 12:51

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What qualifies as ‘old guard’?

Nibby > For Sweden 10/27/2016 at 12:51

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ooh yea I ‘member! They were fantastic. *MAAAAAAAAAAAAACK*

CB > duurtlang 10/27/2016 at 12:53

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Don’t know. I’ve been here since 2012, but a few members still talk about pre-Kinja and when it was known as Off-Topic. I suppose those would be old guard.

Gamecat235 > For Sweden 10/27/2016 at 13:01

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Or when Gamecat had his bitchin’ Pikes Peak Celica avatar (and a star...)?

https://web.archive.org/web/20120306110411/http://jalopnik.com/oppositelock/forum

Rico > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 13:01

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ooo I member!

It’s brilliant how Matt Stone and Trey Parker are critiquing not just the US election but American society.

YES. People who don’t get South Park just don’t look beyond the cartoon, it’s hilariously accurate.

Another great episode is Sexual Healing based on the situation between Tiger Woods and his exWife. In which the media/public are confused why a wealthy and successful man would want to have sex with lots of women and everyone plays dumb and are fake outraged.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 13:01

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I do get sick of nostalgia, but I think there’s an important distinction to be made, here. We get nostalgic about things not because of the things themselves, but because of our life experiences during those times in our lives. Nostalgia-inducing objects are merely flag poles that direct us back to those experiences and people. Once there, we tend to remember them more than we do the objects themselves. For instance, when you mentioned Zoolander, you also mentioned your cousin. It wasn’t just a favorite of yours, it was a favorite of both of yours. A shared experience with family.

What we shouldn’t confuse with nostalgia is benchmarking. Comparing a current object, artwork, or system to its predecessor isn’t nostalgia. For instance, the electric power steering in my ‘06 Civic is garbage. It provides little feedback and feels numb and cold. The hydraulic power steering in my ‘98 Civic is perfect. Electric may be more “advanced,” but (at least in ‘06), it wasn’t a step forward.

When I drive the ‘06, though, I’m not simply being nostalgic about the good old days of simple cars. I’m comparing them objectively.

Things can change for a variety of reasons. Often it’s a genuine improvement. I’m glad none of my cars are carbureted. But sometimes it isn’t an improvement. Electric power steering is simpler and cheaper to manufacture, so now it’s prevalent.

The bottom line is, nostalgia is fun, but shouldn’t influence our decisions going forward. Benchmarking, however, should be seen as separate from nostalgia, and should absolutely influence our decisions.

Nibby > Rico 10/27/2016 at 13:04

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It’s remarkable how it’s getting better with age. There two 2 kinds of South Park fans... the ones who watch it for the jokes and the ones who watch it for the social commentary.

CalzoneGolem > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 13:05

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Remember SR20 getting stopped by the police?

Calzonegolem remembers.

Nibby > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 10/27/2016 at 13:06

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Yeah I hear exactly what you’re saying and I did mean to mention it but got carried away.

There is something to be said for newer isn’t always better but at the same time if you’re still using a 2003 Pentium 4 and complaining your computer is slow and the internet is bloat, etc.

Nibby > CalzoneGolem 10/27/2016 at 13:07

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‘Member when Orlove wore a Hawaiian shirt at the NY Auto show?

‘Member when it was called off-topic?

Rico > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 13:08

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I do both!!

Blondude > Gamecat235 10/27/2016 at 13:09

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I miss that avatar...

CalzoneGolem > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 13:10

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Yeah, that picture just wouldn’t go away. It still give me nightmares.

Blondude > For Sweden 10/27/2016 at 13:11

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Anyone else remember the brian1321 fan club?

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Gamecat235 10/27/2016 at 13:12

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I had forgotten about that one.

Also, that link brings up a whole bunch of names I ‘member!

CalzoneGolem > Rico 10/27/2016 at 13:18

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I don’t get South Park. I understand the social commentary. It is the rest of it I don’t get.

Hot Takes Salesman > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 13:19

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>South Park

>brilliant

/thread

Nibby > Hot Takes Salesman 10/27/2016 at 13:20

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Suit yourself

EL_ULY > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 13:23

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yes, all of this!!!!!!!!

Nibby > Rico 10/27/2016 at 13:23

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Good stuff

Wacko > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 13:28

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hey could of been worse, he could of been wearing just this

For Sweden > Gamecat235 10/27/2016 at 13:31

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Back before he fell victim to emo music :(

Rico > CalzoneGolem 10/27/2016 at 13:32

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Almost everything is an exaggerated double entendre. Some episodes are just their own ideas and random shit. The last 6 or 7 seasons have really focused on social commentary. Is there something specifically you’ve seen recently that you don’t get?

TheJWT > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 13:33

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I remember #offtopic.

But seriously though, I agree with your critique of our current obsession with nostalgia. I think there’s a big difference between understanding historical precedents and just trying to shoehorn something from the “good old days” into modern society, whether it’s and idea or value, design, technology, or whatever.

Gamecat235 > For Sweden 10/27/2016 at 13:51

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Jonee > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 13:52

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One thing we should be aware of, though, is that this is not a new phenomenon. People are inherently nostalgic. There have always been movie remakes. Back when I was a kid, there was a rash of “neo-classic” cars like Excaliburs and Zimmers, and Happy Days was the biggest show on t.v. Going back even further, architecture and furniture designs were always going through style “revivals.” It’s just something that we do to keep us in touch with where we came from. And, yet, progress still happens. That said, I do feel like current generations do extend their adolescence to a crazy degree.

I think South Park has jumped the shark with its ever present proselytizing. It’s no secret that they lean libertarian, and I find myself disagreeing with it more and more. And, the cult of South Park fanatics drive me crazy. Every single post on these websites now have a ton of comments with South Park screenshots as if that’s the final argument on any given subject.

uofime-2 > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 10/27/2016 at 13:54

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Was this post meant to be satire, cause if so bravo. haha

Nibby > Wacko 10/27/2016 at 13:56

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Did you take that from his drawer?

Nibby > TheJWT 10/27/2016 at 13:58

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Same can be said for religion. You can’t realistically abide by everything the Bible or Quran says literally... they were both written centuries ago in a different continent + social structure.

Nibby > Jonee 10/27/2016 at 14:00

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Right, well it is important to keep in mind whatever you’re watching is going to have an agenda and a certain bias.

I agree with a lot of stuff South Park says but there is a ton of stuff they do or say that I disagree with.

It is funny though how people use South Park memes as a way to shut up others... bit ironic.

Urambo Tauro > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 14:04

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One tricky thing about nostalgia is when you try to apply it to innovation.

Just because you’re the first to come up with a great idea, doesn’t mean that your version of it will always be the best. When it comes to remakes, a lot of them are pretty terrible and lazily executed. But every once in a while, they get reinvented into something that is genuinely better than the original.

One of my favorite examples of this is Chris Cornell’s take on Billie Jean . Imagine that a third party had written the song, and that Jackson and Cornell released their recordings simultaneously. I believe that Cornell’s version is has a tone that’s truer to the lyric. But Jackson’s version is worth a listen to, despite (or because of?) its funkiness.

Being innovative and coming up with something out of thin air is deserving of praise. But it doesn’t mean that an original idea cannot be improved upon.

Jonee > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 14:08

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I think they used to do a better job of mocking both sides of an argument. I see that less now.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 14:18

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Relevant (along with the entire episode S1:E6):

XJDano > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 14:28

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There is a good nostalgia podcast episode done by Stuff you should know. http://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/nostalgia-is-not-the-most-toxic-impulse.htm  

Talks about all this stuff.

Good essay.

CalzoneGolem > Rico 10/27/2016 at 14:36

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I haven’t watched it recently but all my friends watched it all the time when it first came out and I just don’t understand where the funny is.

Rico > CalzoneGolem 10/27/2016 at 14:45

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If you haven’t watched it in almost 15 years I can’t really make an argument that it’s funny you just have to watch a modern episode or two. You can start with this season since it has a lot to do with the election. Their official website http://southpark.cc.com/ has every episode for free to stream.

I can’t compare modern South park to what you’re friends watched in the 90's. It has grown and changed in a lot of ways regarding the way they address current events but I strongly encourage you to watch it.

Phatboyphil > Urambo Tauro 10/27/2016 at 15:03

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This is true. I remeber reading that Chuck Phalunk (I’m close and copy and paste is hard on mobile) said the movie for fight club was better than the book.

I’m not sure I agree with that (I kind of like the book ending better), but it’s intresting to hear the author say the movie adaptation was better than their own work

Wacko > Nibby 10/27/2016 at 15:24

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no he forgot it a my place

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Nibby 10/28/2016 at 00:12

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The reason for movie remakes is the two highest blocks of people are 15-25 year olds and 50-60 year olds. So remakes can be good because one has fond memories and the younger might be too young to have seen the original.

Also another reason is to keep the screenplay rights active by the studio.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fantastic_Four_(unreleased_film)

people look back at the past with rose colored glasses. What I find really disturbing is when people say shit like “we need to take out country back”, when asked “from who?” and then they get quiet.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Rico 10/28/2016 at 18:21

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I wrote a paper in college about how it was the best tv show ever made, and have also cited it as a source in supporting/describing arguments made in scholarly papers.

South Park is awesome.

TheRevanchist > Nibby 10/28/2016 at 18:33

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Pertinent to topic.

DynamicWeight > Urambo Tauro 10/28/2016 at 19:13

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I feel this way about The Civil Wars version of Billie Jean.

wiffleballtony > Nibby 10/28/2016 at 21:55

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I still think the 90s were better.

Nibby > wiffleballtony 10/28/2016 at 23:54

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Some things in the 90s were definitely better. But I like having fast internet, faster and better cars, and the ability to watch Heman videos while I poop.