Top Ten Things That Are OK to Like
For many people, each day consists of work, school, or family, with the occasional sidebar for guilty pleasures. To some, these are food or a hobby, but the following list should certainly be seen as acceptable in American culture. As well, I hope this list makes others who are on certain islands of American culture feel better about their guilty pleasures.
1. Soccer- The recent World Cup tourney in Germany should have highlighted not only the world’s interest in soccer but why new fans should be flocking to the sport. Despite American objections about tied games and low scores, there is a lot to love about the game. For those seeking human interest, there are stories of nations with civil strife coming together during the World Cup to support their national team. For those seeking speed and athleticism, there is nothing like a sport where substitutions and game stoppages are at a minimum. Finally, for those seeking an athletic soap opera, the Zinedine Zadine World Cup meltdown should be enough evidence for why Americans should have an interest in this world sport.
2. Bravo’s Reality Shows- As a heterosexual male who knows little about fashion or cooking, it may be surprising (and slightly embarrassing) to hear that I enjoy the reality fare that Bravo has to offer. “Project Runway” and “Top Chef” are two very good shows on Bravo, which has traditionally been a receptacle for reruns of The West Wing and James Lipton’s opportunity to mug it up with marginal actors (i.e. Tim Allen). “Project”‘s host, Heidi Klum, is very good along with the various guest judges like Michael Kors. Sage fashion expert Tim Gunn provides the novice designers equal parts advice, criticism, and comic relief. It is a delightfully addictive show and has all the drama and humor that one would expect from a well written show with the benefit of being based in reality.
3. Alternative MP3 players- While iPod gets most of the attention in the MP3 market, companies like Dell, Sony, and iRiver have developed inexpensive and interesting design alternatives for discerning consumers. While they don’t have the same hip factor as Apple’s evolving group of iPods, they do provide similar file and portability options while giving consumers more options in the MP3 marketplace.
4. IKEA- IKEA has been made fun of in various venues like “The Simpsons” and “Friends,” but for many, the easy-to-assemble and inexpensive products at IKEA are the best option for furnishing an apartment or office. While some parts of IKEA are goofy or a pain, like the weird wrench for assembly, IKEA’s customer service is great and they have so many furniture and color options that putting up with the minor hassles are worth it in the end.
5. MTV’s Reality Shows- “The Real World” and newer shows like “Fast Inc.” show the consistency of MTV’s reality lineup and of younger generations in general. While the first “Real World” cast is certainly all grown up, it is certainly no different from the cast currently on “The Real World: Key West” in their use of youth colloquialisms and manners. Other shows, like “Made” and “True Life” show the adopted social purpose of MTV over the course of the last decade, dealing with youth self esteem issues and other cultural aberrations.
6. Hillary Clinton- She is the politician that most conservatives (and more than a few liberals) love to hate, but there is something to be said about Clinton’s experience as a lawyer and a politician. While she has not been shy about using her experience in the White House to further her goals, her ambition is no different than any other politicians. While she has taken hits for drifting to the center on foreign policy, she has certainly not been shy about taking issues on the left or the right and while this may appear as flip flopping to some, it just shows that she doesn’t fit neatly into one category. While she might not win or even be nominated to run for president, she certainly represents the best option for those hoping for a woman president in the near future.
7. Big Summer Movies- The recent record-breaking performance of the second “Pirates of the Carribean” movie shows that there is certainly something to the summer blockbuster season. While many summer movies sizzle or fade quickly, summer is a time where people are having fun, taking vacation, and need a break from reality. The fact that “An Inconvenient Truth” did so well on the cusp of the Fourth of July holiday shows that people are not totally crass during the summer, but nobody can be blamed for taking part in escapism during the summer months when there are so many heavier things that people have to deal with on a daily basis. Enjoy the summer movies, don’t overanalyze them, and rest up for the sniping of the 2006 political season.
8. Commercials- The one commercial that I think epitomizes the odd and the self-deprecating trend in television commercials is the Snickers commercial that involves a dejected young man with a Snickers bar that takes the form of a beautiful European woman. Most commercials are still uncreative or too bogged down in salesmanship to appreciate the craft of message making, but there are some (i.e. the “Pepper Bar” Quiznos commercials of a few years ago) that embrace the ridiculous as their milieu.
9. SNL Movie Spinoffs- While many people deride the various SNL spinoffs, if you look over the last fifteen years there have been some funny efforts to put some of Saturday Night Lives’ best characters on the big screen. Movies like “The Ladies’ Man” and “Superstar” may not be great cinema but they are certainly funny and successful at translating the television skit format to a ninety minute film. At the very least, you may have one laugh and only waste an hour and a half of your life watching “A Night at the Roxbury.”
10. Celebrity Activists (liberal and conservative)- A few years ago, I lambasted the various liberal activists who used the Oscar red carpet as a forum for their antiwar views. I have since realized that instead of criticizing people like Tim Robbins and Martin Sheen on the left and Tom Selleck on the right, we should be happy that people with money care enough to use their platform for some higher end. This does not mean that they are doing it for altruistic purposes; for many, it is another avenue when the movie and television publicity machine runs dry. But I can respect the opinions of liberal and conservative celebrities because they have the same rights to speech and expression as I do. As well, they sometimes pop up at political rallies and provide comic relief in light of stiff politicians.
