To not be able to stand film and TV nowadays because it always has an agenda?

[mintlily]

I've noticed that I can only bear to watch TV shows and films produced until roughly 2008.

It feels like everything nowadays has some kind of moral or political agenda. The writers are either trying to show off how enlightened they are, or condition you to accept their certain neo-Marxist world view. Virtually ALL dramas have an LGBT, feminist or anti-racist agenda, delivered with 0 subtlety or nuance. And the way it is done is so patronising and disrespectful to historical writers and figures - as if we 21st century people are the moral arbiters of history, and must overlay our more enlightened worldview on their bigoted work, which was surely produced in ignorance. It's also patronising to the intelligence of viewers, as if we need everything censored for our innocent eyes and can't make our own moral judgements. There is something puritanical and unartistic about it, like the Victorians censoring art to not corrupt the masses.

For example:

The new Little Mermaid deleting the line "men don't like women who blabber" from Ursula's songs. Ursula is a villain. We can cope with her being sexist, for goodness sake - we know that we're supposed to think she's wrong. The writer didn't need to fret that children would internalise the worldview of the villain.

Anne of Green Gables and her gay best friend. Why? This is not the genre to deal with LGBT issues. The author had no interest in this subject (as far as I'm aware).

Call the Midwife and it's pro-abortion stance. As if CATHOLIC MIDWIVES IN THE 1970s would have been pro-abortion?!

It's nothing to do with your actual views on these subjects. I just find that TV and film lacks the nuance and intelligence that it used to and I actually can't bear to watch any of it anymore, as it just feels so soulless.

Drama, literature and art reflects life and always have.

Star Trek had an interacial kiss in the 60's

Your politics just doesn't chime with the modern world anymore

Call the Midwife and it's pro-abortion stance. As if CATHOLIC MIDWIVES IN THE 1970s would have been pro-abortion?!

Well the nuns on Call the Midwife are Anglican nuns, so...

True but I don't think that makes a difference

You're allowed to watch whatever you like you know, you don't have to ask if you're being unreasonable.

I suspect this thread was started with its own agenda to get everyone complaining about "woke" though...

You have a point. It's the same with books, modern novels. Ones set in previous eras seem to show modern sensibilities rather than what you'd expect from that era.
I noticed it in Ten Pound Poms with the (male) abortion procurer saying that women should have legal access to safe abortions (or something like that) instead of telling the girl off for being a slut, which would be more believable.

Best stay away from A Matter of Life abd Death then:

Or Huckleberry Finn

YABU tv has literally always had an agenda. Look at Bewitched, I Love Lucy, Star Trek, even Brookside.

I just don't think it's true that art for entertainment has always had a political agenda. At least, artists didn't seem to be as terrified of being seen to have the wrong opinions as they do nowadays. Or, it was ok to produce art without having to draw in every hot topic of the day. Art for art's sake is lost

It is true.

Never read any Shakespeare?

I have more problem with the gratuitous sex scenes for no reason, nudity - mostly just to objectify, even worse if it’s in the name of ’sex positivity’ or ’female empowerment’ 🙄.
Also there is a strong push for the bdsm shit.
And I don’t even watch type of movies that are about relationship/romance etc.
They push that shit on every genre.
I don’t know why.

Oh what utter twaddle. Read some history.

I have a degree in English Literature and constantly have a classic novel or play on the go.
In Shakespeare's day, you did have to present certain worldviews in order to stay on the right side of the authorities.
But who are the moral authorities now? Activists?

I'm talking more about 20th century art, when artists were finally free to be experimental and controversial, and art for art's sake was alive and well. This is what we've lost.

All TV has a an agenda so just watch what you like.

A hilarious game is a speed watch Supergirl to see what box they are ticking this week, it's so right on its pathetic.

Please can you give some examples of these pre-2008 cultural products that you find acceptable OP?

Or Dickens? Massive agenda there.

Yess but his agenda was counter-cultural

What is this apolitical art?

Ah so an agenda is only OK if it suits YOUR world view....

Cowboy films.

Re-wrote history.

Gladiator did too

Dickens wasn't trying to stay on the right side of activists and politicians. His art was truly shocking in its exposure of poverty and maltreatment of children. It was doing a new thing to actively bring about social change. Art now just spouts the same worldviews in a contrived and patronising way, usually on topics that have already been addressed by society.

I wouldn't mind if they made it fit convincingly in the plot.

Rubbish. You need to broaden what you're consuming.

And why 2008 specifically? Bizarre frame of reference.

I'm sure people of every generation think this. You're just getting old.

Erm, no. I often read books and watch films that present worldviews I don't like. That's not the point. It's the way these views are presented that is the problem.

You are essentially the shocked, conservative audience of Dickens' day, and he is a 'woke' author pushing an 'agenda' that you don't agree with.