Dr. Memory, or: how I learned to stop worrying and love the Beeb
Okay, I've been running this into the ground in unrelated comment boxes on Alex's Livejournal, so a brief summary of my new views on the license fee should be briefly summarized, to preserve my appearance as a level-headed non-reactionary.
As I've said before, my slagging off of the BBC was a kind of primal defence mechanism. I was scared of a fine, there's a big old TV in my front room that I can't just move, and I was skint.
It's sorted now, I owe the bodies £10 and then I can forget about it. The BBC, while not perfect (hey, everyone's got to appeal to the LCD, it's sensible, and if you have to watch TV on a Saturday night, or during primetime, you fail as a social human being, in my eyes), has presented more of a contribution to the media than any other outlet. It's true that while I enjoyed Sky while I had it, it was considerably more miss than hit, and most of my time was spent on it watching weird music videos early in the morning on MTV2. I get it from reliable sources that MTV2 is shit these days, so I doubt I'll see Laika and Squarepusher videos as often as I used to. It's a shame, but I've better things to do.
The nearest thing to the BBC, as I alluded to before, was Channel 4, but it's a relatively new, and still rather immature station. Not like I enjoy most of its' output on the same level as stuff like Man/Woman, Buzzcocks, Ideal, and Blackadder, but hey, it's a nice alternative, and I must admit to being reasonably fond of C4 News.
Should also be noted that the only time I've ever seen my joint-favourite film, Akira, broadcast was on BBC2 some time in the mid 90s. Adding further context, it was likely that Ian Curtis killed himself after watching Stroszek on BBC2. It's not like you'd see films like that elsewhere, at least not without some form of insipid pay-per-view system designed to capitalize on your difference. Also, watch Stroszek if you get the chance. It's a fantastic Werner Herzog film about the utter failure of the American Dream. Not that I'm one of those detestable exponents of terms such as "AMERIKKKA", and the like, but you can't deny the intelligent and darkly amusing exposition of a viewpoint, especially one so bitingly and lovingly presented.
A slight derail there. I'm all over the place in my writing style, not like I can do much about it now. Anyway, through some excellent manoeuvering, my housemate managed to swing it so we only have to pay £32.50 for the rest of the year, in terms of TV Licensing. The way the anti-BBC propaganda site had it, I was expecting to be assaulted by jackbooted secret police members who would sodomize and then fine me. Odd how easily I get pulled along into these things.
http://www.tvlicensing.biz , by the way. It wasn't until Gareth's intervention that I realized how it was something of a Murdoch-related ploy. It's like Alex says, rather disgusting, and from my viewpoint, somewhat puerile. Encouraging the manufacture of devices to foil the detection scheme? How revolting.
It would be nice to find a cause like that which was honest, but perhaps searching within the volatile and charged arena of the media isn't the right way to go about it.
I shall express my humility in the form of a stylized school reference. Savour it while it lasts. I'm an inherently arrogant bastard as should be exemplified by my egocentric discourse, and it's unlikely you'll see this again, at least until the next application of pressure to my state;
I WILL NOT ALLY WITH DODGY "RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS" OUT OF DESPERATION
I WILL NOT ALLY WITH DODGY "RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS" OUT OF DESPERATION
I WILL NOT ALLY WITH DODGY "RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS" OUT OF DESPERATION
I WILL NOT ALLY WITH DODGY "RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS" OUT OF DESPERATION
I WILL NOT ALLY WITH DODGY "RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS" OUT OF DESPERATION
There. Cleansed.
Also, check otu the new Dragonforce album. It's serious, over the top fun.
As I've said before, my slagging off of the BBC was a kind of primal defence mechanism. I was scared of a fine, there's a big old TV in my front room that I can't just move, and I was skint.
It's sorted now, I owe the bodies £10 and then I can forget about it. The BBC, while not perfect (hey, everyone's got to appeal to the LCD, it's sensible, and if you have to watch TV on a Saturday night, or during primetime, you fail as a social human being, in my eyes), has presented more of a contribution to the media than any other outlet. It's true that while I enjoyed Sky while I had it, it was considerably more miss than hit, and most of my time was spent on it watching weird music videos early in the morning on MTV2. I get it from reliable sources that MTV2 is shit these days, so I doubt I'll see Laika and Squarepusher videos as often as I used to. It's a shame, but I've better things to do.
The nearest thing to the BBC, as I alluded to before, was Channel 4, but it's a relatively new, and still rather immature station. Not like I enjoy most of its' output on the same level as stuff like Man/Woman, Buzzcocks, Ideal, and Blackadder, but hey, it's a nice alternative, and I must admit to being reasonably fond of C4 News.
Should also be noted that the only time I've ever seen my joint-favourite film, Akira, broadcast was on BBC2 some time in the mid 90s. Adding further context, it was likely that Ian Curtis killed himself after watching Stroszek on BBC2. It's not like you'd see films like that elsewhere, at least not without some form of insipid pay-per-view system designed to capitalize on your difference. Also, watch Stroszek if you get the chance. It's a fantastic Werner Herzog film about the utter failure of the American Dream. Not that I'm one of those detestable exponents of terms such as "AMERIKKKA", and the like, but you can't deny the intelligent and darkly amusing exposition of a viewpoint, especially one so bitingly and lovingly presented.
A slight derail there. I'm all over the place in my writing style, not like I can do much about it now. Anyway, through some excellent manoeuvering, my housemate managed to swing it so we only have to pay £32.50 for the rest of the year, in terms of TV Licensing. The way the anti-BBC propaganda site had it, I was expecting to be assaulted by jackbooted secret police members who would sodomize and then fine me. Odd how easily I get pulled along into these things.
http://www.tvlicensing.biz , by the way. It wasn't until Gareth's intervention that I realized how it was something of a Murdoch-related ploy. It's like Alex says, rather disgusting, and from my viewpoint, somewhat puerile. Encouraging the manufacture of devices to foil the detection scheme? How revolting.
It would be nice to find a cause like that which was honest, but perhaps searching within the volatile and charged arena of the media isn't the right way to go about it.
I shall express my humility in the form of a stylized school reference. Savour it while it lasts. I'm an inherently arrogant bastard as should be exemplified by my egocentric discourse, and it's unlikely you'll see this again, at least until the next application of pressure to my state;
I WILL NOT ALLY WITH DODGY "RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS" OUT OF DESPERATION
I WILL NOT ALLY WITH DODGY "RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS" OUT OF DESPERATION
I WILL NOT ALLY WITH DODGY "RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS" OUT OF DESPERATION
I WILL NOT ALLY WITH DODGY "RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS" OUT OF DESPERATION
I WILL NOT ALLY WITH DODGY "RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS" OUT OF DESPERATION
There. Cleansed.
Also, check otu the new Dragonforce album. It's serious, over the top fun.