This is another video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video is about unlikable characters and why we root for them. There have been no shortage of such characters over the years. But few have really resonated as much as Bojack Horseman. There are so many things unlikable about this character and over the course of his show, he does many objectively awful things. And yet, he’s still someone I found myself rooting for. Why is that? Why do we feel this way about certain characters? I don’t claim to know the answer, but I make an effort in this video. Enjoy!
Why Do We Root For Characters Like Bojack Horseman?
Filed under Bojack Horseman, television, writing, YouTube
Sexy Short Story: Homecoming Loving
The following is a sexy short story inspired by a notification I got about a high school reunion. I didn’t enjoy high school and I imagine many others didn’t, either. Hopefully, this story helps in some small way. Enjoy!
“Here we are…Ridgeway High School…for the first time in ten years,” mused Lorilee “Lori” Ming.
“It’s remarkable,” said her fiancé, Lance Marlow. “The old nightmare factory has changed, but not too much.”
“Not nearly enough, from the looks of it.”
“I want to say it made us strong, but…”
Lance’s words trailed off. He just kept staring back at the structure he once dreaded, squeezing Lori’s hand tightly and holding her closer. She squeezed back, needing no further reminders of what they experienced at Ridgeway High School. The memories were still so vivid.
She and Lance did not have an ideal youth. It wasn’t entirely because of their experience in high school, but those years were the ultimate manifestation of so many hardships. When she was ten-years-old, her parents split up after multiple acts of cheating and several violent outbursts from her father. Finding out her older sister was fathered by another man certainly didn’t help, either.
Lance’s circumstances weren’t much better. He didn’t even know who his dad was. His mother also couldn’t confirm the biological fathers of his two siblings, Dana and Marleen. That didn’t stop her from conning several men into paying her child support. But it did hinder her ability to be the kind of caring mother he needed, especially after he endured a number of health problems as a kid.
Their troubled home life eventually bled into high school and in all the wrong ways. Between his health issues and his mother’s reputation as the town harlot, he was an easy target to pick on. Lori became a target too after a series of public outbursts that closely mirrored her parents. It didn’t take much to set her off. And some of her mischievous peers thought it was funny to push her buttons. Something as simple as a snide remark about her hair was all it took.
“This place brought out the worst in us,” Lori said under her breath. “I hate what it made me. And I hate how I dealt with it.”
She turned to her fiancé and buried her face in his shoulder, hiding the light sobs that overcame her. Lance remained stern and strong, as he often did during difficult times. It was one of the many traits that drew her to him. While they didn’t start dating until after high school, they both knew each other. And they understood and appreciated one another’s plight.
She and Lance watched one another endure years of frustration, mishaps, and emotional damage. They also watched one another hit rock bottom. Lance had an emotional breakdown his senior year when he made himself sick on purpose in hopes of losing weight. Lori managed to get herself suspended after another violent outburst against someone who joked about her sisters. They actually first connected in the principal’s office that day. It ended up being a major turning point because that was when they started turning their lives around.
“Surviving this place was a necessary step,” said Lori. “Meeting you was an unexpected twist.”
“And a damn good one,” said Lance. “That might have been the first lucky break in my life to that point.”
“I’d say better late than never, but that would be insensitive.”
“Wouldn’t make it any less accurate,” he said with a weak smile.
Lori smiled back, hiding more sobs. Looking away from the school and towards the man she loved, the less bleak parts of her life came into focus.
It started with therapy. Lori had to undergo a lot of therapy to confront and deal with her many personal issues. Lance went through therapy too, but he also committed himself to being less sickly. Getting away from his mother and her abusive nature certainly helped. But he also had to work with doctors and trainers to lose weight, get off old medications, and improve his health.
While they were going through this process, they attended the same community college. That was where they started dating. They actually watched one another improve from the complete mess they’d been in high school, eventually becoming functional adults – a feat few in their graduating class thought was possible.
It still took years to build better lives for themselves. It wasn’t until Lance secured his job as a social worker that he proposed to her. And Lori accepted, even before she landed a full-time job as a paralegal. It might have been easier for both of them to just forget the awful years they spent at Ridgeway High School completely. That was certainly their preferred recourse.
Then, they got an invitation to their ten-year reunion. And instead of throwing it away, they both agreed to confront this horror. They even traveled back to their hometown, arriving the day before the festivities – just to take in and process the scene before them.
“I’m kind of glad we’re doing this,” Lance said, breaking the silence.
“Kind of?” Lori said with a raised eyebrow.
“I don’t like revisiting these painful memories. And I certainly don’t like being somewhere that made me so miserable,” he explained. “But at the same time…this is something we had to confront.”
“I don’t know that we had to,” she retorted, “but I see where you’re coming from. It does feel oddly therapeutic.”
“We can never undo the hardships we endured. And there’s only so much we can do to deal with the memories,” Lance went on. “But because of this place, I met you. And now we’re about to build a life together.”
Lori had to fight more sobs at such a tender sentiment. But she didn’t mind losing that fight.
“That’s…a beautiful thought, Lance,” she said, wiping away some tears. “It almost seems inappropriate for a place like this.”
“That gonna keep you from kissing me?”
“Hell no!”
She smiled warmly and he smiled back. He then embraced her tightly and gave a deep, affectionate kiss on the lips. Lori gladly returned the gesture, letting some of the pent-up emotions flow freely.
Being back at Ridgeway High School was difficult. They had visited the campus a day early just to give themselves a chance to process it all. Even though it brought back many painful memories, there was something profound about returning together. They had gone from two very broken individuals with many personal problems to an engaged couple, preparing to move forward with their lives instead of just healing from the past.
In that same moment, and within this powerful gesture, another bold feeling came over Lori. While kissing and embracing her finance, her eyes glanced briefly to the nearby football field, which was often empty this time of year. She then started kissing Lance deeper and with a more sensual undertone, her gestures sending clear, unambitious signals about what she desired.
“Umm…Lori?” Lance said, breathless as their lips parted, but their bodies remained close.
“Do me, Lance,” said Lori in a blunt, but impassioned tone. “Do me right now…on the 50-yard-line…for this school we both hate.”
That came off as more aggressive than she’d intended, but the grin on her fiancé’s face still widened. And while Lance was usually one to overthink an opportunity like this, he gladly made an exception.
“Meh. What’s the worst they could do? Suspend us?” he joked.
“They might still try,” she quipped. “So let’s make sure it’s worth it!”
They both laughed. They then kissed again, their embrace and gestures becoming more playful. But with the sun rapidly setting over the campus, Lori knew they had to move with urgency. So, with renewed energy and purpose, she latched onto Lance’s arm and led him towards the football field.
They moved swiftly and with purpose, sharing more excitement in that moment than they had since the day they left this accursed high school. Arriving at the football field, more memories came rushing back – memories of cheering classmates, raucous games, and meaningless school spirit. Neither one of them had a chance to enjoy the more typical rigors of adolescence. The school and their peers had robbed them of that.
Now, they were getting back at them in their own special way.
“Right here! Right on the school logo!” Lori said, practically tugging at Lance’s arm.
“Ground zero for Ridgeway pride? I love it!” he said.
“Shut up and start stripping, love.”
Lori led by example, swiftly slipping off her T-shirt, undoing her bra, and sliding out of her shorts. Lance caught up, getting his shirt and pants off almost as fast as he did the night he proposed to her.
She was down to her panties. He was down to his boxers. Standing with him in the middle of this field filled her with a strange kind of energy – the kind that quickly morphed into a strong arousal between her legs. Sharing that energy, Lance took her in his arms once more and laid her down atop the neatly cut grass. He then proceeded to make out with her like the horny teenagers that once populated this school.
“Kiss me…touch me…do everything the health teachers told us not to do!” said Lori.
Lance snickered, letting out one of those deep, masculine grunts he knew drove her wild. He drove her even more wild with some skilled, targeted foreplay.
He caressed her breasts, licked around her nipples, rubbed his thigh between her legs, and let the weight of his body press down against hers. It was more than enough to send Lori into a sexual frenzy, her heart and her loins in overdrive at the prospect of making love to Lance in such a bold setting.
It led her to reach for the waistband of his boxers and pull them down, freeing the growing erection they had barely contained. He returned the favor by slipping off her panties, leaving them both completely naked and completely exposed in this very open field. It added an element of danger to their sex. It also inspired Lori to take a very specific approach.
After a bit more of heavy foreplay, she shifted their bodies into a new position.
“Here…I’ll suck you off. You eat me out,” Lori said.
“Our health teacher definitely advised against this,” Lance commented.
“Which is why we should do it and enjoy it!”
Lance offered no argument. He gladly followed Lori until they were lying on their sides in a prefect 69 position – her facing his erect penis and him facing her engorged vagina. Nature must have been cheering them on because a warm breeze blew over the field, as if to encourage them to keep going. They gladly got the message.
Lance made the first move, pushing her thighs apart and burying his face in her womanhood. Lori made the next, grasping the base of his cock before enveloping his length between her lips. A succession of purrs and grunts followed, their naked bodies shifting and writhing together at the pleasure they evoked in one another.
It was beautifully harmonious while also being undeniably raunchy. This was reckless and probably illegal. But that didn’t stop them. It just motivated them to go the extra mile.
“Sucking a dick…getting my pussy eaten out…and enjoying every goddamn minute of it! And at a place that made me miserable for four years!”
The enthusiasm and energy really showed. Lori sucked harder and faster than she usually did when giving oral pleasure to her lover. Lance matched her every step of the way, plunging his tongue into her womanly folds and stimulating all the sensitive areas he knew so well. It might have made more sense to save this kind of passion for their honeymoon. But this felt like it would be more fulfilling in the long run.
Their shared efforts showed in the results. Lori felt Lance’s cock become fully erect between her lips. She was also very wet between her legs, ready for sex and not the gentle kind. Their bodies were on the same page. It was just a matter of who would make the next move.
“Take me,” Lori said through another breezy gust.
Like a reflex, they repositioned themselves again. Lori laid on her back again and Lance got on top of her. She then spread her legs, wrapped them around her waist, and drew him closer as they aligned their bodies for sex. Their eyes now locked – their gaze a mix of boldness and passion – Lori urged him to complete this reckless act.
With a thrust of his hips and a subtle shift of hers, they did it. Lance entered her waiting depths with his hardened flesh, penetrating her moist folds so smoothly and easily. Their flesh now entwined, they started moving together – making love to one another – indulging in this sweet feeling in a domain that had brought them so much misery.
“We’re doing this, Lori. We’re really…really…doing this,” Lance panted in between movements.
“Yes, Lance! We’re doing this!” she exclaimed. “We’re making love…right here…at Ridgeway High School!”
From there, an outpouring of pent-up emotions mixed perfectly with a familiar passion. The desire to make love and the desire to confront old demons converged in this reckless, but exhilarating act of intimacy. It was also quite energetic and heated.
Every thrust of the hips was more fervent and focused.
Every undulation was more intense, their naked bodies moving with greater purpose and poise.
Lance treated it like a retort to everyone in high school who made fun of him for being overweight and out of shape. Now, here he was making love to his beautiful fiancé with an intensity that would leave most men winded. Lori eagerly encouraged him, moaning loudly and joyously as he stimulated her innards with his ravenous humping. She raked her fingers down his back, moved her hips in conjunction with his, and showered him with messy, affectionate kissing.
It was wild, but in the best possible way. Together, she and Lance laughed, moaned, and gasped into the dusk of the warm summer night. They also mixed it up along the way, rolling about on the well-cut grass of the football field, making love in various positions. At one point, Lance flipped her onto all fours and thrust into her from behind. He also lightly pulled her hair back while squeezing her butt, something he knew drove her wild.
And as she took in this feeling, Lori looked back towards the school with a mix of bliss and disdain.
“You seeing this, Ridgeway?” she shouted at the building. “I’m back! I’m naked! And I’m fucking my future husband on your football field! Fuck you! Fuck you!”
Lori kept repeating that vulgar mantra as she shifted her torso upwards, which allowed her to reach down to her pelvis and fondle her clitoris through the motions. Lance reached down and helped, placing his hand atop her and applying some extra pressure.
That, along with her vulgar insults to the school, helped send her over the edge. And she achieved orgasm in a way she would not soon forget.
“Oohhhh fuck yes!” Lori shouted.
She made sure she was still staring at the school, as though she wanted to ghosts of her high school years to see her O-Face. She grinned with extra glee, biting her lower lip and arching her back as waves of pleasure rocked her body from within.
It felt so good, like many of the other orgasms she’d enjoyed with Lance. But having it here in a place that gave her so much misery just made it feel even better.
It was a feeling she wanted Lance to enjoy as well.
“You’re turn, love!” Lori said, still beaming from the ecstasy.
She took charge of their lovemaking. It almost caught Lance by surprised. His eyes widened with surprise as she turned around, pinned him on his back, and mounted him like an animal in heat. But a smile never left his face. And that smile widened even as she straddled his waist, lowered herself back down onto his sex, and started riding him with focused intent.
“Oh God! Lori…so beautiful,” Lance gasped.
It must have been quite a sight, watching her ride him with the light of the setting sun in the background. She made sure to give him plenty to admire, grasping his waist and dancing atop him in a special lover’s dance. She even squealed with delight as he reached up to fondle her bouncing breasts, pinching her nipples again as she guided him to his share of the ecstasy.
His grunts and gasped intensified.
Lori sensed he was close, feeling his manhood tense inside her depths in anticipation.
She watched with playful affectionate as his expression tensed in anticipation of his release. She leaned over, steadied her movements, and gave him something to focus on for that final push. When the feeling hit, he let out a cry of elation that echoed throughout the campus.
“Ohhh fuck yeah!”
His choice of vulgar proclamations was so fitting. Lori snickered under her breath while still caressing his face, watching as her lover took in the pleasure.
She felt his body shudder under her, his hardened flesh throbbing inside her as he filled her womb with his hot seed. The warmth that followed perfectly complemented the evening breeze that washed over the field. While Lance processed his bliss, she took his hands in hers and held them close to her chest.
“I love you, Lance,” she told him.
“I love you too,” Lance replied. “I love you as much as I hated high school.”
“And that…is how I know our love is special.
“Special enough to make tomorrow’s reunion bearable?”
“Definitely!”
Lori grinned at her future husband and he grinned back. They then kissed before parting their flesh. However, they were in no hurry to get dressed. They opted to linger in the afterglow, curled up on the 50-yard-line to further cement this moment into their memories.
Life had not been easy. Their experience at Ridgeway High School was a uniquely dark time for them. But they endured. They found each other. And after ten years of rebuilding their lives, they returned to the site of that darkness. They couldn’t undo everything that made high school so awful. But they could lay the foundation of something better.
And that was exactly what they did on the 50-yard-line in their own special way.
Filed under Sexy Short Story
Superman Earth One Video: The Most Underrated Man Of Steel
This is another video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video is me highlighting and celebrating Superman: Earth One, a 2012 graphic novel from DC Comics that gave us a unique version of the Man of Steel. Superman has had many iterations over the years. Some are more memorable than others. But Superman: Earth One gave us something special. As a story and a take on this iconic character, it delivered a Superman that has only gotten better with age. And I break down why in this video. Enjoy!
Filed under DC Comics, Jack's World, superhero comics, writing, YouTube
Why High School Exams Were Harder Than Most Jobs I’ve Had
As I’m writing this, a great many school-age kids in middle school and high school are anxious for summer to begin. For many school districts in the United State, the end of the school year is in sight. It no longer seems so far away and so out of reach. I imagine many are already counting down the days until that magical moment when the final bell rings and school is out for the summer.
I know that wait can be agonizing, at times.
I have not forgotten the elation I often felt on the last day of school
But before any students get to that wondrous moment, they have one last obstacle to face. It involves the last round of standardized tests and exam. It may vary from district to district, but this is usually the time of year when most students take the SATs, AP and IP exams, or a general final exam for each class. They are often among the most difficult and stressful tests of the entire year. I haven’t forgotten how hard they were, either. And while I’ve already made my opinions on standardized testing clear, I’d like to use this moment to share another insight.
Back in high school, I took a number of AP exams during this time of year. And towards my junior and senior year, I also took final exams that often required much more studying than your standard quiz. I took many similar exams in college, but most of those varied in that they didn’t rely entirely on scantron sheets and multiple-choice tests. To date, it was those major exams towards the end of high school that ended up being the hardest test I ever took.
I vividly remember staying up late at night during the days leading up to the test, often going over page after page of notes that weren’t always well-organized. I also remember reading over textbooks again and again, but still struggling to remember key points. It resulted in many restless nights. On the nights before tests, I often laid awake in my bed, going over notes and concepts that I knew I had to remember for the exam the next day.
It was not healthy. I can’t overstate how stressful this was for me.
Even though I ended up passing and even acing some of these exams, the work I had to put in just didn’t feel worth it. And in the grand scheme of things, I don’t feel like all that studying helped me actually learn the concept. Even if I passed or aced the exam, I genuinely can’t remember any helpful knowledge coming from it.
However, this harrowing experience did have one important impact. But I wouldn’t feel it until I graduated college and started working in the real world.
Looking back on all the jobs I’ve had since college, including the ones I found really terrible, I don’t think I’ve ever been as stressed or as anxious as I was when studying or taking those tests. That’s not to say all the jobs I’ve had were easy, by comparison. They certainly weren’t. I’ve had a number of jobs over the years in which I’ve come home feeling sore, drained, and miserable. But even on my busiest days at those jobs, I still didn’t feel nearly as stressed.
And I think that’s an important perspective to share because I imagine there are a lot of young people right now worrying about what the adult world has in store for them. Their only real experience with hard work and stress comes from school. They’re constantly told by teachers, counselors, and administrators that the work their doing now is critical. And it’s meant to prepare them for the much harder work they’ll face in college or the adult world.
If someone out there has been telling you that, I’ve got an important message for you.
Unless you plan on being a doctor or lawyer or a sweatshop laborer, that’s not accurate. That’s just administrators trying to get you to work harder so that you’ll get better grades, which consequently makes them look better. The truth is never that simplistic. And you often don’t find that out until much later in life and after some significant life experience.
But even if you don’t have that experience, you can still maintain a better perspective than I ever did when I was young. I made the mistake of treating every major exam like a defining moment in my life. I genuinely believed that if I didn’t ace every test, my life would fall apart and I would fail at everything moving forward. I also believed that each passing year would get harder and harder. Eventually, I’d have to spend every waking hour studying or working, never having time to enjoy my life. Again, it was not healthy. I did real harm to my mental health by thinking that.
I eventually had to learn that both college and the adult world don’t have to be this never-ending toil of joyless rigor. Once you have some agency and guidance, you can chart your own path. Yes, you’ll still have to work. And yes, you’ll still have to struggle at times. But it’s not nearly as arduous as these exams and the teachers who give them make them out to be. In time, they will be a small sliver of a much richer life.
To date, I don’t think I’ve ever worked as hard or been as stressed out as I was when taking my high school exams from this time of year. Every job I’ve had came with challenges. But rising to those challenges never felt so tedious and arduous. On top of that, I actually got paid for that effort. That definitely took some of the stress out of it. And even in the worst jobs I’ve had, there was a general structure and logic to it all. I knew what I had to do and why. Whereas with school, it was just a matter of doing what the teachers said and getting the grades they said you needed to get.
Time, life experiences, and the benefit of hindsight has helped me see those exams for what they were. As agonizing as they were, a part of me is grateful that they hardened me to the rigors of hard work and stressful nights. Compared to my last few years of high school, every job I’ve had has been less stressful and more manageable. That helped make navigating the adult world easier in the long run.
Even so, I wouldn’t wish that kind of stress on anyone. And I sincerely hope anyone reading this who’s still in school can gain some insight from what I’ve shared.
I know it’s still so overwhelming, having the end of the school year be so close, yet having to navigate final exams.
I know it seems like your entire life revolves around school and these tests, at the moment.
I only ask that you take a step back and appreciate that these challenges will help make you stronger in the long run. You need not fear what comes next. Because if you can survive high school even slightly better than I did, then I promise you’re already strong enough to build a brighter future for yourself in the years to come.
Filed under Current Events, Jack Fisher's Insights, philosophy, rants, real stories
Why The Death Of Ms. Marvel Is Dumb (Amazing Spider-Man #26 Spoilers)
This is another video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. #msmarvel #spiderman #amazingspiderman #kamalakhan In this video, I react to the news that Ms. Marvel is set to die in Amazing Spider-Man #26 and why it’s an objectively dumb move for comic run that has been incredibly frustrating for fans.
Filed under Jack's World, Marvel, Ms. Marvel, Spider-Man, superhero comics, writing, YouTube
Mother’s Day Memories (Featuring The Terminator)
Tomorrow is Mother’s Day.
It’s a special day, in and of itself. And it’s a day we should totally recognize. I don’t care what the anti-Hallmark people say. It’s not a bullshit holiday. It’s a great day to recognize and appreciate the wonderful mothers who make us who we are, literally and figuratively.
And when you have an awesome mom like I do, it’s extra special. I’ve gone out of my way to give my mom extra love and praise on this website. I don’t intend to stop anytime soon. I know she reads this site, so I have every reason to continue.
As I’ve done before, I like to use this day to share a brief story to help illustrate why my mom is so wonderful. Picking a story is not easy because there are just so many. My mom does plenty to craft great memories for me and my siblings. From the time I was a kid to just a few weeks ago, she never hesitates to create lasting memories that are worth celebrating.
So, for Mother’s Day 2023, I’m going to single out one particular story from my youth. And as it just so happens, this story involves the Terminator.
Yes, I’m referring to that Terminator.
I promise I’m going somewhere with this. My mother probably already knows the story I’m about to tell and I imagine she understands why I’m telling it.
To appreciate this story, it’s also important to appreciate how my parents went about setting boundaries for me and my siblings. Like all responsible parents, my mother and father set clear rules. There were some things we weren’t allowed to do. There were also certain shows, movies, and video games that we weren’t allowed to play. The list wasn’t long, strict, or petty. And if I or any of my siblings asked, they would offer simple, understandable explanations.
It wasn’t always just a matter of “Because I said so.” My parents did try to be more reasonable than that. And as a result, it was easier to respect those rules.
It wouldn’t be accurate to call my parents overly strict. It also wouldn’t be accurate to call them overly lenient. They always found a way to strike just the right balance in terms of setting clear rules and letting their kids explore the world. It’s the kind of parenting that might as well be a superpower these days.
This leads me to their approach to R-rated movies, such as Terminator movies. My parents weren’t one to take their underage kids to R-rated movies, nor were they the kind to let us stay up late and watch R-rated movies on cable. However, they did make some rare exceptions, provided that they watch the movie with us. And one of the earliest exception was “Terminator 2: Judgement Day.”
That movie is considered one of the greatest movies ever made and for good reason. If any parent is going to make an exception, it’s a movie like this. And that’s what my mother did.
When I was around eight years old, my mother rented the movie. She and my dad actually loved the first one. I don’t know if they had ever seen it in the theaters, but I know they knew the franchise. And even though this movie was rated R, she let me and my younger brother stay up and watch it with her one night. This wasn’t something we had to beg her to do. She just let us do it because she’s just that awesome.
Now, being a kid, I didn’t appreciate all the complexities and nuances surrounding “Terminator 2: Judgement Day.” To my young mind, I just saw a movie full of great action scenes and intense moments. I didn’t really care about the content. The violence and action was just so thrilling to me. My young mind thought it was like a roller coaster ride. The trill of just being part of it was so incredible.
Along the way, my mother did take some time to explain what was going on. At the time, I hadn’t seen the first Terminator movie in full. She also made it a point to note when the violence was excessive. She didn’t try to shield me and my brother from it, but she did make sure we were aware. Even though we were kids, we still appreciated it.
Then, we got to the emotional ending of the movie when the Terminator sacrifices himself. To this day, it’s still one of the greatest moments in cinematic history. And even though I was young, I still felt the impact of that moment when John hugged the Terminator. Then, as he was being lowered into the steel and Sarah embraced her son, my mom embraced me. And that just made the moment all the more powerful.
To this day, “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” still holds a special place in my heart. In addition to being a great movie, it’s also a movie I will always associate with my wonderful mother.
Watching it with her that fateful night is a memory that has stuck with me over the years. It’s just one of the many I cherish between me and my mother. They come in so many forms and in unexpected ways. Whether it’s on Mother’s Day or while watching an R-rated movie as a kid, these moments are special. And for that, I will always be grateful.
So, to all the wonderful mothers out there, especially my wonderful mother, Happy Mother’s Day!
Hasta La Vista, Baby!
Filed under Jack Fisher's Insights, real stories
How The New DC Cinematic Universe Can Succeed (Or Fail)
This is another video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World. This video is a deep dive into the past, future, and potential of the DC Cinematic Universe (a.k.a. the DCEU). Now that it’s all but official that the whole endeavor is getting revamped, I explore what the new DCEU needs to do in order to succeed and the potential pitfalls it might face. I’m genuinely rooting for DC and Warner Brothers to succeed. But they will face major challenges to become a full-fledged cinematic universe.
Filed under DC Comics, Jack's World, movies, superhero comics, superhero movies, X-men, YouTube
What Is An Appropriate Age For A Kid To Have A Smartphone?
When I was a kid, the most advanced device I could put in my pocket was a Gameboy. It didn’t do much other than play games. And while I did sometimes annoy my friends and family by playing it too much or taking it everywhere, having one really wasn’t too controversial. Once I was in middle school, I didn’t have too many restrictions, other than simply needing money for games and batteries.
Today, smartphones are much more powerful than a Gameboy by several orders a magnitude. It’s not just about what they can do. Even with a poor internet connection, a smartphone can give anyone of any age access to countless forms of information, media, and entertainment.
Some of it is good. A lot of it is bad.
Some of it is critical information for most people to know. A lot of it is misinformation or propaganda that can destroy someone’s life.
In the wrong hands of even a capable adult, a smartphone can ruin your life. Just ask anyone who has ever sent out an ill-advised tweet. Things only get more complicated when it comes to young children or teenagers using smart devices. And those complications are going to intensify in the coming years.
I know this and sense this because over the past several years, quite a few friends and family members have started having kids. At the moment, they’re all under the age of eight. They’re all growing up with loving, caring parents who genuinely want what’s best for them. They have all the support and encouragement they could need from their family and extended family. I try my best to be part of that support.
However, these kids have been born into a world that I never could’ve imagined as a child. They came into a world in which the internet is everywhere, smartphones are everywhere, and social media has a huge effect on everyone’s life, even if they’re not on it. The world is always changing, but this is a different kind of change.
And these kids definitely sense it too. A while back, I was hanging out with one of my nephews during a family gathering at my parents’ house. While we were hanging out in the living room, my mother brought out an old photo album. And my nephew, even with severely restricted exposure to screens and smart devices, kept trying to tap on the pictures to make them play. He basically thought they were like the photos on his dad’s iPhone, which played videos when you tapped on them.
It was funny to some extent, but it was also revealing. It shows that, even at a young age, these kids are picking up on what these devices can do. And as they get older, they’re certain to become a big part of their lives.
Their parents certainly understand that. Even before they were born, I heard them say outright that they’re going to work hard to restrict the use and exposure of smart devices to their children. That included phones and tablets, including those that didn’t connect to the internet. They’re serious about that effort. On more than one occasion, they’ve asked me to keep my phone in my pocket so that the kids don’t see it. I always try to respect that. I understand completely where they’re coming from.
That’s not to say they hide these devices from them completely. Their parents do allow their kids to play very specific kid-friendly games on their devices, but usually for a very limited amount of time and often as a reward for good behavior. They’ll also let them watch movies on a tablet if they’re good or if they’re on a long drive. The key is to find a healthy balance that doesn’t expose the kids to the objectively toxic parts of the internet and electronic media.
For now, I think what they’re parents are doing is working. However, at some point, they won’t be able to completely control their child’s access to technology, the internet, etc. I know this because when I was a kid, we found a way to access forbidden media, be it games like Mortal Kombat or shows like South Park. It doesn’t matter how strict a parent is. Kids will find a way. Even if they fail, they’re already aware that these devices exist and they’re aware of what they can do. The question is how do we, as parents and a society, manage it appropriately?
This is something I honestly don’t know how to assess. I am not a parent yet. I might be one day and even then, I might not know when and how to appropriately expose my children to smartphones and the internet. I don’t doubt they’ll be curious. I also don’t doubt these devices will be part of their lives. As they get older, they’ll want more access. At some point, they’ll even want a smart device of their own.
For parents of young kids, that’s a scary prospect. I’m not a parent yet and I find that scary, too. I’ve seen some of the uglier parts of the internet. I shudder to think of the impact they would have on any child. But scary or not, it raises a relevant question.
At what age do we let kids have their own smartphone?
I ask this question knowing that the answer will likely vary from child to child. There will always be some children who are more responsible than others. When I was in grade school, I knew a kid who couldn’t be trusted with paintbrushes because he kept trying to paint things on other kids’ faces. I even knew this one kid who couldn’t be trusted with markers because he would sniff or try to lick the tip.
Those are not the kinds of kids you can trust with a smartphone or any device connected to the internet, for that matter. But even well-behaved kids might be harmed by smartphones at a certain age and through no fault of their own. There are applications, games, and sites that are specifically designed to get everyone, kids included, addicted to their content. There are multiple studies that have noted detrimental effects to kids and young adults who use apps like TikTok, Instagram, and FaceBook.
At the same time, there are tangible benefits that can be gained from smartphones. There are also programs that can help kids learn other languages, improve critical thinking skills, and even develop forms of emotional intelligence. Depriving kids and even teenagers access to such functions could be just as detrimental.
It’s a tough balancing act. You can never completely eliminate the drawbacks and gain only the benefits, nor can you truly know how a child or teenager is going to use their smart device. Some will use it to better themselves. Some will be ruined or destroyed by it. There’s just no way to know for sure.
The best any parent can do is to just teach their child to be smart, responsible, understanding, and careful. That’s not easy. Very few things about parenting are. I’ve noticed that from just watching my siblings and friends. I’m sure I’ll learn it first-hand if I ever have kids of my own.
Like it or not, smartphones are a critical tool for kids, teenagers, and adults alike. Like any tool, there’s a right way and a wrong way to use it. And like any action or choice, there are risks and rewards to weight. We can never know for sure how they’ll help or hurt us. Parents can and should do whatever they can to help their kids get the most out of these tools, even if it means restricting their use.
To help hammer this point home, I’ll share one last anecdote. When I was in school, all cell phones were banned. At the time, they didn’t connect to the internet or have cameras. But the school had a clear policy that no student could posses them. Then, there was an incident near my neighborhood that involved an active shooter. It made the local news and, as a result, parents of students began frantically calling students on the cell phones they weren’t allowed to have.
Some students managed to hide their phones enough in order to answer. But those who didn’t ended up causing serious concern from their parents. I remember several basically leaving work in the middle of the day to get to the school in order to check on their kid. Nobody was hurt, but I can’t imagine how stressful that must have been.
As a result of this incident, the school changed its cell phone policy. That might have made sense in wake of that incident. And I know there are far issues to consider with modern smartphones. But I think it helps illustrate how crude, simplistic approaches to this issue can only go so far. We can’t ban these devices, nor can we uncreate them or the world they’ve fostered. It’s up to us to guide the next generation as best we can into an increasingly complicated world.
Filed under psychology, technology
Why You Should Side With The Writers In The Latest WGA Writers Strike
Back in late 2007, there was a three-month strike between the major studios of Hollywood and the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA), the largest labor union representing professional writers working in the entertainment industry. That strike was one of the most disruptive forces to hit the industry in decades. Like many other labor strikes, much of the issue came down to money. MOst of it came down to how much writers were getting paid in residuals for things like DVD sales and other emerging distribution channels.
Even though the dispute was resolved, there were major effects on various shows and movies. If you want to know why there were so many reality TV shows that emerged in the late 2000s, this is a major factor. Shows that don’t employ elaborate stories or scripted content don’t have to pay a large writing staff. That means more profits for the studios and the executives.
As someone who tends to despise reality TV, I hated this trend.
And to those who watched those shows and continue to do so, just know that the situation we now find ourselves in with respect to entertainment is largely because of you.
Flash forward to today and the WGA has gone on strike again. Now, I’m sure most peoples’ primary concern is whether or not this will affect their favorite shows. As someone who loves binging non-reality TV shows, I admit that is a concern for me too. However, even if your favorite shows end up affected, do not cast the blame on the writers. That’s like blaming the miners who get trapped in a mine and not the corrupt executives who skimped on safety.
This latest strike promises to be different compared to what happened in 2007. A lot has changed in the entertainment industry since then, even before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, residual revenue for DVD sales is less a concern because fewer consumers are buying DVDs. So much of everything has gone to streaming now and that’s seriously impacting writers’ ability to make a living from their craft.
On top of that, there’s the emergence of AI chatbots like ChatGPT that could potentially undermine writers even more by allowing studios to basically let AI fill in rather than paying another writer. And anyone who knows anything about how most industries operates, including entertainment, understands that if executives can increase profits by squeezing out workers, they’ll do it. And they usually won’t hesitate because the financial incentives are just too strong.
This, more than anything, is why we the consumers should side with the WGA. Even if it means your favorite shows get delayed, this is one labor struggle that goes beyond just pay disputes. Writers in entertainment weren’t making much beforehand. I’ve even heard a few jokes online among the comic publishing crowd that certain comic writers, especially those who independently publish, make more money than some of the writers on major shows and movies.
And it’s set to get worse and many studios are seeking to treat their writers like gig workers. Instead of employing a consistent, stable writing staff that knows each other and understands the product, studios think they can just hire a few freelancers, pay them less, and get a product that’ll still be watched by fans. And since these writers won’t have rights to residuals or copyrights, then the studio can keep more of the profits.
This should concern you, the consume. Because if the entertainment industry is screwing skilled writers out of money, then that will eventually affect the quality of every show and movie you see. If you think things are bland now with every major studios just milking established franchises to death, I promise it’ll get worse if they squeeze out talented writers.
Great writing is how underrated shows like “Arcane” can somehow find an audience.
Great writing is how shows like “Avatar: The Last Airbender” can become beloved franchises.
Great writing is how movies like “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” can end up being way better than anyone thought it could be.
As someone who still aspires to be a good writer one day, I may have some bias when it comes to who I side with in an issue like this. But if you’re a consumer of entertainment that doesn’t suck, or just don’t want to go through another glut of reality TV again, it’s in your interest to side with the WGA.
They work hard to entertain us.
They work hard to enchant, inspire, and enlighten us.
That’s not something you can reduce to gig work. That deserves both our respect, as well as fair compensation for their labor.
Filed under Current Events, movies, television, writing
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