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July 19, 2005 5:47 PM Subscribe
That'll teach those damn kids!
posted by hototogisu at 5:55 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by hototogisu at 5:55 PM on July 19, 2005
Funny would have been using a megaphone or dropping leaflets.
posted by ao4047 at 5:55 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by ao4047 at 5:55 PM on July 19, 2005
It is quite hilarious. MetaFIlter material? I don't know. Considering they deleted my link to a "pop yahoo story," I do hope this is deleted.
posted by Citizen Premier at 5:55 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by Citizen Premier at 5:55 PM on July 19, 2005
How appropriate.
That'll teach people to vicariously live their lives through some book or movie.
posted by Mach3avelli at 5:59 PM on July 19, 2005
That'll teach people to vicariously live their lives through some book or movie.
posted by Mach3avelli at 5:59 PM on July 19, 2005
I agree that the buildup to the release of the book was ridiculous, and I haven't read any of the HP books, but jeez, shouting it out of the window of a moving car? Lame.
posted by strikhedonia at 6:04 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by strikhedonia at 6:04 PM on July 19, 2005
1. Please, no one reveal any spoilers here, we already had a nice long discussion about that dickyness here
2. This isn't very funny to me at all (I guess that's why it's in quotes), considering that most of those people are children. Don't you remember the pleasure of reading books for the first time when you were a child, completely oblivious to most foreshadowing, having twists and turns pop out in front of you? For me it was the Redwall series (I know...I know...) but I had no idea which mouse was going to die, or even that the hero would win. I can't imagine why some prick would want to ruin that for a bunch of people. This is the same kind of person that watches Faces of Death for pleasure and kicks their friends in the nuts to see them cry. Sorry jimmy, ruining childhood fun is certainly not post-worthy.
posted by cyphill at 6:07 PM on July 19, 2005
2. This isn't very funny to me at all (I guess that's why it's in quotes), considering that most of those people are children. Don't you remember the pleasure of reading books for the first time when you were a child, completely oblivious to most foreshadowing, having twists and turns pop out in front of you? For me it was the Redwall series (I know...I know...) but I had no idea which mouse was going to die, or even that the hero would win. I can't imagine why some prick would want to ruin that for a bunch of people. This is the same kind of person that watches Faces of Death for pleasure and kicks their friends in the nuts to see them cry. Sorry jimmy, ruining childhood fun is certainly not post-worthy.
posted by cyphill at 6:07 PM on July 19, 2005
Concept: A
Filmmaking: F-
Why'd he gun it after yelling the spoiler? Afraid the nerds would beat him up? Also, I have to say as funny as I found this, I remember years ago when Letterman spoiled the surprise of The Crying Game on his show. That pissed me off (and many others as well) something fierce.
posted by zardoz at 6:09 PM on July 19, 2005
Filmmaking: F-
Why'd he gun it after yelling the spoiler? Afraid the nerds would beat him up? Also, I have to say as funny as I found this, I remember years ago when Letterman spoiled the surprise of The Crying Game on his show. That pissed me off (and many others as well) something fierce.
posted by zardoz at 6:09 PM on July 19, 2005
That's not even close to being funny, at least he could have put some thought into it; I mean running through the parking lot yelling it out, Lame.
4pts sentiment, 0pts for execution.
At least as an interpretive dance or poorly-acted mime .. no, perhaps not mime, there's never a case for mime.
posted by oliyoung at 6:09 PM on July 19, 2005
4pts sentiment, 0pts for execution.
At least as an interpretive dance or poorly-acted mime .. no, perhaps not mime, there's never a case for mime.
posted by oliyoung at 6:09 PM on July 19, 2005
I'm with cyphill- ruining something like that for children isn't funny.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:11 PM on July 19, 2005 [1 favorite]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:11 PM on July 19, 2005 [1 favorite]
The ending was spoiled for 12 people by a kid in his mom's minivan and we're going to discuss this?
posted by unsupervised at 6:12 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by unsupervised at 6:12 PM on July 19, 2005
I was expecting him to wreck the car since the file is named pottercrash. That might have actually been funny.
What is the point of doing something like that? The fake "Hermoine dies" spoilers last time were one thing. This is something else. Actually ruining someone else's enjoyment of a book accomplishes ... what, exactly?
Disclaimer: I have never read any of the books and don't really give a crap what happens in them.
posted by Potsy at 6:12 PM on July 19, 2005
What is the point of doing something like that? The fake "Hermoine dies" spoilers last time were one thing. This is something else. Actually ruining someone else's enjoyment of a book accomplishes ... what, exactly?
Disclaimer: I have never read any of the books and don't really give a crap what happens in them.
posted by Potsy at 6:12 PM on July 19, 2005
This isn't very funny to me at all (I guess that's why it's in quotes) ... Sorry jimmy, ruining childhood fun is certainly not post-worthy.
wait, do you mean you managed to completely forget your initial revelation over the course of a single rambling paragraph?
posted by jimmy at 6:14 PM on July 19, 2005
wait, do you mean you managed to completely forget your initial revelation over the course of a single rambling paragraph?
posted by jimmy at 6:14 PM on July 19, 2005
I have read the books, and would care...
but c'mon cyphill, I think it's ok to discuss spoilers in the comments of a FPP called man spoils harry potter ending - "funny".
posted by cosmonaught at 6:18 PM on July 19, 2005
but c'mon cyphill, I think it's ok to discuss spoilers in the comments of a FPP called man spoils harry potter ending - "funny".
posted by cosmonaught at 6:18 PM on July 19, 2005
Uh, jimmy, just because you put the word in quotes doesn't make it post-worthy (which would be my point in that last line). If your having trouble remember, "best of the web", not "stupid and mean kids film themselves doing something stupid and mean".
posted by cyphill at 6:30 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by cyphill at 6:30 PM on July 19, 2005
I thought it was ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS. Judging by the tone of these comments, I must be an evil rapist murderer serial killer child molestor.
(Come on, people, there wasnt anyone in that video under 15!)
posted by wakko at 6:40 PM on July 19, 2005
(Come on, people, there wasnt anyone in that video under 15!)
posted by wakko at 6:40 PM on July 19, 2005
This post gets the Rob Rabiee Seal of Meh.
Which is to say, it made me say...
Meh.
posted by ford and the prefects at 6:41 PM on July 19, 2005
Which is to say, it made me say...
Meh.
posted by ford and the prefects at 6:41 PM on July 19, 2005
The ending was spoiled for 12 people by a kid in his mom's minivan and we're going to discuss this?
Yeah, I was expecting a large crowd and a bullhorn.
posted by btwillig at 6:46 PM on July 19, 2005
Yeah, I was expecting a large crowd and a bullhorn.
posted by btwillig at 6:46 PM on July 19, 2005
Spoilers beware:
GNAA (NWS) and other internet trolls trolled some Harry Potter forums:
http://internet-terrori.st/14072005.htm
A site used for trolling:
http://dumbledoredies.ytmnd.com/
My (30 minute) protest on the use of Harry Potter to restrict free speech in British Columbia:
Photo taken in Chapters, Victoria, BC, Canada on the eve of the Harry Potter release
A girl poked me with a broken golf club over that sign.
posted by abez at 6:47 PM on July 19, 2005
GNAA (NWS) and other internet trolls trolled some Harry Potter forums:
http://internet-terrori.st/14072005.htm
A site used for trolling:
http://dumbledoredies.ytmnd.com/
My (30 minute) protest on the use of Harry Potter to restrict free speech in British Columbia:
Photo taken in Chapters, Victoria, BC, Canada on the eve of the Harry Potter release
A girl poked me with a broken golf club over that sign.
posted by abez at 6:47 PM on July 19, 2005
It's just not Metafilter worthy unless there are bullhorns.
posted by Balisong at 6:53 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by Balisong at 6:53 PM on July 19, 2005
He should have done it Blues Brothers style, rolling slowly past with a PA system attached to the top of his car.
Unfortunatley, this just sucks.
posted by sellout at 6:57 PM on July 19, 2005
Unfortunatley, this just sucks.
posted by sellout at 6:57 PM on July 19, 2005
I don't plan on reading the book (as I have not read any of the Harry Potter series)--but this just was not funny in the least. Very mean spirited.
posted by r3rrr at 7:10 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by r3rrr at 7:10 PM on July 19, 2005
The ending was spoiled for 12 people by a kid in his mom's minivan and we're going to discuss this?
Well you don't have to. Discuss it, I mean. Start a thread!
posted by longsleeves at 7:12 PM on July 19, 2005
Well you don't have to. Discuss it, I mean. Start a thread!
posted by longsleeves at 7:12 PM on July 19, 2005
My wife and I read the first two of the series to each other as we went on road trips, but alas, we haven't kept up..
I hope Hermoinie dies, pretentious bitch!
posted by Balisong at 7:13 PM on July 19, 2005
I hope Hermoinie dies, pretentious bitch!
posted by Balisong at 7:13 PM on July 19, 2005
I've never really understood why some people feel that knowing the outcome of a story completely spoils it for them.
For me, the pleasure is almost all in the way that the story unfolds, and the various devices that the author employs to take the story in the direction he or she wants it to go. Quite often, I find the suspense of not knowing what will ultimately happen to be quite irritating, so I'll skip forward to find out how it turns out, and then skip back and find out how we reach that final destination.
I don't watch sports myself, but knowing the outcome of a particular match rarely seems to stop sports fans from watching and enjoying the game. I don't really get why books or movies are any different -- and in some cases, I get the *most* pleasure from re-reading books -- though I suppose this is explicable by the concepts of 'plaisir' and 'jouissance'
posted by PeterMcDermott at 7:15 PM on July 19, 2005
For me, the pleasure is almost all in the way that the story unfolds, and the various devices that the author employs to take the story in the direction he or she wants it to go. Quite often, I find the suspense of not knowing what will ultimately happen to be quite irritating, so I'll skip forward to find out how it turns out, and then skip back and find out how we reach that final destination.
I don't watch sports myself, but knowing the outcome of a particular match rarely seems to stop sports fans from watching and enjoying the game. I don't really get why books or movies are any different -- and in some cases, I get the *most* pleasure from re-reading books -- though I suppose this is explicable by the concepts of 'plaisir' and 'jouissance'
posted by PeterMcDermott at 7:15 PM on July 19, 2005
Went to B&N on Sunday. Asked a clerk about the "surprise" ending. He whispered it to me. I yelled it back at him and he jumped. He shushed me with this look of extreme panic on his face so I didn't take it any further. It was pretty funny to me, though.
posted by ColdChef at 7:19 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by ColdChef at 7:19 PM on July 19, 2005
you sir, are a rebel. It does give me a lot of good ideas though...
posted by hototogisu at 7:21 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by hototogisu at 7:21 PM on July 19, 2005
yeah, i saw that one harry potter movie with the giant spider on a movie channel. that's all i know about the series. so dumbledore... was he the old dude? and snape is alan rickman?
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 7:24 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 7:24 PM on July 19, 2005
abez, what's the sign say in small red lettering? The photo is out of focus, so i can't see it.
posted by bugmuncher at 7:35 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by bugmuncher at 7:35 PM on July 19, 2005
Feh. Knowing the outcome via three words yelled out of a minivan shouldn't ruin it -- it doesn't tell HOW Snape killed Dumbledorf, or WHY he did it, or WHEN he did it, etc, etc -- and that is one of the key pleasures of reading a book that one enjoys -- savoring the story, the intricacies, the drama, and so on.
Re: the Potter series -- read the first two (or three?) and thought that they were completely adequate for pre-teens, but I remain baffled over the immense popularity. Decent stories, competently told, but nothing more. *shrugs*
posted by davidmsc at 7:42 PM on July 19, 2005
Re: the Potter series -- read the first two (or three?) and thought that they were completely adequate for pre-teens, but I remain baffled over the immense popularity. Decent stories, competently told, but nothing more. *shrugs*
posted by davidmsc at 7:42 PM on July 19, 2005
So let me get this straight, Bruce Willis was dead all along?
posted by blue_beetle at 7:42 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by blue_beetle at 7:42 PM on July 19, 2005
So i downloaded this and read it so i could spoil it at work for people who like the series. I got dark points +1 from some coworkers, and the big frown from management.
In all honesty i can't say i feel bad, i like this bbc view of it. In all honesty though i take solace in that im not alone.
Furthermore Potter represents a perversion of classic fantasy novels. For a truly grimy read more than a weak willed LOTR rip off try this out for size.
posted by sourbrew at 7:46 PM on July 19, 2005
In all honesty i can't say i feel bad, i like this bbc view of it. In all honesty though i take solace in that im not alone.
Furthermore Potter represents a perversion of classic fantasy novels. For a truly grimy read more than a weak willed LOTR rip off try this out for size.
posted by sourbrew at 7:46 PM on July 19, 2005
Shave my dribble dork? Did he say shave my dribble dork?
posted by eatitlive at 7:46 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by eatitlive at 7:46 PM on July 19, 2005
"Hey, there are people who take pleasure in something and I think I will make it less fun for them. I am so cool!"
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:48 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:48 PM on July 19, 2005
Ooooh...mothers, lock up your daughters! This guy is a badass rebel. I bet he tp'ed some houses and egged some cars on the way home. Edgy!
That being said, I think Harry Potter is a blatant rip-off of The Worst Witch. I truly don't understand the mania.
posted by jrossi4r at 8:02 PM on July 19, 2005
That being said, I think Harry Potter is a blatant rip-off of The Worst Witch. I truly don't understand the mania.
posted by jrossi4r at 8:02 PM on July 19, 2005
Who'd have thought Voldemort was actually James Potter?
posted by brownpau at 8:13 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by brownpau at 8:13 PM on July 19, 2005
sourbrew: Furthermore Potter represents a perversion of classic fantasy novels. For a truly grimy read more than a weak willed LOTR rip off try this out for size.
Grunts! is great, but I prefer this one.
posted by Goblindegook at 8:31 PM on July 19, 2005
Grunts! is great, but I prefer this one.
posted by Goblindegook at 8:31 PM on July 19, 2005
Yeah, I have to say I don't really get the urge to ruin people's fun--even if I think it's stupid.
And Patrick, I definitely get a pleasure from reading a book once to see what happens and then again to appreciate the finer points. Do you like suspense films? To me it's the same thing--a little frisson.
Really I like Harry Potter because Rowling is good at making you want to know what comes next. No, it's not a classic of literature, but who cares? It was twelve hours of nice fun.
posted by dame at 8:37 PM on July 19, 2005
And Patrick, I definitely get a pleasure from reading a book once to see what happens and then again to appreciate the finer points. Do you like suspense films? To me it's the same thing--a little frisson.
Really I like Harry Potter because Rowling is good at making you want to know what comes next. No, it's not a classic of literature, but who cares? It was twelve hours of nice fun.
posted by dame at 8:37 PM on July 19, 2005
PINOCCHIO TURNS INTO A REAL BOY!!!
posted by onkelchrispy at 8:40 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by onkelchrispy at 8:40 PM on July 19, 2005
Soooooo lame it actually hurts. Really, I'm embarrassed for the kid who made it.
posted by fungible at 9:12 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by fungible at 9:12 PM on July 19, 2005
davidmsc writes "Re: the Potter series -- read the first two (or three?) and thought that they were completely adequate for pre-teens, but I remain baffled over the immense popularity. Decent stories, competently told, but nothing more. *shrugs*"
You'd be surprised to know how many people have never read a book without some sort of school obligation being involved.
posted by clevershark at 9:14 PM on July 19, 2005
You'd be surprised to know how many people have never read a book without some sort of school obligation being involved.
posted by clevershark at 9:14 PM on July 19, 2005
I think the word "man" was used rather loosely in this post.
posted by FormlessOne at 9:23 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by FormlessOne at 9:23 PM on July 19, 2005
I was expecting him to wreck the car since the file is named pottercrash. That might have actually been funny.
thats exactly what I thought! i figured he would yell the spoiler then crash into a lightpole. that would have been awesome.
posted by puke & cry at 9:43 PM on July 19, 2005 [1 favorite]
thats exactly what I thought! i figured he would yell the spoiler then crash into a lightpole. that would have been awesome.
posted by puke & cry at 9:43 PM on July 19, 2005 [1 favorite]
i'm not a fan of harry potter, but i think that anything that gets so many kids into reading books is a good thing.
i think spoiling people's enjoyment of a book is a bad thing. thinking doing that is funny is the sign of a major idiot.
posted by quarsan at 10:14 PM on July 19, 2005
i think spoiling people's enjoyment of a book is a bad thing. thinking doing that is funny is the sign of a major idiot.
posted by quarsan at 10:14 PM on July 19, 2005
Did anyone see USA Today? It had an article that all but gave the ending away. I haven't read HP yet, but I will eventually.
posted by drezdn at 10:22 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by drezdn at 10:22 PM on July 19, 2005
VERY funny concept, but poor execution.
posted by ParisParamus at 10:34 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by ParisParamus at 10:34 PM on July 19, 2005
My own personal persecution complex started in grade 4 when a couple of grade 1s asked me if the grade 4 class wrote the Santa Clause letters they received and I admitted it was true. The nastiness and hatred that won me have scared me for life! (Yes all that does seem very precocious, but that is how I remember it).
posted by Chuckles at 10:37 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by Chuckles at 10:37 PM on July 19, 2005
i agree with mosch, the last 5 seconds are worth the entire excruciating video.
posted by wakko at 10:57 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by wakko at 10:57 PM on July 19, 2005
Well, aside from reminding me of some idiocy from a bumfights.com video, I will bloody the nose of any such idiot like this fool who shows up to ruinate an event like this that my future children attend.
And I can't imagine a jury anywhere doing anything except ask him why he even bothered to take me to court for damages.
posted by buzzman at 11:11 PM on July 19, 2005
And I can't imagine a jury anywhere doing anything except ask him why he even bothered to take me to court for damages.
posted by buzzman at 11:11 PM on July 19, 2005
bugmunder, The small lettering on the sign says "PS Dumbledore dies".
posted by abez at 11:46 PM on July 19, 2005
posted by abez at 11:46 PM on July 19, 2005
this video is actually a better lesson for the kids than anything they'll read in that satanic book, which is, of course:
there will be small-dicked boys who will grow up to be small-dicked young men who will find their moments to call attention to themselves, even if it is at the horror of innocents dressed up like wizards outside of chain book stores. the bill of rights allows you to carry weapons. use them. often.
posted by tsarfan at 12:04 AM on July 20, 2005
there will be small-dicked boys who will grow up to be small-dicked young men who will find their moments to call attention to themselves, even if it is at the horror of innocents dressed up like wizards outside of chain book stores. the bill of rights allows you to carry weapons. use them. often.
posted by tsarfan at 12:04 AM on July 20, 2005
On something of a tangent -
I have never understood the vast amounts of hatred some people seem to have for things that are popular which they do not particularly like, whether it's a singer they consider vapid, a movie they consider over-rated, or a book they consider poorly written. It particularly baffles me when I find out that the person in question has not actually heard the singer, seen the movie, or read the book, which is the case fairly frequently.
A friend of mine called this "Nirvanaphobia" - the hatred of things that are popular. I never really got the point, but the case of people who rage against the Harry Potter novels - children's fantasy books, for god's sake - particularly baffle me. I can understand not liking them (although, as it happens, I do like them), but I don't get the loathing some people have for it, which as far as I can tell is strictly reserved for things that are well-known. Anyone care to try to explain?
posted by kyrademon at 12:53 AM on July 20, 2005
I have never understood the vast amounts of hatred some people seem to have for things that are popular which they do not particularly like, whether it's a singer they consider vapid, a movie they consider over-rated, or a book they consider poorly written. It particularly baffles me when I find out that the person in question has not actually heard the singer, seen the movie, or read the book, which is the case fairly frequently.
A friend of mine called this "Nirvanaphobia" - the hatred of things that are popular. I never really got the point, but the case of people who rage against the Harry Potter novels - children's fantasy books, for god's sake - particularly baffle me. I can understand not liking them (although, as it happens, I do like them), but I don't get the loathing some people have for it, which as far as I can tell is strictly reserved for things that are well-known. Anyone care to try to explain?
posted by kyrademon at 12:53 AM on July 20, 2005
What's funny to me is that bookstore is in Arlington, Tx and I was there that night doing the same thing without a camera.
posted by DailyBread at 1:02 AM on July 20, 2005
posted by DailyBread at 1:02 AM on July 20, 2005
kyrademon: Personally I hate Harry Potter because of the number of times I've been asked have I read it (monthly since the first book, but died down over the last year) and told I should even though it is far from the genres I would usually read. I did read the first one and it was just an average childrens book, nothing more. Christmas day we had to sit watching the first two films, and last christmas day we had to watch the first. My neice has read all the previous books at least four times. I'm pleased children are reading books, so long as it's not the same book every time (or it's sequels). I want some privacy from Harry Potter, I need a Harry Potter holiday, it drives me insane.
I also don't get why knowing the plot should be a problem, if the plot is the only reason for reading then watch the movie and save time. I read to indulge in the prose. I'm not sure about the suspense film analogy, its a book not a film. However, I wouldn't assume other people perceive these things as I do, or that they should.
posted by skarmj at 2:49 AM on July 20, 2005
I also don't get why knowing the plot should be a problem, if the plot is the only reason for reading then watch the movie and save time. I read to indulge in the prose. I'm not sure about the suspense film analogy, its a book not a film. However, I wouldn't assume other people perceive these things as I do, or that they should.
posted by skarmj at 2:49 AM on July 20, 2005
A friend of mine called this "Nirvanaphobia" - the hatred of things that are popular.
Hmm, so what happens if you liked Nirvana but hate Harry Potter?
It's not some snobbish refusal of anything popular, at least not necessarily. There's such a thing as different tastes.
That BBC link sourbrew posted says it nicely: it's not just about liking or disliking the book, it's also the gigantic marketing campaign and merchandising that can be very irritating. Also, he has a point about the way society is presented in the books. There's a nostalgia for some kind of conservative order of things and a black and white vision of the world that is not to everyone's taste. I can't stand Tolkien for the same reason, although, at least Harry Potter is a lot more light-hearted.
If you like it, it's just a bit of fun, enjoy it, good for you. But doesn't mean I have to see it as some unconditionally praiseworthy educational effort for the kids just because it's a book. I can still dislike what's in it and how it's sold.
posted by funambulist at 4:10 AM on July 20, 2005
Hmm, so what happens if you liked Nirvana but hate Harry Potter?
It's not some snobbish refusal of anything popular, at least not necessarily. There's such a thing as different tastes.
That BBC link sourbrew posted says it nicely: it's not just about liking or disliking the book, it's also the gigantic marketing campaign and merchandising that can be very irritating. Also, he has a point about the way society is presented in the books. There's a nostalgia for some kind of conservative order of things and a black and white vision of the world that is not to everyone's taste. I can't stand Tolkien for the same reason, although, at least Harry Potter is a lot more light-hearted.
If you like it, it's just a bit of fun, enjoy it, good for you. But doesn't mean I have to see it as some unconditionally praiseworthy educational effort for the kids just because it's a book. I can still dislike what's in it and how it's sold.
posted by funambulist at 4:10 AM on July 20, 2005
Question: Are children going to read a book the same way adults do? Are they going to read to enjoy the prose and symbolism? We're talking eight year-olds here (wakko if you didn't see the kids, your blind) and they're reading Potter, not Hemingway. These kids aren't sitting down and comparing the house-elf rebellion to "Watership Down" or making sly Humbert references in relation to Snape, they're reading EXACTLY for the twists and turns of the book. These books are not exactly well written, and the only reason they are so popular is because Rowling is a master at setting up twists and turns.
I think kyrademon is spot on, this is just a bunch of people who a railing against popular culture who are too mean to care that are ruining other people's enjoyment of the book. Just because its popular does that mean that no child should enjoy it? Should children only read underground kiddie tales that meet all your expectations? Hiding behind a mask of free speech isn't going to prevent people from seeing that revealing the ending to a bunch of kids is just plain mean.
posted by cyphill at 4:16 AM on July 20, 2005
I think kyrademon is spot on, this is just a bunch of people who a railing against popular culture who are too mean to care that are ruining other people's enjoyment of the book. Just because its popular does that mean that no child should enjoy it? Should children only read underground kiddie tales that meet all your expectations? Hiding behind a mask of free speech isn't going to prevent people from seeing that revealing the ending to a bunch of kids is just plain mean.
posted by cyphill at 4:16 AM on July 20, 2005
There's a nostalgia for some kind of conservative order of things and a black and white vision of the world that is not to everyone's taste.
Yes, except for the extreme distaste for conservative social orders which is expressed throughout the series by every major sympathetic character, and the constant reminders Harry is given that a black and white vision of the world is false.
posted by flashboy at 4:40 AM on July 20, 2005
Yes, except for the extreme distaste for conservative social orders which is expressed throughout the series by every major sympathetic character, and the constant reminders Harry is given that a black and white vision of the world is false.
posted by flashboy at 4:40 AM on July 20, 2005
I have no idea how long these Harry Potter books have been around, I have never been irritated by the giant marketing effort behind them, I know instinctively that they are not my cup of tea so I just waltz past the fanfare and move on to that which does interest me. How is it that I have managed this apparent state of grace, where so many others have not? I call bullshit on haters who can't avoid being annoyed by the hype, and the haters who think the way a novel ends is not important to the experience, regardless of age, genre, or literary merit. Some of you need to fine tune your underdeveloped personal filters, the rest of you just seem jealous of other people having fun.
posted by zarah at 4:47 AM on July 20, 2005
posted by zarah at 4:47 AM on July 20, 2005
I don't think the plot should be given away, particularly to kids.
There are four people in my family obsessed by Potter, two aged 12, one 17 and one 42. It can sometimes make the world seem like a Potter theme park. That alongside the barrage of marketing is the personal reason for me to dislike Potter.
I wouldn't expect 8 year olds to enjoy symbolism but would expect them to find pleasure in small moments such as jokes between characters, or the recipes I think Rowling includes, or the excitement of a match of that sport thing. Not only the very broadest description of the plot. I think even a childs novel is the sum of many small parts which can never be translated to another medium. Anyway, you can never really paraphrase the complete plot of a novel, plot turns always get forgotten.
posted by skarmj at 5:01 AM on July 20, 2005
There are four people in my family obsessed by Potter, two aged 12, one 17 and one 42. It can sometimes make the world seem like a Potter theme park. That alongside the barrage of marketing is the personal reason for me to dislike Potter.
I wouldn't expect 8 year olds to enjoy symbolism but would expect them to find pleasure in small moments such as jokes between characters, or the recipes I think Rowling includes, or the excitement of a match of that sport thing. Not only the very broadest description of the plot. I think even a childs novel is the sum of many small parts which can never be translated to another medium. Anyway, you can never really paraphrase the complete plot of a novel, plot turns always get forgotten.
posted by skarmj at 5:01 AM on July 20, 2005
Some kid pulled himself halfway out the window of a yellow, souped-up geto sports car in the suburbs of Boston yesterday while passing through an intersection and indiscriminately flipped off an entire lane of traffic waiting for the light in a "Let's fight" sort of way. I have more respect for him than these filmmakers.
posted by VulcanMike at 6:08 AM on July 20, 2005
posted by VulcanMike at 6:08 AM on July 20, 2005
flashboy: to me, the whole notion of someone chosen for his special powers to go a privileged boarding school and the whole theme of society as a battleground for good/evil fantasy epic confrontation of that kind are a big turn-off. Call it other than 'conservative' or 'nostalgic' if that definition annoys you, but there's just something about that kind of setting and narrative I'm not really keen on.
That said, as far as pure entertainment value goes, I sure can see how the story can be enjoyable, the films were fun and though I only managed to get through the first book, as I didn't care for it enough to the read the rest, I could see how it was an entertaining read, especially for kids. Still, I'm simply not fond of that kind of story and find the level of media obsession on it really offputting. Tolkien I truly loathe, this I simply don't like. And to answer other comments, I am definitely not saying everyone who loves the saga is a moron, or that I do not want children to read it or think there's anything wrong if they do, or that it's so clever and funny for someone to spoil the ending for the fans. I'm just saying, quite simply, there are legitimate reasons for disliking both the story and the whole circus of publicity and merchandising around it. It's a matter of tastes. Doesn't it work both ways?
Harry Potter is not the total sum of popular culture, and you don't have to be a snob to dislike it.
posted by funambulist at 6:22 AM on July 20, 2005
That said, as far as pure entertainment value goes, I sure can see how the story can be enjoyable, the films were fun and though I only managed to get through the first book, as I didn't care for it enough to the read the rest, I could see how it was an entertaining read, especially for kids. Still, I'm simply not fond of that kind of story and find the level of media obsession on it really offputting. Tolkien I truly loathe, this I simply don't like. And to answer other comments, I am definitely not saying everyone who loves the saga is a moron, or that I do not want children to read it or think there's anything wrong if they do, or that it's so clever and funny for someone to spoil the ending for the fans. I'm just saying, quite simply, there are legitimate reasons for disliking both the story and the whole circus of publicity and merchandising around it. It's a matter of tastes. Doesn't it work both ways?
Harry Potter is not the total sum of popular culture, and you don't have to be a snob to dislike it.
posted by funambulist at 6:22 AM on July 20, 2005
I have read the entire series to my 12 year old daughter, but this year after only reading 2 chapters Saturday morning I had to stop (houseguests arrived to spend the weekend.) She took the book off and finished it by herself. I knew she was dying to talk about it, so I started reading it after our guests left. Before I had a chance to finish we were discussing what had happened so far and we talked about how all the reviews hinted at somebody important being killed ("the sad ending.") I said the best person would be Dumbledore. She was shocked at my use of the word "best." I explained that for literary reasons Dumbledore would be the obvious choice because it would free up Harry to leave all restraints of childhood and prove himself as a man. We ended up discussing the book from a writer's point of view-- how best to manipulate characters, what should be accomplished, what story arcs needed to be closed, etc. It was a very satisfactory discussion.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 9:00 AM on July 20, 2005
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 9:00 AM on July 20, 2005
I'm with funambulist, you can not like Potter and not be some kind of snob. Interesting enough for what it is, but I don't care for it, and I'm sick to death of hearing about it. I can ignore it and waltz right by most of the time, but the marketing etc. is pretty insidious and hard to ignore all the time. In a way, the mania is partially to blame for the perverse pleasure people are taking in "spoiling" the ending; if there hadn't been such hype, there wouldn't be any sense in posting spoilers.
That said, I'm still angry at the DJ who announced the "surprise" ending of The Sixth Sense while it was still playing in the theaters. Yeah, there was a lot of hype. Yeah, maybe the surprise wasn't that much of a surprise. Yeah, it's no big deal in the larger scheme of things, but it still kind of sucked. I imagine if I was a Potter fan, I'd be just as annoyed at someone who ruined this for me, too.
In conclusion - even though I personally don't like the Harry Potter books (read a couple when bored, meh) and the ability to ruin the plot is a direct result of all the ridiculous hype surrounding it, it still kind of sucks when people do it.
posted by jennaratrix at 9:03 AM on July 20, 2005
That said, I'm still angry at the DJ who announced the "surprise" ending of The Sixth Sense while it was still playing in the theaters. Yeah, there was a lot of hype. Yeah, maybe the surprise wasn't that much of a surprise. Yeah, it's no big deal in the larger scheme of things, but it still kind of sucked. I imagine if I was a Potter fan, I'd be just as annoyed at someone who ruined this for me, too.
In conclusion - even though I personally don't like the Harry Potter books (read a couple when bored, meh) and the ability to ruin the plot is a direct result of all the ridiculous hype surrounding it, it still kind of sucks when people do it.
posted by jennaratrix at 9:03 AM on July 20, 2005
I wish I had thought of this on Friday. I make my weekly bookstore run and the place is full of little brats in wizard outfits and British boarding school uniforms. If I could have cleared the place out with some well placed spoilers, It would have been on like Donkey Kong! It's not that I really hate Harry Potter, for the most part, it's just that I hate the children. what kind of insipid, mouthbreathing, albino, mongoloid, banjo picker has to be convinced to read at all. We see the news reports every time one of these rancid bricks of word-manure hits stores. "little Tommy never read anything until Harry Potter" "look at Jenny reading that big book and she's only 12 years old"
posted by Megafly at 10:00 AM on July 20, 2005
posted by Megafly at 10:00 AM on July 20, 2005
I don't know how a three word spoiler "ruins" a book. I mean, hell, we all watched Titanic and didn't we all know how that was going to end?
posted by Ogre Lawless at 10:48 AM on July 20, 2005
posted by Ogre Lawless at 10:48 AM on July 20, 2005
This is a spoiler? They kill off the oldest character in the books? They kill off a character who is so old that one of the actors who has played him has already died? What a silly thing to be concerned about.
In one of the post Return of the Jedi novels, Lucas announced that a major character would die. Who could it be? How about Chewbacca, the oldest and most minor character of the bunch?
When I stood in line at ten years of age to see Return of the Jedi, I recall someone walking out from the previous showing yelling, "Yoda dies!" I remember thinking, "Who cares? Of course he dies: he's old!"
posted by flarbuse at 11:01 AM on July 20, 2005
In one of the post Return of the Jedi novels, Lucas announced that a major character would die. Who could it be? How about Chewbacca, the oldest and most minor character of the bunch?
When I stood in line at ten years of age to see Return of the Jedi, I recall someone walking out from the previous showing yelling, "Yoda dies!" I remember thinking, "Who cares? Of course he dies: he's old!"
posted by flarbuse at 11:01 AM on July 20, 2005
Bleh, that's lame. I think this sorta thing would be much funnier if it were a faux-spoiler. Like once I was really pissed off at a friend of mine for telling me the end of The Usual Suspects -- mainly that it turned out the cop was Keyser Soze. So, I was so mad at him and bitched him out and everything (especially since it was a big Twist Ending), and when I actually saw it, he had a good laugh at my expense, and I did too.
This just seems to be being a dick.
(And as for "Nirvanaphobia" -- I think it tends to be a backlash against something you find mediocre being told to you over and over and over that it's the best thing ever; I know this happens to me. Initially it's "I dunno, [foo] was OK, I guess, but I don't get all the hype", but when the hype keeps on coming, pretty soon you just get so sick of hearing about it where it's "GOD! [FOO] FUCKING SUCKS! SHUT UP ALREADY!", even if it's not really that bad.
And, of course, there are some folks who dislike stuff just because it's cool to dislike popular things. More power to them I guess.)
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 11:25 AM on July 20, 2005
This just seems to be being a dick.
(And as for "Nirvanaphobia" -- I think it tends to be a backlash against something you find mediocre being told to you over and over and over that it's the best thing ever; I know this happens to me. Initially it's "I dunno, [foo] was OK, I guess, but I don't get all the hype", but when the hype keeps on coming, pretty soon you just get so sick of hearing about it where it's "GOD! [FOO] FUCKING SUCKS! SHUT UP ALREADY!", even if it's not really that bad.
And, of course, there are some folks who dislike stuff just because it's cool to dislike popular things. More power to them I guess.)
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 11:25 AM on July 20, 2005
For me it was the Redwall series (I know...I know...) but I had no idea which mouse was going to die, or even that the hero would win. I can't imagine why some prick would want to ruin that for a bunch of people.Wait...the mouse dies? The hero wins? Hey asshat! Thanks for ruining the story! I hadn't yet read that story, but was planning to, and then you went and destroyed it for me! *bursts in to tears*
posted by nlindstrom at 11:38 AM on July 20, 2005
Rev. Syung Myung Me - that's just it, it's the constant ramming of whatever it is down your throat, and the looks of disbelief, and asking WHY you didn't like it, how can you not like it, EVERYONE likes it. It's enough for even the most patient of people, which I am not, to lose it completely. I don't think I'm cool just because I don't like Potter; but a lot of people seem to think they're cool because they DO, and frankly, I got tired of that mentality 20 years ago in high school.
Back o/t, this guy doesn't seem to be yelling the ending out because he's so bone-tired of it, but just for his own twisted sense of fun; and I'm thinking he must have read it already, or how would he know, in which case it's even worse. I mean, if I ran down the street yelling "XYZ dies at the end!" because I heard it here and I thought it would be funny, I'd be an ass; but how much more of an ass do you have to be to go read the unspoiled book, then run out to wreck it for people just like you, to what, show he finished it first? And with one of his friends in line apparently.
Meh. Probably a dead thread by now but for some reason I checked back in. Oh, and the camera work was making me motion sick. There, I'm done.
posted by jennaratrix at 1:13 PM on July 20, 2005
Back o/t, this guy doesn't seem to be yelling the ending out because he's so bone-tired of it, but just for his own twisted sense of fun; and I'm thinking he must have read it already, or how would he know, in which case it's even worse. I mean, if I ran down the street yelling "XYZ dies at the end!" because I heard it here and I thought it would be funny, I'd be an ass; but how much more of an ass do you have to be to go read the unspoiled book, then run out to wreck it for people just like you, to what, show he finished it first? And with one of his friends in line apparently.
Meh. Probably a dead thread by now but for some reason I checked back in. Oh, and the camera work was making me motion sick. There, I'm done.
posted by jennaratrix at 1:13 PM on July 20, 2005
Rev. Syung Myung Me has it cracked. I for one, take all the arguments about getting kids to read and think "great" but just can't stand the adult fixation with it. There are so many better and more imaginative childrens' writers out there who are more worthy of an adult's attention. Roald Dahl, Philip Pullman etc...
And don't get me started on the incredibly irritating media blitz, lawsuits, global opening extraganza and the pretentious tosh that was JK reading at the castle. Please get to no. 7 sharpish and save me from this intermittent irritation.
posted by pots at 2:17 PM on July 20, 2005
And don't get me started on the incredibly irritating media blitz, lawsuits, global opening extraganza and the pretentious tosh that was JK reading at the castle. Please get to no. 7 sharpish and save me from this intermittent irritation.
posted by pots at 2:17 PM on July 20, 2005
Dumbledork, you ARE the weakest link. *ZAP*
posted by NewBornHippy at 2:23 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by NewBornHippy at 2:23 PM on July 20, 2005
spoiler: some kid yells out the ending to the new potter book, and then some other kid yells out "nooooo! you bitch!"
posted by TechnoLustLuddite at 4:35 PM on July 20, 2005
posted by TechnoLustLuddite at 4:35 PM on July 20, 2005
On two utterly unrelated notes: I remember coming across some ancient (at the time, I was maybe ten and the joke was already probably 10 or 15 years old) Peanuts joke where Lucy I think comes upon Linus watching Citizen Kane, and tells him "Rosebud was his sleigh." And me, ten, thinking, "what the fuck?" And you know, when I finally saw Citizen Kane I was all like, fuck man, I know how this ends.
Secondly, I was browsing around the weirdness on the ytmnd.com site, and in one of the forum pages I stumbled upon a picture of tubgirl. Apparently it's that kind of place. But anyway, it's had been a while since I had THAT particular encounter. Ah, I remember the first time, I wanted to wash my eyes with bleach. But here's the thing: I experienced no visceral reaction at all. No loathing, disgust, dismay, no urge to close my eyes or retch. I was just like, oh, hey, there's Tubgirl. I do believe the internet has completely fucked my brain.
posted by nanojath at 11:45 PM on July 20, 2005
Secondly, I was browsing around the weirdness on the ytmnd.com site, and in one of the forum pages I stumbled upon a picture of tubgirl. Apparently it's that kind of place. But anyway, it's had been a while since I had THAT particular encounter. Ah, I remember the first time, I wanted to wash my eyes with bleach. But here's the thing: I experienced no visceral reaction at all. No loathing, disgust, dismay, no urge to close my eyes or retch. I was just like, oh, hey, there's Tubgirl. I do believe the internet has completely fucked my brain.
posted by nanojath at 11:45 PM on July 20, 2005
Thanks, Rev. Syung Myung Me. That explanation makes the most sense of all the ones I've heard.
posted by kyrademon at 12:30 AM on July 21, 2005
posted by kyrademon at 12:30 AM on July 21, 2005
Harry Potter is already dead and he hasn't figured it out in six books! His body is dead but his mind is alive in the matrix! Dumbledore is a Sith Lord! The Sith Lords are dead but they haven't figured it out, and everybody sees dead people at Hogwarts so what difference does it make! Snape is Agent Smith! Dumbledore and Snape fight it out for control over Middle Earth and they kill each other with The Force The One Ring a pastrami sandwich something powerful! People lose interest!
Oh, and Aslan is the Kwisatz Haderach.
posted by palinode at 10:34 AM on July 21, 2005
Oh, and Aslan is the Kwisatz Haderach.
posted by palinode at 10:34 AM on July 21, 2005
I would for-real punch that guy. What a miserable fucker.
posted by Shadowkeeper at 6:40 PM on July 21, 2005
posted by Shadowkeeper at 6:40 PM on July 21, 2005
hey it's a preview that's instant. wowee zowee.
posted by panoptican at 10:22 AM on July 26, 2005
posted by panoptican at 10:22 AM on July 26, 2005
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posted by o2b at 5:51 PM on July 19, 2005