A 3-year-old at Casino Royale!?

[Simplicity]

Not unless you sneaked them in. I know, I know, it's rude to smuggle in affordable snack and eating it in front of theater patrons who chose to buy them at concession standard for $5 per tiny (8-ounce) box. Suckas.

I'm a cheap SOB, and I approved this message.

There's a reason they're called "concession stands." Because you concede the right to eat anything but overpriced food if you want to maintain that Lawful alignment.

 

[Psychic Warrior]

It happens. It's not your problem, really. We all have bad theater experiences, but it's no use pressing the matter.

Actually it really is his problem. He can't enjoy a movie with screaming brats running around - who can (except the brain dead parents whom I have no sympathy for. Hire a ing babysitter fer gawds sake. they aren't that rare are they?

I've pretty much had it with theaters anyway. Pay the same price for 2 tickets that the DVd will cost you in 6 months or rent it for 1/5 that price? Crazy. Also I've never really enjoyed the theater "experience". Sticky floors, noisy people, cellphones, kids....gah this is just pissing me off now.

 

[DonTadow]

Yes, yes... We've been breeding the generation that is going to cause the utter downfall of society. Oh, woe is us. How stupid we were to let children listen to rock and roll, watch violent movies, play D&D, listen to hip-hop, play violent video games, and go on the MySpace. I expect there will be no doctors or lawyers in this generation. No scientists or librarians. They're all too stupid, too lazy, and too foul.

And thus the type of thought pattern that helps lead to America as a society becoming a dumber, lazier and more violent society.

Sorry, take a look around, this society is lagging behind a ton of others farther than any point in time. We're wondering where the violence comes from, the stupidity and the lack of motivation. I need not bring out the studies that show that negative hip hop music, video games and violent movies all play apart in breeding a dumber and less inteligent society. We're degrading the middle and low class families thus increasing the hierchy of the country. Thus less of those doctors and lawyers are coming from low and middle income families.

Sadly I dont know what it is we'll do to combat attitudes like yours.

 

[DonTadow]

Yes, yes... We've been breeding the generation that is going to cause the utter downfall of society. Oh, woe is us. How stupid we were to let children listen to rock and roll, watch violent movies, play D&D, listen to hip-hop, play violent video games, and go on the MySpace. I expect there will be no doctors or lawyers in this generation. No scientists or librarians. They're all too stupid, too lazy, and too foul.

btw, don't compare the beatles to songs that exploit women, degrade my culture and tell me how to properly kill someone.

 

[Ranger REG]

There's a reason they're called "concession stands." Because you concede the right to eat anything but overpriced food if you want to maintain that Lawful alignment.

Really? Never thought the average joes in our typical communities would be anything but Neutral (defined by 3.5e).

 

[Ranger REG]

btw, don't compare the beatles to songs that exploit women, degrade my culture and tell me how to properly kill someone.

Actually, when you play Eminem's tune backward, it has an angelic message.

 

[Simplicity]

And thus the type of thought pattern that helps lead to America as a society becoming a dumber, lazier and more violent society.

Sorry, take a look around, this society is lagging behind a ton of others farther than any point in time. We're wondering where the violence comes from, the stupidity and the lack of motivation. I need not bring out the studies that show that negative hip hop music, video games and violent movies all play apart in breeding a dumber and less inteligent society. We're degrading the middle and low class families thus increasing the hierchy of the country. Thus less of those doctors and lawyers are coming from low and middle income families.

Sadly I dont know what it is we'll do to combat attitudes like yours.

btw, don't compare the beatles to songs that exploit women, degrade my culture and tell me how to properly kill someone.

Hey, I think the Beatles are great. And I also think that most hip-hop lately is pretty terrible. But there's plenty of diamonds in the rough that redeem the genre. Look in the right places, and you'll find political commentary far more cutting than the Beatles ever were. Just because no one remembers the crappy Elton John and Jackson 5 rock songs doesn't make it a superior form of music.

You can bring out those studies if you like. They are not that solid for a variety of reasons. The crime rate in the U.S. is currently at an all-time low (though it has very recently started to climb again). Funny how that happens in a society where everyone has become hyperviolent.

Also, many of the studies measure the effect of violent videogames by looking at "violent behavior" as defined by the studier... punching dolls... hitting buttons harder... but strangely they tend not to have children getting into fist fights. Usually researches aren't going to get parents to allow that.

Finally, most of the "scientists" in charge of these studies don't seem to understand the difference between correlation and causality. No one should argue that violent videogames and violent people share a correlation. Violent people seek out violent videogames. But the videogames don't necessarily cause violence, and in fact, by occupying the time of violent people can usually be shown to decrease levels of actual violence in society.

There are better references, but off the top of my head:
http://www.videogamevoters.org/gamesnotviolence/

As for class differences... That gets into politics. There's bigger problems there than the entertainment industry. But off-limits for this forum, I think.

 

[Simplicity]

Really? Never thought the average joes in our typical communities would be anything but Neutral (defined by 3.5e).

Not again...

Well, clearly our society is sliding from its formerly Lawful Good pinnacle into a Chaotic Neutral grab-fest. In the old days, law-abiding greasers used to drive their hot-rods at the legally approved speed limit. There certainly wasn't any alcohol involved. And the only gang wars involved people breaking out into song... "When you're a Jet, you're a Jet..."

 

[Steve Jung]

My girlfriend and I went to a 2 PM matinee of Phantom of the Opera this past weekend. There were several kids in the audience. Right behind us was a couple with their young daughter. The girl kept asking what was going on, until my girlfriend asked her if she'd keep talking throughout the show. In front of us there was a woman and her young son. Near the end of the first act, the boy started saying he was tired. They left during intermission and didn't return. Phantom is not a show for young kids., so I wonder why anyone would pay nearly a hundred dollars to bring them.

 

[Chaldfont]

To clarify: It wasn't so much the kid's behavior that was disruptive. I have two kids, I have a high tolerance for it. And I expect some disruption going to the theatre--its part of the experience. I like the crowd's reactions and I love it when somone's cell phone rings and some other guy swears at them for it.

It was the fact that this poor kid, who has no choice in the matter, was dragged to this clearly age-unappropriate movie and expected to sit through it. Yeah that kids gonna see a lot worse over the years. But right now, she doesn't have a choice. Not even during the torture scenes did the parents admit their mistake and remove the kid from the theatre. I kept thinking of my own child and just how wrong that would be.

And I do want to comment on sneaking food and drink into a theatre. I'm all for it. Its part of the magic of movies. I once smuggled six cans of soda in big jacket. My dad once snuck in a Big Mac and smiled when someone smelled it out. In college one of my friends accidently knocked over an empty beer bottle during a quiet tense moment in Stargate and the damn thing rolled all the way down the sloped floor to the front of the theatre.

Great stuff. I love the movies. But there are some savages out there that need a taste of the Gom Jabbar to see if they are human.