Bobby, you brought up a lot of great points. I never really knew how inconsistent film ratings were. I do agree that it’s unfair to blame the filmmakers and artists. Their job is to tell stories, and in many cases, push the envelope. How do you propose we revamp the rating system? Should there be more ratings, more explicit descriptions of the rating and why it was given?
I do see where you’re coming from when you talk about the ‘problem of parenting’. Parents are responsible for their children and what they consume. Should there be a baseline for ages at movies besides just the R rating?
Thanks for your insight Bobby! I look forward to reading more!

I think society influences film, and film influences society. They go hand and hand some things aren’t even thought about until it is seen in a film. That is why it is important to make certain films that make people aware of what is happening around them. It is like giving a person a chance to walk in someone else’s shoes in a sense.

I think there is a difference between a film and a movie. A movie is something that serves to entertain an audience, for example The Avengers (2012) lacks artistic concepts. But, the movie is extremely entertaining. Whereas, a film is art, it has a purpose and message. For example the film The Lobster (2015) has a deeper message and reflects societies dull idea of love. So, a movie is influenced by society to be entertaining and has the sole purpose to make as much money as possible. Thus, they target as many people ass possible. But, a film influences society, and is influenced by society at the same time. They take concepts from our everyday life and turn them into something beautiful with a message and tries to influence you into believing something. Great paper.

Bobby,

This was very interesting to read. I didn’t know this much about the development of cameras and movies. Do you the history of how the camera technology got smaller and changed how people film? I’m curious to know I found this article on the history of the movie camera that I think you might find interesting. https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/movies/g1046/a-brief-history-of-the-movie-camera/

Bobby, I really enjoyed reading this post. I am taking film studies this year and it really puts into perspective what goes into making a film. Every time I go see a movie now I look into the aspects of what it takes to make a movie. I think this is a very important question in what you are asking. Many people don’t think movies are art when in fact they are. People’s dreams are put into their movies not to mention a lot of effort too. This should be put out there because many people go unaware. Here is an article I think you might like about movies and how they relate to art: https://mubi.com/lists/movies-are-art-now-than-ever-arthouse-movies

very good article sir, can’t wait to see your next one!

Dear Bobby,

I am really moved by your post, “Are movies art?” because I too enjoy the art of movies and take them very seriously. I like to watch movies and do much more than simply enjoy it, I want to be part of them and this really proved to others just how much effort it takes to make a single movie and call it art. Movies are most definitely the highest form of art and my favorite so thank you for writing this.

Interesting article, Bobby! I really liked how you not only discussed the work that goes into making a movie but also the culture that goes along with movies. Based on your post I think you would enjoy reading this article, https://www.debate.org/opinions/are-movies-art. I look forward to reading your future posts!

Bobby,
I am very passionate about this topic as I know you are, Statistics and people telling you to lose wait are not good motivators especially for an issue as large as obesity. I feel where you are coming from especially because I’ve been wanting to join the military and im slightly overweight for my size. Now it wasnt advertisements or the prospect of going on diet pills or whatnot that convinced me to lose weight. It was my own personal conviction to make myself healthier. All of these inspirational quotes that make being obese is ok is making everything worse. Yes it’s great to appreciate your own body for everything it is but its equally important to recognize that one needs to stay healthy in order to lead a great life.

Bobby. I disagree with your thought on how you think the stats are ineffective with change. People get scared of what out countries exterior outlook may look like in a few years. I enjoyed your post, it had great structure but I must ask, do you think people are born with obesity? and is it a mental illness in your opinion? I know a couple of people who cannot help being over weight, but thats they way there body is built. I do want to make it clear that I do not believe that being obese should socially acceptable because there health and lives are at risk. Thank you !

http://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/aaic-2015-coverage/mental-illness-and-obesity/article/479564/

Bobby,
I find this piece interesting, particularly because of how easy you mention it is to change. As someone who has not had to battle with obesity, but from an outsider’s perspective, I’ve never seen it this way. I feel like the general perspective on obesity from someone who is obese is not that they feel comfortable that way, but that they do not want to be displaced in society as a result. I think this is largely where the “beauty on the outside does not reflect who I am on the inside” idea comes from. I agree that statistics are not a good motivator, but have you considered the people who simply do not have the time or the resources to change their lifestyle? I am thinking of the single mothers whose little free time is dedicated to earning enough money to get her kids through school and get them dinner at night. Those individuals may not have time. Now, to be sure, there are people who can spend beyond their means and have plenty of free time to change, but I will echo Ethan in his question of “is it a mental illness in your opinion?” Can mental illness contribute to the problem, or is it entirely a matter of character? Consider this article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/psych-unseen/201406/is-obesity-psychiatric-disorder … It talks about how we are already treating anorexia and bulimia as psychiatric disorders, and they are simply inverse mirrors of obesity, so perhaps it is time to tackle obesity from a mental perspective, rather than a physical one. It is fantastic that you are mentally capable of overcoming this obstacle, but do you believe that everyone is fit in the same way to do so?

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Hunter

Bobby,
I see a good deal of validity in your opinion but ultimately I find it really harmful. There is a widely accepted fallacy that being “overweight” is synonymous with “unhealthy”, which is very often not the case. When you see an obese (not overweight, there is a difference) person dining at fast food restaurant and eating massive quantities of fried food washed down with soda, there is a problem in that. This kind of obesity, poor diet, and lack of physical activity can lead to serious health problems. This is an audience worth addressing of the dangers of obesity. It is wrong, however, to imply that just because someone is “overweight” that they are unhealthy. My body type is thin and I weigh only a little over a hundred pounds. By society’s standards, I have a relatively “acceptable” body. But you know what? I’m the first to admit that I eat really poorly. I indulge in a ton of junk food and I wouldn’t be caught dead exercising. Yet my body still appears “healthy” because societal standards have declared that a thinner figure is “healthy” and “right”. I have countless people in my life who weigh more than me and appear heavier than me yet exercise regularly and eat really well. I can name so many people whose bodies may not reflect society’s standards and what we see in media as “healthy” and “beautiful”, but they are exponentially healthier than me and people with “better bodies”. There are so many different body types in this world and they need to be celebrated, represented, and accepted. We can’t all look the same and we shouldn’t. It’s wrong to tell everyone who is “overweight” that they need to change their bodies. It’s really harmful and fuels a toxic society. I agree with the importance of healthy living, but you need to be careful how you address this issue and who you are addressing.

Bobby I agree with you, I think we as a society have no good understanding of our eating habits and I think there should be taught a healthier lifestyle methood for all people to reach middle ground. I myself am underweight and I am unsure what to eat and how to maintain a healthier weight that is middle ground. My mom for most of my childhood was overweight and she wanted to change, like you, and she did she lowered her calorie intake and made sure to consumer protein that could be turn into muscle from working out. I think people have many ways to look at eating habits and I think it’s unfair for everybody either if they are skinny or overweight to be judged for. People need to realize that we have been force fed “fab” diets that can be harmful, and Americans have an extreme selection to consume unhealthy foods (which let me say food stamps does not pay for healthier food instead they force people on these food assistance porgrams to buy unhealthy food, how is that fair?). I believe people need to shape up and redefine a way of living that is middle ground for everyone.

Hi Bobby,
I constantly think about my health and weight everyday. Looking to see what is the healthiest meal on the menu. I am not the skinniest guy out there, but I am not hugely overweight either. The only thing that I partly disagree with you is when you say statistics are not working. Many people have the “it won’t happen to me” mentality. So this can be a reason why people won’t start trying to lose weight. But I think the most effective way to lose weight is actually experience it. If an obese person has a heart attack or diabetes, this can be life changing in a way that they try to not let it happen again. Another to experience it to watch documentaries and movies about lives of the effects of being obese. And speaking of weight, what do you think about BMI? Many people and doctors use BMI to see if you are underweight, average, overweight, and obese. But in recent years doctors and others are saying they are not as accurate that people say they are. This article from LiveScience says that, “BMI doesn’t take into account fat, and it doesn’t indicate where fat is distributed on the body”. Do you think BMIs should still be used to see whether or not you are healthy?
Source: https://www.livescience.com/39097-bmi-not-accurate-health-measure.html

Bobby,
Interesting article and I agree that the issue is very prevalent in today’s society. Not necessarily that it is worse than before, but rather that it is more documented than ever. Police and citizens are put in a position of danger in the lack of trust between the two groups. Police officers are no longer as respected as they were before, raising tension for both. I think there’s definitely groups affected by their position of power as shown by results in the Stanford prison experiment. Hopefully, there will be a way to solve our issue without too much more violence.

Bobby,

I found this to be very interesting and your rating system to be extremely in depth. I agreed with manny of the points you made regarding the rating system and liked your examples of movies that fit the rating system. This allowed me to picture the types of movies that would be considered terrible and the ones that are fantastic. I noticed that 4 out of the 9 examples were superhero movies and I was wondering where The Dark Knight and Deadpool rank on your system.

Bobby,

Now I know what’s going through your head when we see movies together haha! Your tone of voice was humorous, and made me laugh out loud! I agree with your explanation of rating a movie a 1/10… it is so bad that it becomes funny. Also, I agree with your statements about Adam Sandler. I do not find the delivery of his lines humorous or clever at all. The only movie I ever enjoyed him in was “Click,” but still wouldn’t give him a grammy for it.

<3, Ave

Dear Bobby,

I see the point you are making here, about popular music having the same kind of rhythm, but artist are only trying to put out what the listeners want. How can you blame it on music when the music is made to the listeners liking. So that they will listen to their music over and over again. In my opinion, music is having a new era, than a century ago. More and more artist are writing songs about oppression. More so I think because of America’s new president trump was elected. More artist are expressing how they feel through their songs. So you can debate about declining or uprising. Thank you for sharing your voice.

-Kevin

Bobby,
First of all, I thought your post was hilarious. Music that seems to be enjoyed by millennials is often incredibly racist and sexist, and has little to no artistic talent involved. However, making generalizations about modern music as being terrible isn’t completely fair, as “terrible” is subjective. You should take a poll from our school next time, involving different styles of music, new and old, and asking people to pick their preference. A study on something so predominant in the lives of modern teens could be really interesting. Great post!
Lucy

Bobby,
I thought this was a very interesting topic. I do believe some of the music has gotten worse in certain ways, but there is also amazing music being produced. With all of our problems today, music lets us express how we feel. Although people might believe what they hear is “trashy”, these people are expressing their opinions. Sometimes you have to look deeper into the lyrics to find the true meaning. I agree that some of the music is repetitive and could have more substance, but maybe there is music you aren’t finding and letting yourself understand. I suggest you to look at some songs that might change your mind. Specifically, I really enjoy the artists called Portugal the Man.

Take a look at this link and see if you don’t find it catchy! Thank you for sharing your ideas.
-Isa Dodson

Hi Bobby,

I see where you are coming from. Nowadays, music can easily get repetitive and overplayed. What I’d like to suggest is that you expand your research. If you look at the top charts in the iTunes store, yes you will see many pop songs- but there are also indie artists, R&B, and a variety of different genres. A good argument always touches on the other side, so I think you should have mentioned something positive that has come from the music made in this generation. Otherwise, I think this was beautifully written and I like how you quoted Freddy Mercury. Bringing in statistics helped make your argument more viable, and convincing.

Jenessa

Hi Bobby,
While I do agree with you that in some ways music has gone downhill in the past few years, often I find music in certain genres lacking the depth that it used to have. However, there is more than one genre of music, and not all music today is the same. If you go looking for music that has more to it than just what most pop music has, it is there. This song for example was written during 1966, which was written during the height of protest music, and it tells a fully story. While this may not necessarily be considered “modern music” it was written past the 50’s during a brilliant revolution in music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDAKymklmJI. I hope you’ll listen to it to see where I’m coming from, and I’m interested to see what you have to say next about music as a whole, or possibly the particular genres and artists you have problems with.

Dear Bobby,

Interesting write up, I would agree with you that the top charts today are seemingly bland compared to what they’ve been in the past. Popular music has over time moved into easier listening and catchy repetition, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the music of today is “terrible” altogether. I’d love to see you analyze the progression of an individual genre as opposed to “music” which describes an incredibly expansive amount of things. Genres differ greatly, and looking past the surface of popular music today good music continues to be produced on a higher scale than ever before. As music evolves with time it has definitely changed in the last century, but saying that modern music is terrible is quite a generalization.

Sincerely,
Ed

Bobby,

I found this post really interesting, I definitely feel that people today don’t “demand” much of anything from their music. Your point on decreased pitch variety is also spot-on. I’ve noticed the repeated use of simple major/minor chords in all sorts of pop music today, even “sad” songs feel like they’re not conveying emotion through their notes (see the “Millenial Whoop” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennial_whoop). There has to be a reason for this, right? Music has been a big part of most people’s lives for centuries now. I wonder if the internet has caused music to lose so much of what makes it special, or just caused people to not care about their music as much.

Dear Bobby,

I am interested in your post because I expected something a lot less scientific and you truly surprised me. Your use of facts completely turned this post around for me, and your personal view is similar to my own. One thing you said that stood out to me was “I think it’s important to to be objective in how you define beauty. Once you understand how a person is beautiful, you can show your love to that person that will make them happy.” I think this is intelligent because it really made me think. Beauty is the main core of our appreciation of others.

Hello Bobby,

I agree with you that people define beauty based on the physical appearance and looks of the person. There could be many other factors that could define beauty, such as the aforementioned ones listed above, including physical beauty, which is one of the many reasons people are attracted to their partners. This article will go more in depth regarding what we are both saying: http://journalismiziko.dut.ac.za/feature-review/defining-physical-beauty/

Sincerely,
Aria Handlon