Downton Abbey

[Phantasmal]

I'd agree that it is a fantasy of people acting much more nobly in times past. I think they get a pass because, while they do bring up the negative aspects of the older society from time to time, it's sort of been pushed to the side. Really, in the first season it started out kind of throwing the misogyny and bigotry of those times in your face (for instance, the first shows plot largely revolves around two of the servants trying to get an invalid, Mr. Bates, fired, and everyone, especially the head butler Mr. Carson, constantly questions whether he can do his job as a Valet), but as the show progressed they watered down the negative aspects more and more in order to maintain the likability of the characters. The conservative, Tory aristocrats on the show are all remarkably tolerant and remarkably adaptable to change, more than I think it would be reasonable to expect of people living in that time. Now, of course, progressives always do have Tom Branson, the Irish Socialist radical chaufer who runs off with the Lords daughter. But Branson actually wasn't the well liked among the fan base, although maybe that's changed with the events in the third season, which result in him being aritocratized.

I always liked him. He is proud and likes getting what he wants. We will see if his position changes him.

 

[Cancel 2016.11]

I don't think anyone's confused it for a documentary.

Duh.

 

[Cancel 2016.11]

For one thing, nostalgia is a huge part of modern youth culture. The boomers (the parents of this generation) despised old people and desperately wanted to throw away the past and embrace the future. The millennials don't have that same snarky rejection of older people, and tend to look back at old things wistfully. However, both generations are very liberal politically; Generation X was really much more of a conservative generation.

Billy and grind both hate old people. Billy wants boomers to all die, I am not sure about grind. It's good to know it's not generation-wide. I am curious about what you say here, you really think that Gen X is more conservative than the boomers? I feel like boomers have the rep of being all counter culture hippies, but in fact, many of them are like Bravo. Right wing reactionaries. A lot of boomers were cheering on the cops who were beating up the hippies and shooting college students. You may be right though. I would love to see stats. I'm open to your premise, I just am not sure. I feel as if a lot of us were more liberal when we were younger. I remember my own circle of friends, which was very large, being horrified by the 92 Republican convention, a pivotal moment. It's funny though because most of them have become republicans. I got into a thing on fb with one of them not that long ago about bankers, who he was actually defending. I always thought of us as being more liberal than the boomers, generally speaking, but I could have been wrong.

 

[Minister of Truth]

For one thing, nostalgia is a huge part of modern youth culture. The boomers (the parents of this generation) despised old people and desperately wanted to throw away the past and embrace the future. The millennials don't have that same snarky rejection of older people, and tend to look back at old things wistfully. However, both generations are very liberal politically; Generation X was really much more of a conservative generation.

Because their parents were fuck-ups. Those of us who have Kaboomer parents have older parents who had recovered from their stupid ways.

 

[Minister of Truth]

I'd agree that it is a fantasy of people acting much more nobly in times past. I think they get a pass because, while they do bring up the negative aspects of the older society from time to time, it's sort of been pushed to the side. Really, in the first season it started out kind of throwing the misogyny and bigotry of those times in your face (for instance, the first shows plot largely revolves around two of the servants trying to get an invalid, Mr. Bates, fired, and everyone, especially the head butler Mr. Carson, constantly questions whether he can do his job as a Valet), but as the show progressed they watered down the negative aspects more and more in order to maintain the likability of the characters. The conservative, Tory aristocrats on the show are all remarkably tolerant and remarkably adaptable to change, more than I think it would be reasonable to expect of people living in that time. Now, of course, progressives always do have Tom Branson, the Irish Socialist radical chaufer who runs off with the Lords daughter. But Branson actually wasn't the well liked among the fan base, although maybe that's changed with the events in the third season, which result in him being aritocratized.

Typical Hat. When it comes to being a fan favorite, I have a slogan for Mr. Branson - Irish need not apply! Also, "shut up and drive" (Rihanna)!

 

[maineman]

It's really funny... The US gets downton abbey a year after everyone else, I think. I have already seen the entire last season and was saddened to see Matthew die in a car accident immediately after his lovely bride gave birth to a son and heir.