Stuff Around the Internet #6
How Bruce Willis saved my Christmas, the opportunities of VR and how Donald and Boris broke the political compass.
Let me make a confession. You know how I am, always keeping it real.
I thought that I was going to find an excuse not to write during the holidays. I could be eating, drinking, playing, reading or sleeping.
Yet, here I am, showing in your inbox on the 1st of January. If this is not commitment, I don’t know what it is.
I feel like Paul Rudd:
Let’s get into it.
Choosing the Blue or Red Pill (in Politics)
An article published in the Financial Times suggests that Millennials in the US and the UK are not becoming more conservative as they age.
In general terms, people tend to be more liberal in their 20s and turn more conservative in their 30s. Young people welcome changes and “progress” while older people are more resistant to them. This is an over-simplification that does not dwell into the details of why that is, but it seems to be the consensus among researchers.
However, it speaks volumes that the right-wing leadership has been so poor lately that they managed to break a cycle of evolution in political ideology that had been going on for over 100 years.
I can only say, congratulations gentlemen.
Middle Age Time Crisis
The older I become, the more I miss Time Crisis. I feel blessed and privileged to have been brought up in a family that would allow young children to play incredibly violent games involving guns, kidnapping and terrorism. Thank you, dad.
This week, I found a video of a guy emulating Time Crisis on a VR headset that gave me mixed feelings. On one hand, I fear that VR experiences will start to replace physical experiences in our lives, such as dating, travelling, exercising, meeting friends, playing games, etc.
It will be up to future generations to judge whether that is good, but I honestly worry that this technology will continue to isolate people in the dystopian future we are building.
On the other hand, I cannot fucking wait to play Time Crisis in VR.
Bruce Willis Saved Christmas
Watching Die Hard could be the best Christmas tradition that Britain can offer.
Forget about pigs in blankets and mince pie. Forget about crackers and silly crowns made of paper. Watching John McClaine annihilate a terrorist organisation while running barefoot for 2 hours is the best plan for the jolliest time of the year.
Thanks to this eloquent man in Tik Tok, I managed to convince my other half that Die Hard is indeed a Christmas film. Hopefully, this will turn into an annual thing.
If you are a bit tired of romantic comedies starring Lindsay Lohan, give Bruce Willis a chance <3
Recommendations
Most of the things I have watched this week have been a bit mediocre, including Knives Out - Glass Onion and Murderville - Who Killed Santa? They are watchable but forgettable.
Avatar: The Way of Water
The story is a bit plain, but the look and feel of the film are amazing. I watched it on 3D IMAX and it was quite a trip. The movie has the ability to entertain both older and younger generations, as long as you can find 3 spare hours to watch the whole thing.
Nintendo Switch Sports
It’s too cold to go for a run so, instead, let’s play tennis in the living room until we dislocate our shoulders.
Wii Sports was good and Switch Sports took it further with online competitive matches, leagues, unlockable outfits, and more sports (volleyball, badminton, bowling, football, chambara sword fighting, tennis, and golf).
Stop playing cards against humanity and give this one a go next time you are meeting friends and family.
Before leaving…
I have a tiny favour to ask. You see, my goal for this year is to get 100 subscribers. It’s a completely random number, but it would give me enough external validation to carry on with this writing endeavour.
If you have enjoyed reading this, share it with friends or colleagues. Send them a link with a personal note, like this one:
“Hey bro,
Sorry for kissing your sister last night. It was a mistake, but mistakes are an important part of life. I read this thing about appreciating your mistakes and it made me think of our situation.
Please, forgive me mate”
Anyway, that’s all for now. Remember to:
Drink water and reduce the sodium intake in your diet.
Call and message your loved ones.
Mind the gap between the train and the platform.
See you on Wednesday.
Cesar.