Episode 577: Look At It This Way…

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Dave

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Zombie Cliche Lookout: End of Life Philosophy

Most heroic epics have some sort of wise sage dispensing wisdom and advice to the budding hero. It’s true, just ask George Lucas. That’s right, when he created Star Wars, he was taking a lot of notes from the mono-myth theory, made popular by A Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. In it, Campbell analyzes the common threads that bind together most of the heroic stories we’ve heard, and brings them into a single, unified structure. Lucas practically used this structure as the first draft of his space epic.

I’ve gone on record in the past of not being a huge fan of this approach to storytelling, particularly the idea of the destined hero. I just don’t care for destiny or philosophy as a plot device used to build heroes. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t work; there are tons of great examples that build on this trope. I’m simply not a fan because I prefer stories where people are forced to react to a set of circumstances they find themselves thrust into. Real people. Imperfect people. Thrust into situations that can make or break them, and it doesn’t matter which happens because it can make an interesting story either way.

About this Episode:

Brent is a character who formed almost entirely out of his minifig. The hair, the sunglasses, the sleeveless shirt. They all combined to make someone who was fully-formed in my mind. And he’s going out of this world just like I’d imagine: spouting hippie philosophies about life, death, and personal responsibility.

Discussion Question: Can I Ask a Favor?

Don’t worry, it’s just a small one, and there’s no pressure: if you use an ad-blocking software in your browser, would you mind disabling it on Bricks of the Dead? Don’t worry, I don’t have any obnoxious pop-ups or anything like that, just boring old banner ads.

Either way, I’d love for you guys to weigh in on this. I hate a lot of obnoxious ads on the web too, and use an AdBlockPlus for exactly this reason, although I try to disable it on sites that I find useful and/or entertaining.

10 thoughts on “Episode 577: Look At It This Way…”

  1. The only possible typo I can find is the “advise” typo. You’d advise someone of their options but give them advice on which color of shirt goes with blue pants.

    It is listed in the definition for “advise” that is is a US variation, though, so it’s really up to Dave if he wants to fix it, based on his interpretation of what he wrote. 😀

    • That is, indeed, a typo. Fixed!

  2. As for the ad blocking software, hrm, don’t know what you’re talking about. All your ads seem fully functional here. 😀

    • It’s a browser add-on a lot of people – myself included – install. It’s nice for general browsing because it blocks most of the really over-the-top ads.

  3. I think again, if Dave were doing a 6-panel format, Brent could add a comment in like “I wish I had kept Cthulhu’s phone number when he gave it to me instead of ebaying it!” 😀

    Good possessions get sold off, the best to ebay, the rest probably on Craigslist or someplace else! 😉

    • Hah, indeed. I’m a huge fan of Craigslist myself.

  4. Okay, okay, You have been white-listed in my ghostery set-up 🙂

    I’ve only been using it for a couple of months and I have to say it really changed my experience on the net. I am amazed by how clear and easy on the eyes some sites are now I use ghostery (I was also amazed by how many trackers were on some sites… some had 100+ trackers when you visit the site!)

    Of-course the use of add-blockers is up for discussion…. nothing is for free… so when sites can’t cash in via adds they may (have to) put up a paywall, or close the site… but for now I am really happy with the loss of those really, really annoying ‘in your face’-adds!

    I do white-list some sites if 1. there are not to much trackers on there, 2. the adds are ‘easy to ignore’ and (there is no ‘or’) 3. if I like the site/people behind the site.

    • My white listing policy is pretty much the same. I do like to support the sites that I like, although I will draw the line if the ads are too much.

      At any rate, much obliged, FL.

      • The only thing I’d like is the option to tell an ad banner I don’t like it or have any possible interest in it’s content. Google used to do interest-based ads and you’d simply set categories up on a page and the ads you visited on sites that supported it would get tailored according to your interests. I don’t know what Dave could come up with that’s similar.

        I’d certainly like to be able to just say, hey this ad is too offensive for my tastes, or no, I don’t want to buy a car or marketing services for accounting or whatever it is they’re trying to sell, but it seems that ad serving companies never actually listen when such topics come up, or the documentation on how to opt out of certain ads is so frigging hard to find you may as well give up trying to find it.

        • Google’s ad software works pretty close to what you’re talking about. It shows you ads based on content you look at. Mine always come up with website hosting and photography sites.