Fictional Worlds...

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Ought to behave like the real world in all ways except those for which the writer declares that they are or explains why they are different.

That is why it is fine for Tolkien to have walking tree men -- he has set his story in an ancient time, before a metaphysical change in the world, when such creatures existed -- but very bad for television programs to show drivers that can look at the person in the passenger seat while conversing for up to five seconds on a busy highway without crashing. (Unless, of course, they have explained at some point that these are X-Men drivers who don't need to look where they are going to avoid accidents, or that it is Neal Cassidy who is driving.


Comments

  1. traumerei8:44 PM

    Do you cringe whenever an explosion in space is accompanied by a loud boom? Or the roar of a space ship's engines?

    ReplyDelete
  2. gcallah8:54 PM

    Yup.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Silas Barta5:18 PM

      Do you also cringe when you hear the dialogue begin when the camera view is still place far outside the building, in an "establishing shot"?

      "What? I wouldn't be able to hear people in the top room of that tower from here!"

      Delete
    2. gcallah7:16 PM

      Yes, the director is having a point of view problem.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous12:54 PM

    Ha! You just reminded me of something that I completely forgot.

    When I was a teenage (i.e. when I had balls the size melons) I used to memorize/analyze every detail of streets when I would drive on them (I still do this). Then, I would drive down these street with my eyes closed. The goal was to drive as far as possible with eyes closed without hitting anything, and staying in the right lane. I've done over a mile, with stops and all.

    Anyhow, sometimes when I would have a passenger in the car and I knew the street really well, I would stare at them during the entire conversation. Yeah, they didn't like that too much.

    Don't ask me why I used to do this. I did grow up in a pretty boring neighborhood. Obviously, I'm far more cautious these days.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bob Murphy4:49 PM

    Joseph help me out here. Was it:

    (a) it didn't occur to you that a little kid might chase his ball into the street,

    (b) it occurred to you but you figured the odds were low enough to ignore it,

    (c) you have super powers and can sense kid with your eyes closed?

    ReplyDelete

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