mcguffin

June 25, 2013 8:58 pm How do you tell the difference between the "incessant drumbeat of joyless loathing" and people who dislike the movie for what they perceive to be valid reasons?

June 25, 2013 3:01 pm How much of an solipsistic egotist do you have to be to believe that people hate a movie because it's hip to do so, and not for...oh, I dunno... actual reasons? Do you sincerely believe that you and the people who like this movie are the only ones capable of rational thought while the people who didn't like this movie simply aren't?

June 25, 2013 11:56 am I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand Superman totally obliterated the fuck out of Metropolis with absolutely no regard for the innocent bystanders all around him, and I hated seeing that. That isn't my Superman. But on the other hand, if he hadn't ignored those people and kept fighting Zod, Zod would've killed WAY more people. Zod said explicitly that he was going to kill everyone, and if Superman had let him out of his sight for one second he probably would've gone all Kid Miracleman and start killing people by the tens of thousands in a matter of seconds because he's as powerful as Superman. The only thing standing between Zod and aa much higher bodycount is Superman grappling with him and preventing him from straight up killing absolutely everyone in the city. The problem here is that this movie wasn't written with the intention of placing Superman in a situation where he can be Superman and do the right thing. It was written in the real world about a real person who would've made a mistake like this instead of the symbol Superman should be. Goyer's defense is that Superman is just starting out and making mistakes. Well, I don't want a Superman that makes mistakes like that. I want THE Superman. Not your gritty, Nolanized version of him.

April 19, 2013 5:01 pm Molly, pretty sure Knockout's name is intended to be a double entendre. In her secret identity she was a stripper. Your healing journey is certainly more nuanced. I'm just working with the text of the article and discussing whether or not its message is one that has merit.

April 19, 2013 3:34 pm @jasonhart I do understand those low points, which fuels my dislike for the article. I understand anxiety as an affliction unto itself as well as social anxiety.I also understand hating your own body. I hated being rail thin my entire life so much that I completely dedicated myself to working out, sticking to a rigid, joyless diet to this day to make myself look the way I want to look. I did get past my self-hate and insecurity, but I did it through hard work, setting my own personal goals and achieving them. Yes, I wanted people to be attracted to me, but my hatred for my own body completely overshadowed that. And by the time I got where I wanted to be, I didn't feel half as good about how I looked as I did about the work. It wasn't the work or the creativity that got Molly over her insecurities. It wasn't something that she derived from within. It wasn't the craft of cosplay itself because she had cosplayed many times before. What got her to changed her self perception was being a chick with a curvaceous body in a leotard at a con and having attention and admiration lavished on her by men who love curvaceous bodes (Which, lets face it, is most of us. But apparently the message hasnt been received because the internet is overloaded with women lamenting their big boobs, small waists, and wide hips. How awful for them). What if she didn't have the figure to pull of Knockout? For Christ's sake, if you have the figure to pull off a character whose is so-named because she's stupid-hot you need to stop complaining, at least out loud where other people who don't have such a desirable figure can hear you. Those men and women who aren't blessed with such conventionally attractive bodies can't just put on a Knockout or Nightwing costume and have the same experience. If I had daughters, like a poster below does, I would not want them to take that message to heart, because they might not be so priveliged to look like Molly. And then what? Yes, I am discrediting her "achievement" based on how she got there. There are good ways of making yourself feel god about yourself and there are shallow ways of making yourself feel good about yourself. I feel compelled to criticize the shallows ways because I don't think women, especially young women should internalize those lessons. The world is already excessively judging women by their looks. There's no need to feed into that by basing your self worth on your ability to get your ass stared at at a con. I hope to have kids one day. Maybe daughters. I do NOT want them taking this message to heart. I want them to understand that the are not just things to be objectified. I want their pride to be rooted in the fact that they made a badass costume with their own hands, not in the fact that they just happen to have the body to pull it off. That is why it matters. Also, I appreciate your taking the time to criticize my points and not simply taking the easy way out bywriting me off as a misogynist. Thank you.

April 19, 2013 12:50 am Now, that's message of substance. A message I can get behind. Well said, Mockingjay.

April 18, 2013 3:36 pm Because she never felt so good about herself in all her life until strangers looked at her approvingly -- until strangers made her feel sexy and beautiful. It has nothing to do with creativity or craft. this isnt an article about a creative endevor. It has everything to do with her desire to feel desired. That's the point of the article. The cosplay wasn't even necessary. She would've gotten the same reaction at a car show.

April 18, 2013 1:26 pm You're right, Is1200. It's completely possible that she didn't think she was hot before she put on the skintight leotard. The real lesson here is: "be hot and you will feel better." A valuable one indeed.

April 18, 2013 1:02 pm Yes, criticism of this article must be rooted in misogyny. There are no other possibilities.

October 18, 2011 3:49 pm Wow, you guys sounded like hell, and still managed to deliver some interesting and insightful commentary. Thanks for busting your ass and entertaining me while I work.