I've been thinking about fun because I am in Disney something right now (check out yesterday's post for the deets) and it is their semi-fascist mission to ensure you have fun. As I discussed in Another Flavor's very first post, "it's so bad when you're young to be told you're having fun." I think it is supposed to be one of those fake-wise paradoxes like if you fail to master your rage, your rage will become your master. (Side note: What was the deal with Mystery Men? It was all over the place! You learned all this stuff about Casanova Frankenstein that turned out not to matter and they didn't even have William H. Macy do full frontal!) I think fun should come naturally, though. It is almost impossible to have fun in a forced manner.
Do you remember new year's eve? If you do, you probably didn't have a very good one. If you don't, getting blackout drunk only seems like a good idea, it actually is very unhealthy for your eyes and I think eye health is vitally important. Anyways, there is a lot of pressure on new year's eve (and not just on your eyes). It only happens once a year and you must have fun no matter what. Inevitably it is either a huge letdown or you permanently damage your eyeballs.
I see the same thing here in Disney. I am working on my professional photography portfolio (a.k.a. the three Ps) so here is a picture:
People spend a lot of money to come here and they are GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME, DAMMIT! I was at this magical spheroid until after 9 PM and there were a bunch of small children still up. Why? Because these families were determined to have fun. This means if something happens like it is cold, or it rains (both of which happened while I was here) people are brutally disappointed. And something always goes wrong! You can't realistically expect everything to be perfect so being determined to have fun guarantees that you won't.
Think back on those times you had fun. Were you thinking about how much fun you were having? No! You were having too much fun! Fun cannot be deliberate. Therego, in order to have fun we must deliberately try to not have it.
Did you follow that? It is extremely logical. For the truly logical thinkers out there, let me demonstrate it in your own language: 00100111011010110. Got it? Good.
So what does this have to do with music videos? Does it have to have anything to do with music videos? It is Free-for-all Friday! This is the day I let my inhibitions run wild! I guess I can relate it to one just for you, the demanding reader. Take a look at this frighteningly serious video for Ana Ng by They Might Be Giants:
Isn't it funny? Because it is so serious!
The video is about two gentlemen with pretty serious anger management problems.
Sometimes while working at their empty desks, they get so angry! They are angry that they have no paperwork.
There is a lot of very serious frustration at this office.
And possibly pain?
Their duties in the office are very serious as well. For a few hours a day they each must do serious-military-portrait-holding.
There is shouting at the phone time, of course.
Even during the cruel-overlord-mandated play time the play is rigid and serious.
I'm pretty sure this is the opposite of frolicking.
If, outside of work hours, these men are forced to interact with another human being they avoid eye contact because there might be a moment of levity.
Naturally, that must be avoided at all costs.
These serious men usually end up working themselves to death.
So why am I so delighted by these men? They are deadly serious and I am smiling about it. I think seriousness is inherently ridiculous. If I arrived at Disney world and was told to be very careful with my bag because theft is a serious problem, then I would be having fun. I just get a kick out of it!
I hope someone at Disney takes this to heart and it becomes the most serious place on Earth. One can only hope.
-PTD
Mystery Men are misunderstood
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