Watching Jersey Shore makes you dumber.

[RandomGuy]

No, I am not putting a question mark at the end of that. I have seen enough evidence to reach a sensible conclusion, being smart enough not to watch this steaming pile of snot in the first place.

Watching 'Jersey Shore' might make you dumber, study suggests
By Melissa Dahl

Take note, fans of mindless reality shows like "Jersey Shore": New research suggests watching something dumb might make you dumber. In other words, you are what you watch.

It's called media priming -- the idea that the things we watch or listen to or read influence our emotions and our behavior, perhaps more than we realize. This particular study may be the first to use fictional characters in a narrative to show an effect on people's cognitive performance, says lead author Markus Appel, a psychologist at Austria's University of Linz.

In an experiment, volunteers were told to read a fake screenplay about a character they refer to as a "foolish soccer hooligan." (A subsequent finding of the study: Austrians are adorable.) The story describes a day in the life of a man named Meier: He wakes up, reads (and misunderstands) the message in an inspiration-of-the-day calendar, meets his friends in a bar and gets very drunk. Meier then goes to a soccer game, gets into a fight and comes home to crash; he sleeps through the next day. (Substitute the soccer game for a nightclub, and you have something very similar to the televised daily shenanigans of Snooki or The Situation.)

Some of the 81 volunteers were instructed to read a longer version of the "soccer hooligan" story, while others read a shorter version -- and the control group read a rather boring story in which Meier does nothing stupid. Then researchers gave the volunteers a multiple choice general knowledge test, including questions like, "What is the capital of Libya?" and "What kind of speed is expressed by the letter 'c' in physics?" and "Who painted La Guernica?"

To be fair, these are tough questions to answer sans-Internet regardless of whether you've just watched something vapid like "Toddlers and Tiaras." But, as the researchers write, "participants who read a narrative about a stupidly acting soccer hooligan performed worse in the knowledge test than participants who read a narrative about a character with no reference to his intellectual abilities.

"The present study is, to our knowledge, the first to show media priming effects of story characters on cognitive performance," they explain in the report, which was published online this month in the journal Media Psychology.

Think you're too smart to be influenced by the media you consume? That's cute. Anything we see -- a person on the street, an ad on TV, a character in a movie -- has some influence on our next thoughts, emotions or actions, simply because it's top of mind, says Joanne Cantor, a psychologist and member of the American Psychological Association who has studied the emotional and behavioral effect of TV and movies.

“What you’ve been thinking about recently or seeing recently (is) at a higher level in your consciousness, so your brain is kind of predisposed in that direction,” says Cantor, professor emerita of communication arts and outreach director center for communication research at the University of Wisonsin-Madison. “So if you’ve just seen a movie about really altruistic people and you get an opportunity to behave altruistically, you’ll probably do it, rather than if you’ve just seen a movie about selfish people." (So fans of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" aren't particularly charitable? Noted.)

http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/13/6851542-watching-jersey-shore-might-make-you-dumber-study-suggests

[mingus]

shit like Jersey Shore and other reality shows push the bounderies of behavior and attitudes for not only what is allowable/acceptable on t.v. but culture. so it doesn't surprise me that it has an effect on way epole think and behave. and every show tries to outdo the one prior to it so it'll only get worse. hard to imagine it can get any stupider but it will. combine that with the fact that this country is stupid and uneducated and that's a bad combination.

[TE]

I thought everyone knew this already.

[desflood]

I thought everyone knew this already.
Yes, sadly my first thought upon reading the title was, "Well, duh." :lol
Which shows just how dumb reality tv has made me.

[MannyIsGod]

I don't give a damn. When PaulyD is back on the air you bet your ass I'll be DVRing it.

[Frenzy]

What makes a person care/interested in a stranger's life?

I don't watch much reality shows. Only one I think I watch now and then is dirty jobs. My wife is hooked on shows like "wives of new jersey"(or some city) and stuff like that. I remember watching it like 5 min and thinking "wtf cares what you're doing today...cause I sure as hell don't" then looked at my wife glued to the screen....and was like "oh right" :lol

[MannyIsGod]

You don't ever watch movies? You never read books? What makes you interested in those? Its not like half of Jersey Shore isn't staged.

[CuckingFunt]

I don't care what anyone says, Jersey Shore is fucking hilarious.

[johnsmith]

So far today I've read plans for a coal fire plant, and this article, and I didn't know the answer to two of the example questions..........guess one of those two things I've read today is the cause.........try to guess which one?

[Ginobilly]

Pauly D is funny as fuck and probably the only reason to watch this shit. From the way he talks, carries himself, his stupid funny immature jokes, etc, is he any different from Fonsie or any other funny character from other popular shows? And come one people, there's no such thing as reality TV! The only reality TV I know of are live PPV events and news.

[Venti Quattro]

What an astounding discovery.

[Tinystarz]

ppl who watch real tv are the kids of people who spy on neighbors tbh

[Soul_Patch]

I can honestly say i have never seen the jersey shore show, and have never felt any desire to try and watch it. I just cant get the appeal...

What i find even more odd is that otherwise intelligent people, seem to like watching these buffoons.

[MannyIsGod]

I don't care what anyone says, Jersey Shore is fucking hilarious.

:tu

[MannyIsGod]

The OP is really flawed though. It acts as if there's no place in society for mindless stupid entertainment. I promise you that if you never partake in something mindless simply for entertainment value you will burn out before you reach any sort of intelligence pinnacle.

[RandomGuy]

The OP is really flawed though. It acts as if there's no place in society for mindless stupid entertainment. I promise you that if you never partake in something mindless simply for entertainment value you will burn out before you reach any sort of intelligence pinnacle.

Spoken like a Jersey Shore fan.
















HA! j/k. I am all for mindless entertainment on occasion, once in a while. A steady diet of it though... that should worry anyone.

[z0sa]

Not surprising, to be honest anyone who watches more than an hour or two max of TV a day (mostly everyone, in fact, the average in the USA was 2 hours a day a few years back, probably up more now) is pretty much wasting their time and getting dumber, or at least, not getting smarter for a few cheap laughs or thrills, and sometimes not even that

Especially jersey shore, seriously garbage for the intellect. it's sad that nowadays so many insecure people exist and are sated by laughing at other people or mocking them, that now we have shows such as Jersey Shore

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I wonder how much Jersey Shore the good folks of Austria had to watch before they got dumb enough to fund this study.

[MannyIsGod]

Spoken like a Jersey Shore fan.


HA! j/k. I am all for mindless entertainment on occasion, once in a while. A steady diet of it though... that should worry anyone.

Why?

[MannyIsGod]

Not surprising, to be honest anyone who watches more than an hour or two max of TV a day (mostly everyone, in fact, the average in the USA was 2 hours a day a few years back, probably up more now) is pretty much wasting their time and getting dumber, or at least, not getting smarter for a few cheap laughs or thrills, and sometimes not even that


Why?

[MannyIsGod]

When there's a game on I want to watch - and thats at least 3-4 times a week - I definitely watch more than 2 hours of TV that day. And that doesn't even include the 2 or 3 movies Ill watch a week.

[Agloco]

No, I am not putting a question mark at the end of that. I have seen enough evidence to reach a sensible conclusion, being smart enough not to watch this steaming pile of snot in the first place.

Watching 'Jersey Shore' might make you dumber, study suggests
By Melissa Dahl

Take note, fans of mindless reality shows like "Jersey Shore": New research suggests watching something dumb might make you dumber. In other words, you are what you watch.

It's called media priming -- the idea that the things we watch or listen to or read influence our emotions and our behavior, perhaps more than we realize. This particular study may be the first to use fictional characters in a narrative to show an effect on people's cognitive performance, says lead author Markus Appel, a psychologist at Austria's University of Linz.

In an experiment, volunteers were told to read a fake screenplay about a character they refer to as a "foolish soccer hooligan." (A subsequent finding of the study: Austrians are adorable.) The story describes a day in the life of a man named Meier: He wakes up, reads (and misunderstands) the message in an inspiration-of-the-day calendar, meets his friends in a bar and gets very drunk. Meier then goes to a soccer game, gets into a fight and comes home to crash; he sleeps through the next day. (Substitute the soccer game for a nightclub, and you have something very similar to the televised daily shenanigans of Snooki or The Situation.)

Some of the 81 volunteers were instructed to read a longer version of the "soccer hooligan" story, while others read a shorter version -- and the control group read a rather boring story in which Meier does nothing stupid. Then researchers gave the volunteers a multiple choice general knowledge test, including questions like, "What is the capital of Libya?" and "What kind of speed is expressed by the letter 'c' in physics?" and "Who painted La Guernica?"

To be fair, these are tough questions to answer sans-Internet regardless of whether you've just watched something vapid like "Toddlers and Tiaras." But, as the researchers write, "participants who read a narrative about a stupidly acting soccer hooligan performed worse in the knowledge test than participants who read a narrative about a character with no reference to his intellectual abilities.

"The present study is, to our knowledge, the first to show media priming effects of story characters on cognitive performance," they explain in the report, which was published online this month in the journal Media Psychology.

Think you're too smart to be influenced by the media you consume? That's cute. Anything we see -- a person on the street, an ad on TV, a character in a movie -- has some influence on our next thoughts, emotions or actions, simply because it's top of mind, says Joanne Cantor, a psychologist and member of the American Psychological Association who has studied the emotional and behavioral effect of TV and movies.

“What you’ve been thinking about recently or seeing recently (is) at a higher level in your consciousness, so your brain is kind of predisposed in that direction,” says Cantor, professor emerita of communication arts and outreach director center for communication research at the University of Wisonsin-Madison. “So if you’ve just seen a movie about really altruistic people and you get an opportunity to behave altruistically, you’ll probably do it, rather than if you’ve just seen a movie about selfish people." (So fans of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" aren't particularly charitable? Noted.)

http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/13/6851542-watching-jersey-shore-might-make-you-dumber-study-suggests

Now if only they'd do a study for "Housewives of <random location here>". I'm sure we'd meet with the same conclusions.

I swear I felt dull mentally after the other half forced me to sit through a few episodes.

[z0sa]

Why?

i assume you are asking why watching TV makes you dumber, because you could be doing something constructive with that time (basically anything that involves active problem-solving) instead of sitting on your ass staring at a screen while being mentally hand-held throughout (Jersey Shore). it is a fantasy scenario that the director and editors create to keep your interested, and not a reflection or indicator of real life situations, so it's not good from an experience or learning standpoint, basically the only arguments one could make

BTW I didn't mention movies per se for a reason, they technically count as TV at home but a well-made movie is generally much more intellectually involving for the viewer than ANY tv show, which is made with leading into commercials and ads in mind, and keeping you hooked with any BS tactic they can pull as long as possible to watch more commercials and ads.

I'm not saying TV isn't entertaining, but that's the problem, it's all bang and no buck at the end of the day when one's vegetated in front of the screen for hours

there are some exceptions, especially in small children's TV, but once you get to 9-10 year old cartoons, it's all bullshit even there.

[ALVAREZ6]

Not surprising, to be honest anyone who watches more than an hour or two max of TV a day (mostly everyone, in fact, the average in the USA was 2 hours a day a few years back, probably up more now) is pretty much wasting their time and getting dumber, or at least, not getting smarter for a few cheap laughs or thrills, and sometimes not even that

Especially jersey shore, seriously garbage for the intellect. it's sad that nowadays so many insecure people exist and are sated by laughing at other people or mocking them, that now we have shows such as Jersey Shore
While I am not a big TV guy at all and hold the same opinion that most Americans watch way too much TV for their own good, I must disagree with your statement. I can't see how watching a few sports games and channels like Animal Planet or Discovery make you dumber. There are programs out there where you learn a lot about animals, clearly not making you dumber, quite the opposite.


And while I agree Jersey Shore and its stars are fucking pathetic, it doesn't stop me from watching many episodes (not as much during latest seasons, has become way too planned and repetitive, not really new material just a different setting) because I often find it hilarious. It's a damn shame people like Snooki and Ronnie are now rich as shit for their ages with literally zero skills and just about every character is extremely replaceable with a long list of guido morons in this country, but damn it that's the free market and you have to accept it. I may be wrong though because according toashbeeigh, Snooki is very talented, good at what she does, and very few people could play the same role as she. :rolleyes

[MannyIsGod]

Also, one of the biggest faults with the study as I can see from that article is the lack of perception. People perceive different subject matter differently. In the case of Jersey Shore, a person may watch it and feel envy for the party atmosphere and lack of responsibility they display while another person may watch it and laugh at the utter ridiculousness of the situation. If they want to say that what you watch has an affect on how you think then perception of that material must be important as well and it seems as though they have tried to shoe horn the authors perception in place of the subjects.

That seems rather flawed to me. Thats not say the study doesn't have merit, its just an important factor to consider when making your conclusions.

[Agloco]

The OP is really flawed though. It acts as if there's no place in society for mindless stupid entertainment. I promise you that if you never partake in something mindless simply for entertainment value you will burn out before you reach any sort of intelligence pinnacle.

Says the man who is capable of discerning said show from reality.

The vast minority are capable of appreciating it for what it is Manny. Unfortunately, most will see it as an example of what's acceptable or how to behave. It certainly doesn't send the right message about motivation.

Your mistake is putting yourself in the same pot as other young Americans who watch this junk. This study applies no more to you or Funt as it does to someone who doesn't even watch it.

[z0sa]

While I am not a big TV guy at all and hold the same opinion that most Americans watch way too much TV for their own good, I must disagree with your statement. I can't see how watching a few sports games and channels like Animal Planet or Discovery make you dumber. There are programs out there where you learn a lot about animals, clearly not making you dumber, quite the opposite.


I noted in my second post (in an edit, admittedly) that a few exceptions do exist, I myself am a HUGE fan of discovery/AP/history HD, there is a lot of great knowledge there

BUT

even then, the director/editors are pressed to make it as "watered down" and interesting for the casual viewer as possible. You're spending your time inefficiently from a learning standpoint, combining a bunch of reading with some video about whatever they are covering is usually much better for your actual knowledge about any certain topic

[ALVAREZ6]

Also, one of the biggest faults with the study as I can see from that article is the lack of perception. People perceive different subject matter differently. In the case of Jersey Shore, a person may watch it and feel envy for the party atmosphere and lack of responsibility they display while another person may watch it and laugh at the utter ridiculousness of the situation. If they want to say that what you watch has an affect on how you think then perception of that material must be important as well and it seems as though they have tried to shoe horn the authors perception in place of the subjects.

That seems rather flawed to me. Thats not say the study doesn't have merit, its just an important factor to consider when making your conclusions.

Right on, absolutely flawed there is no denying it, but it makes sense that they left such details out because it's just an online article from MSNBC trying to get views on a very popular subject (Jersey Shore = make you dumb).

[ALVAREZ6]

I noted in my second post (in an edit, admittedly) that a few exceptions do exist, I myself am a HUGE fan of discovery/AP/history HD, there is a lot of great knowledge there

BUT

even then, the director/editors are pressed to make it as "watered down" and interesting for the casual viewer as possible. You're spending your time inefficiently from a learning standpoint, since mixed education (ie both reading and video about whatever they are covering) is usually much better

I agree with all of that, definitely watered down, but just because it's not the best/most efficient option doesn't mean it's not making you smarter, or even dumber, clearly.

[MannyIsGod]

i assume you are asking why watching TV makes you dumber, because you could be doing something constructive with that time (basically anything that involves active problem-solving) instead of sitting on your ass staring at a screen while being mentally hand-held throughout (Jersey Shore). it is a fantasy scenario that the director and editors create to keep your interested, and not a reflection or indicator of real life situations, so it's not good from an experience or learning standpoint, basically the only arguments one could make


How would this differ from reading? When reading you're not actively solving any problems you're just taking in information.



BTW I didn't mention movies per se for a reason, they technically count as TV at home but a well-made movie is generally much more intellectually involving for the viewer than ANY tv show, which is made with leading into commercials and ads in mind, and keeping you hooked with any BS tactic they can pull as long as possible to watch more commercials and ads.


I don't see how a well made movie is any different from a well made TV show at all. The story development in many TV shows is far superior to the best 2 hour movie out there and it really isn't even close. This is a very interesting POV. Are you sure that you're more intellectually active watching a movie than watching TV?



I'm not saying TV isn't entertaining, but that's the problem, it's all bang and no buck at the end of the day when one's vegetated in front of the screen for hours

there are some exceptions, specifically in small child's TV, but once you get to 9-10 year old cartoons, it's all bullshit


What about at the end of the day when one's been vegetated at a job or at school for hours? How many productive hours does a human have in a day before you start losing efficiency? Should a person spend every waking hour doing something intellectually stimulating?

[AmericanPsycho]

How anyone finds Jersey Shore hilarious makes no sense and that these same posters ciricritique movies with such passion is hilarious.

[MannyIsGod]

Says the man who is capable of discerning said show from reality.

The vast minority are capable of appreciating it for what it is Manny. Unfortunately, most will see it as an example of what's acceptable or how to behave. It certainly doesn't send the right message about motivation.

Your mistake is putting yourself in the same pot as other young Americans who watch this junk. This study applies no more to you or Funt as it does to someone who doesn't even watch it.

Sure, but that doesn't necessarily speak to intelligence more than it does to social normals and morality. I'm not so sure they go hand in hand.

[MannyIsGod]

How anyone finds Jersey Shore hilarious makes no sense and that these same posters ciricritique movies with such passion is hilarious.

I guess some of you spend all your time drinking the best wine and eating the finest cheese while wearing the finest threads.


On the other hand, I can enjoy the shit some dude cooked on the corner of a street and enjoying a really great cut of meat cooked perfectly. I don't see why that's so hard to understand.

[z0sa]

How would this differ from reading? When reading you're not actively solving any problems you're just taking in information.

I disagree completely, just reading a simple description requires a type of problem solving in formulating the way you perceive the described world



I don't see how a well made movie is any different from a well made TV show at all. The story development in many TV shows is far superior to the best 2 hour movie out there and it really isn't even close. This is a very interesting POV. Are you sure that you're more intellectually active watching a movie than watching TV?

I think so, and precisely because the entire plot is "jammed" into a much smaller segment, you have to be constantly and actively be following the course of things at a speed that is not required in most TV shows, even serial ones. Many, many people "catch up" on serial shows despite missing multiple episodes; how much of a movie can you miss before you're seriously losing entertainment value from missing a pivotal scene?




What about at the end of the day when one's been vegetated at a job or at school for hours?

School usually isn't vegetative unless you lack sleep or have a seriously terrible teacher who refuses to let a good student speak out, ask questions, etc

Work can be lame and mind numbing but work isn't done for entertainment last I checked


How many productive hours does a human have in a day before you start losing efficiency? Should a person spend every waking hour doing something intellectually stimulating?

Depends on each person specifically, one assumes

I think the latter question is also a matter of personal preference and really depends on your personality type. I'd have to assume that type b personalities watch the most TV, for example.

[CuckingFunt]

HA! j/k. I am all for mindless entertainment on occasion, once in a while. A steady diet of it though... that should worry anyone.

I think the steady diet part is an important qualifier not taken into consideration in the OP's experiment.

Lord knows I love a guilty pleasure show (or ten), but they probably make up a pretty small percentage of all that I watch/read/listen to.

[CuckingFunt]

Not surprising, to be honest anyone who watches more than an hour or two max of TV a day (mostly everyone, in fact, the average in the USA was 2 hours a day a few years back, probably up more now) is pretty much wasting their time and getting dumber, or at least, not getting smarter for a few cheap laughs or thrills, and sometimes not even that

Impossible to generalize.

I'm a big TV watcher, have always been, and as a latchkey kid developed a habit of using the TV as background noise (when I was little, the voices made me feel less scared/lonely in an empty house until mom got home) that has not yet gone away. I listen to music often, and am outside and active a fair amount, but I'd say the TV is on the majority of the time that I'm at home and don't have company. So, way more than an hour or two a day, but I would certainly consider myself to be reasonably intelligent.

I think more important that how much TV one watches, or even what shows are watched, is how one watches TV. I see a lot of TV, a lot, but there are only a few shows every week that actually get my full attention. Most of my TV "watching" is in fact glancing; checking out the screen every now and then while I'm also engaged in any number of other activities. Additionally, when I do watch TV, I don't do so in zombie mode. Whether naturally or through academic habit, I'm generally a pretty active audience. I tend to engage fully in the things I watch/read/listen to, whether it's Treme or Jersey Shore, rather than sit like a bump on the couch and passively consume the TV's images.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

I guess some of you spend all your time drinking the best wine and eating the finest cheese while wearing the finest threads.

Don't hate.

[MannyIsGod]

:lol

[CuckingFunt]

Ruby cufflinks.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

I'd recommend a 2008 Frei Bros. Cabernet and a plate of young Reggiano with your JS viewing. Honey with the parm is optional, but go organic if you decide to indulge.

Finish off with a slightly chilled Prosecco. Add a wedge of strawberry if you're having trouble sealing the deal.

I learned all of these things from watching TV.

[CuckingFunt]

I'd recommend a 2008 Frei Bros. Cabernet and a plate of young Reggiano with your JS viewing. Honey with the parm is optional, but go organic if you decide to indulge.

Finish off with a slightly chilled Prosecco. Add a wedge of strawberry if you're having trouble sealing the deal.

I learned all of these things from watching TV.

Reggiano? A little on the nose, don't you think?

I'd go with French breakfast radishes cleaned and halved, topped with European style cultured butter and a sprinkle of sea salt.

[MannyIsGod]

ruby cufflinks.

loooooooool

[703 Spurz]

You don't ever watch movies? You never read books? What makes you interested in those? Its not like half of Jersey Shore isn't staged.

You're saying the idea of Jersey Shore is the same as me watching The Big Lebowski? Both scripted ideas that are meant to entertain?

It's not even close to being the same thing.

[MannyIsGod]

I hate cheese, BTW. Especially Parm. It fucking stinks. Prosecco and the Cab I can do though.

I prefer to watch Jersey Shore with a full cup of RON RON JUICE though.

[703 Spurz]

i assume you are asking why watching TV makes you dumber, because you could be doing something constructive with that time (basically anything that involves active problem-solving) instead of sitting on your ass staring at a screen while being mentally hand-held throughout (Jersey Shore). it is a fantasy scenario that the director and editors create to keep your interested, and not a reflection or indicator of real life situations, so it's not good from an experience or learning standpoint, basically the only arguments one could make

BTW I didn't mention movies per se for a reason, they technically count as TV at home but a well-made movie is generally much more intellectually involving for the viewer than ANY tv show, which is made with leading into commercials and ads in mind, and keeping you hooked with any BS tactic they can pull as long as possible to watch more commercials and ads.

I'm not saying TV isn't entertaining, but that's the problem, it's all bang and no buck at the end of the day when one's vegetated in front of the screen for hours

there are some exceptions, especially in small children's TV, but once you get to 9-10 year old cartoons, it's all bullshit even there.

:lol

Being at work 8 hours a day is enough 'problem-solving' for me. Going home, exercising a few times a week, then watching tv for a few hours is pretty much how my weekdays go.

Am I a fucking idiot b/c I watch TV every night? Absolutely not. You think I want to go home after working all day to work on crossword puzzles or some other intellectual shit? No way in hell bud

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

Reggiano? A little on the nose, don't you think?

Consider the audience.

[CuckingFunt]

I hate cheese, BTW.

Does not compute.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

I hate cheese, BTW. Especially Parm. It fucking stinks. Prosecco and the Cab I can do though.



What? You're a fucking communist.

[ALVAREZ6]

I hate cheese, BTW.

Hating cheese is far more stupid than consistently watching Jersey Shore.

[MannyIsGod]

:lmao

I knew this was the reaction that was going to come. You guys should see the weird fucking looks I get when I tell people I don't like cheese. Sometimes people act like I just kicked their dog.

I do like Mozzarella but I hate just about every other cheese I've tried. I mean some of that shit stinks so bad.

[ALVAREZ6]

:lmao

I knew this was the reaction that was going to come. You guys should see the weird fucking looks I get when I tell people I don't like cheese. Sometimes people act like I just kicked their dog.

I do like Mozzarella but I hate just about every other cheese I've tried. I mean some of that shit stinks so bad.

The F? Most cheeses don't have an overwhelming scent and require one to put their nose relatively close to smell anything significant. Even then, it normally isn't unpleasant.

Does anything smell good to you?

[JoeChalupa]

I use stinky cheese on my pizza all the time.

[CuckingFunt]

I love cheese, but I don't love all cheeses.

Still remember when I was about eight or so and went to a fancy restaurant with my dad that had a cheese course. I thought I was in heaven.

[MannyIsGod]

The F? Most cheeses don't have an overwhelming scent and require one to put their nose relatively close to smell anything significant. Even then, it normally isn't unpleasant.

Does anything smell good to you?

I sometimes wonder if I have a stronger sense of smell than most people because sometimes people will eat shit that I can't fathom tasting good based on the smell. Who knows though.

But yes, lots of things smell great to me. Just not many cheeses. :lol

[Drachen]

Also, one of the biggest faults with the study as I can see from that article is the lack of perception. People perceive different subject matter differently. In the case of Jersey Shore, a person may watch it and feel envy for the party atmosphere and lack of responsibility they display while another person may watch it and laugh at the utter ridiculousness of the situation. If they want to say that what you watch has an affect on how you think then perception of that material must be important as well and it seems as though they have tried to shoe horn the authors perception in place of the subjects.

That seems rather flawed to me. Thats not say the study doesn't have merit, its just an important factor to consider when making your conclusions.

Your retort is so..... simple. Could you please repeat it in the form of an argument that could pass intellectual muster?

Oh you watch Jersey Shore.... never mind.

/s

[JoeChalupa]

I sometimes wonder if I have a stronger sense of smell than most people because sometimes people will eat shit that I can't fathom tasting good based on the smell. Who knows though.

But yes, lots of things smell great to me. Just not many cheeses. :lol

That one judge on MasterChef always smells the food. Annoys the hell out of me and I don't know why.

[RandomGuy]

I guess some of you spend all your time drinking the best wine and eating the finest cheese while wearing the finest threads.


On the other hand, I can enjoy the shit some dude cooked on the corner of a street and enjoying a really great cut of meat cooked perfectly. I don't see why that's so hard to understand.

I don't wear the finest threads.
















I just start them. HA!

[ALVAREZ6]

That one judge on MasterChef always smells the food. Annoys the hell out of me and I don't know why.

Smelling food, particularly new meals, is almost necessary imho. As long as I'm not on a date or some other formal shit, I will do the same.

[ALVAREZ6]

I sometimes wonder if I have a stronger sense of smell than most people because sometimes people will eat shit that I can't fathom tasting good based on the smell. Who knows though.

But yes, lots of things smell great to me. Just not many cheeses. :lol

I see what you're saying, but tbh I am the same damn way and I don't wonder if I have a strong sense of smell. I can be stubborn with certain types of foods, especially if the smell gives me a bad vibe. It's almost a guarantee I won't try it. A lot of the foods that fit into that category are types I have trouble not smelling if it's anywhere in the same room.

[z0sa]

Being at work 8 hours a day is enough 'problem-solving' for me. Going home, exercising a few times a week, then watching tv for a few hours is pretty much how my weekdays go.

sounds pretty boring.


Am I a fucking idiot b/c I watch TV every night? Absolutely not.
You think I want to go home after working all day to work on crossword puzzles or some other intellectual shit? No way in hell bud

bud,

you live in America. If you want to sit on your ass all night watching reruns of snoki or whoever get her face bashed in at a bar, you can do it, and no one will stop you. in fact, no one (in power) will even care that you exist.

Likewise, no one will encourage you to educate yourself and improve your mental conditioning instead of watch said reruns, in fact, most people in power probably don't want that to happen.

Jus sayin

[Agloco]

I prefer to watch Jersey Shore with a full cup of RON RON JUICE though.

:tu


I hate cheese, BTW.

I'm with Funt here..... not computing.

[symple19]

Jersey Shore is fucking gold.

[DarkReign]

I have always subscribed the idea that it isnt the reality show that I dislike or even the cast (ie Jersey Shore), its the people that make these retards famous.

If I met Snookie or the Situation, I'd shake their hand earnestly and congratulate them for their ability to turn their acted/non-acted persona into a million dollar machine with little to no effort. I would seriously congratulate them.

...and then I would tell them that I hope every one of their fans takes a long walk off a short pier.

This applies to all pop culture (Bieber, Swift, all reality shows, etc).

The popularity rating of these shows is relative to the percentage of people around me in public who probably do not deserve to vote or speak.

With that said, there are exceptions abound. Namely Funt and Manny, who clearly are intelligent people who enjoy mindless fun in doses. But you are the exceptions, not the rule.

Just the other week, I went to McDonalds and was standing in line with 20+ high schools kids. All males were wearing wife-beaters, all were loud and obnoxious, all had tans (this is Michigan in early June, its a fake bake), all spoke English with less aptitude than an immigrant and all clearly subscribed to the "GTL" lifestyle.

Apparently, Jersey Shore is really, really popular and cool. I just hope these young followers here in Michigan, what with no public transportation system(s), are bold enough to do something that eliminates them from the genepool permanently.

[Ginobilly]

I have always subscribed the idea that it isnt the reality show that I dislike or even the cast (ie Jersey Shore), its the people that make these retards famous.

If I met Snookie or the Situation, I'd shake their hand earnestly and congratulate them for their ability to turn their acted/non-acted persona into a million dollar machine with little to no effort. I would seriously congratulate them.

...and then I would tell them that I hope every one of their fans takes a long walk off a short pier.

This applies to all pop culture (Bieber, Swift, all reality shows, etc).

The popularity rating of these shows is relative to the percentage of people around me in public who probably do not deserve to vote or speak.

With that said, there are exceptions abound. Namely Funt and Manny, who clearly are intelligent people who enjoy mindless fun in doses. But you are the exceptions, not the rule.

Just the other week, I went to McDonalds and was standing in line with 20+ high schools kids. All males were wearing wife-beaters, all were loud and obnoxious, all had tans (this is Michigan in early June, its a fake bake), all spoke English with less aptitude than an immigrant and all clearly subscribed to the "GTL" lifestyle.

Apparently, Jersey Shore is really, really popular and cool. I just hope these young followers here in Michigan, what with no public transportation system(s), are bold enough to do something that eliminates them from the genepool permanently.

People who tend to over analyze stuff like this is because they secretly like it deep down inside that they want nobody to know. Jesus Christ, it's only a Tv show like any other meant to entertain, nothing more and nothing less. You sound like my brother who is a 36 year old "jersey shore closet fan" bashing the show and pop-culture in general, then I check his DVR one day and there it is recorded, all three seasons.:lol I know it's not my sister in law cause she's Mexican and watches Spanish television. My nephew is only 8 years old and doesn't find (the show interesting) or understand the Jersey Shore. That only leaves my nerdy ass brother as the main suspect.

[Ginobilly]

I think the main reason why it's so popular with so many age groups(especially the older one's 30-45 age group) it's because they really relate or brings back memories of when they were in that "party/club culture" mode when they were younger.

[symple19]

I think the main reason why it's so popular with so many age groups(especially the older one's 30-45 age group) it's because they really relate or brings back memories of when they were in that "party/club culture" mode when they were younger.

I think, for me, it's partly the above (although I've never dressed/spoken/acted like any of the people in the program), but mostly it's to laugh. I find it to be a hilarious train wreck of a show filled with real-life cartoon characters.

:lol DR is just being DR. You should check out the "hottest clubber" thread to find out what he really thinks about douchebags

[Spam]

I can't see how anyone over the age of 25 would find this show funny at all. I sucks major ass.

[The Gemini Method]

I can't see how anyone over the age of 25 would find this show funny at all. I sucks major ass.

In before the edit! Fist pump!

[ALVAREZ6]

I have always subscribed the idea that it isnt the reality show that I dislike or even the cast (ie Jersey Shore), its the people that make these retards famous.

If I met Snookie or the Situation, I'd shake their hand earnestly and congratulate them for their ability to turn their acted/non-acted persona into a million dollar machine with little to no effort. I would seriously congratulate them.

...and then I would tell them that I hope every one of their fans takes a long walk off a short pier.

This applies to all pop culture (Bieber, Swift, all reality shows, etc).

The popularity rating of these shows is relative to the percentage of people around me in public who probably do not deserve to vote or speak.

With that said, there are exceptions abound. Namely Funt and Manny, who clearly are intelligent people who enjoy mindless fun in doses. But you are the exceptions, not the rule.

Just the other week, I went to McDonalds and was standing in line with 20+ high schools kids. All males were wearing wife-beaters, all were loud and obnoxious, all had tans (this is Michigan in early June, its a fake bake), all spoke English with less aptitude than an immigrant and all clearly subscribed to the "GTL" lifestyle.

Apparently, Jersey Shore is really, really popular and cool. I just hope these young followers here in Michigan, what with no public transportation system(s), are bold enough to do something that eliminates them from the genepool permanently.
It really isn't. That's the whole thing, the way they act and things they say are pathetic but often funny, at least before it became repetitive. Many normal people like the show and quote/imitate random parts from time to time, but it doesn't mean they think it's sincerely cool. Being a guido with the obnoxious hair styles, ed hardy t-shirts, and fake tans is NOT the norm, is not nearly a mainstream/popular style. The vast majority of younger people I know and see on the street don't apply that shit to their own lives, it's really just a minority douche bag group of uneducated people. Whenever I'm on campus or visit respectable universities, I don't see too many of these clowns, but you'll find them in greater proportions in crappy places like Jersey or in other places where a big percentage of the population is poor, white, and uneducated (not to say there aren't also other poor, uneducated people of other races in those same areas). That's just my take...it may makes sense that what you've observed (young group in McDonald's in Michigan) was in your state, but I don't know the area you live in.

[Fabbs]

www.TWop.com

Highly recommended for recapps of retard shows like Jersey Tards.
I've never seen Jersey Tards but the recaps for the show with Bert Michaels Rock of Love was a hoot.

[mrsmaalox]

I don't know if it makes you dumber, probably it just doesn't make you smarter.

[ididnotnothat]

http://www.celebrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/Rosie%20ODonnell%20The%20View%20Hair%20Cut%20No.jp g