Tiger King
Apr. 8th, 2020 08:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rynlingMy British football podcasts have all been watching Tiger King, so I started watching it too.
The seven-part documentary’s appeal, as far as I can tell, is that it will introduce an absurd situation only to then add a bizarre twist to the story, and this keeps happening. The narrative structure is extremely clever; but, given that these are all real people, it comes off as gross and exploitative. In the way of Netflix original series, the show also feels overlong and a bit bloated.
Tiger King is uncomfortable to watch, as all of the people involved have strong personalities that often come off, to me at least, as cringe. I also can’t help but think, “Oh god, am I like that? Is this how people see me for writing fanfic and drawing comics? Like, this person is just way too into video games?”
I’ve been going through the show in fifteen-minute segments, and I’m currently about two-thirds of the way through the third episode. Based on my current progress, this is the three-point metric I’ve come up with to gauge whether your hobby has landed you in crazytown:
(1) Are you spending thousands of dollars on it every month?
(2) Are you using it as a lure to entrap vulnerable people into sexual relationships?
(3) Are you so invested in it that you’ve made concrete attempts to end another person’s life?
The first point is borderline, because rich people hobbies (sailing and horseback riding, for example) can be expensive. I also know a few not-so-rich people who spend a lot of money on make-up and clothing, both mainstream and subcultural (like cosplay and Lolita fashion). The second two points are fairly clear, however – there’s no way to justify sexual assault and attempted murder as healthy behaviors.
Still, if you're not plotting to murder anyone or putting confused young people into situations where they can't say "no" to you, your interest in your hobby is probably still in the normal range.
Anyway, I’m probably not going to keep watching the show. A friend recommended the 2019 New York magazine article Tiger King Joe Exotic and His American Animals, and I appreciate how it presents the story of these people without the clickbait Netflix documentary bullshit.
The seven-part documentary’s appeal, as far as I can tell, is that it will introduce an absurd situation only to then add a bizarre twist to the story, and this keeps happening. The narrative structure is extremely clever; but, given that these are all real people, it comes off as gross and exploitative. In the way of Netflix original series, the show also feels overlong and a bit bloated.
Tiger King is uncomfortable to watch, as all of the people involved have strong personalities that often come off, to me at least, as cringe. I also can’t help but think, “Oh god, am I like that? Is this how people see me for writing fanfic and drawing comics? Like, this person is just way too into video games?”
I’ve been going through the show in fifteen-minute segments, and I’m currently about two-thirds of the way through the third episode. Based on my current progress, this is the three-point metric I’ve come up with to gauge whether your hobby has landed you in crazytown:
(1) Are you spending thousands of dollars on it every month?
(2) Are you using it as a lure to entrap vulnerable people into sexual relationships?
(3) Are you so invested in it that you’ve made concrete attempts to end another person’s life?
The first point is borderline, because rich people hobbies (sailing and horseback riding, for example) can be expensive. I also know a few not-so-rich people who spend a lot of money on make-up and clothing, both mainstream and subcultural (like cosplay and Lolita fashion). The second two points are fairly clear, however – there’s no way to justify sexual assault and attempted murder as healthy behaviors.
Still, if you're not plotting to murder anyone or putting confused young people into situations where they can't say "no" to you, your interest in your hobby is probably still in the normal range.
Anyway, I’m probably not going to keep watching the show. A friend recommended the 2019 New York magazine article Tiger King Joe Exotic and His American Animals, and I appreciate how it presents the story of these people without the clickbait Netflix documentary bullshit.
