Harlan (I believe) actually favored a POTENTIAL for God. He was just so pissed off at HIS results that Harlan had a few questions about the Universe's INTENTIONS to help OUR SITUATION! Sure, create a beautiful world that makes one brother murder his only brother out of envy! Is THAT a great start or what? Harlan's gift was to get you thinking about dogmatism. It's a simple gift: A Boy And His Dogmatism!
Dear God I miss Harlan, watching yelling kevetchng and teaching. He don't believe in God but I Thank God for the greatness that was, is and always will be Harlan Ellison
Interesting observation about "computer sex," as he was the first author, I believe, to deal with this topic around 25 years earlier than this footage in a short story, "Catman." (I hope that this series extended far enough into the future so that he had an opportunity to rail about SmartPhones.)
Some things have changed since Harlan made that show. Interactive on the net today is making videos like this with comments, so now Harlan is part of it whether he likes it or not. Not every movie becomes a ride, only kiddie adventure films like "Indiana Jones" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Harry Potter" - there is no "Inception" ride, no "Black Swan" ride, no "The King's Speech" ride.
Hobo Ramirez What are you going to do? Make one? I think you need rights. Or am I wrong? Does one already exist? I'd rather go on an X-rated Black Swan ride.
Sure, it's not a real "interactive" activity, but far from it, as it was back then, it's now a global alliance that can bring a closer link to one another, it's significance has changed greatly, and it will in the future, it's the norm and will stay As it is.
(from Billy:) One might jump to conclusions and say, "Old fogey! Luddite! Standing in the way of media progress and the brave new world of ultra-realistic multiplayer gaming and over-the-top SFX!!" but if I clearly remember (which is questionable, the 1990s were MY 1960s if you get my drift), these were recorded in the early to mid nineties (for the newborn suckling infant Sci Fi Channel I think?), when the height of home interactive gaming technology was lame point and click adventures punctuated by occasional short 200x100-pixel video samples of Tia Carrera delivering flat and emotionless (like her FACE! Hah!) dialogue while wearing a leather spacesuit that revealed far too little of her body... and the internet came to us at
Hey Harlan, I was curious. Have you written and published anything new recently that I might be able to find and read? If you'll point me in the right direction, I'll find it and read it.
Some of the posters here missed the point of Harlan's rant! He was referring to the lack of perspective regarding entertainment! Nobody can experience a film or TV show unless their part of that experience anymore! You used to go to the movie theatre, watch a film and leave and go back to your life. Now, you can go to Disney World or Universal Theme Park and ride a ride based on the film that you saw! It used to be that if you wanted to have sex, you could either hire a prostitute or actually experience a relationship! Now you can simulate the sexual experience either by telephone or on a computer! The social and informational interaction that some of the posters are describing that exist on the internet is completely different from the psychological disconnect with reality that some internet users have experienced since before this broadcast and they should know that! Packaging entertainment as the ultimate escape has been the theme for a number of SF stories over the years (Harlan has written several of them) and he was justifiably annoyed at the willing lemmings who participate in this stupid activity! Now please go back to your chat boards and online games and leave him alone!
I think you're putting words in Harlan's mouth there. I have an anthology of pulp detective stories and Harlan wrote an introduction to it in which he wrote about the beauty of escapism and lamented how it has now become regarded as lesser. He had nothing against literature being an escape.
Please look at his video AGAIN and then read my comment AGAIN! At no point did Harlan mention that Escapist LITERATURE was bad! He said basically that the existence of "Amusement Park rides that allows the participant to RELIVE THE MOVIE EXPERIENCE" is bad! Literary Escapism through the joy of reading is wonderful. Manufactured Escapism as a marketing ploy is inexcusable! Yeah we're BOTH slamming Disneyland and its imitators but Harlan and I had made a point that you've probably missed! Peace.
This is a rare thing to see - Harlan Ellison ranting and being dead wrong. The antipathy he had for the internet and "interactivity" a generation ago seems humorous by now. Besides its enormous impact on global culture, communications, etal., the internet also where one can see archived video of Harlan Ellison - as well as recent footage of him selling his work. This isn't your grandfather's internet - nor Ellison's, ca. 1994.
He's actually not wrong. Things have become over-commercialised to serve the corporations more now than ever, and great art is being buried by corporate crap. There's no better example than the new Star Wars movies.
Ironic, considering he adapted "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream" into an adventure game. He would've really helped out at Sierra back then. Of course, almost any criticism of the internet from the 1990s seems naive today.
+Nonamearisto Naive? The man was right! We're not connected just because I'm writing this to you. We're apart and we don't even feel it. Everything's detached. Facebook friends? That's crap. All my school friends are nothing but acquaintances now because they think sending message over Facebook counts as a genuine interaction. He was absolutely right and things have gotten worse.
And a year later he'd voice the computer in the interactive CD-rom game adaptation of I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream. G-d bless Harlan.
Harlan (I believe) actually favored a POTENTIAL for God. He was just so pissed off at HIS results that Harlan had a few questions about the Universe's INTENTIONS to help OUR SITUATION! Sure, create a beautiful world that makes one brother murder his only brother out of envy! Is THAT a great start or what? Harlan's gift was to get you thinking about dogmatism. It's a simple gift: A Boy And His Dogmatism!
Dear God I miss Harlan, watching yelling kevetchng and teaching. He don't believe in God but I Thank God for the greatness that was, is and always will be Harlan Ellison
even though all harlan ever does is rip on people like me i love him
Interesting observation about "computer sex," as he was the first author, I believe, to deal with this topic around 25 years earlier than this footage in a short story, "Catman."
(I hope that this series extended far enough into the future so that he had an opportunity to rail about SmartPhones.)
The machine stops.
hear me out
can't hear you out, I'm too busy listening to harlan degrade me .
Some things have changed since Harlan made that show. Interactive on the net today is making videos like this with comments, so now Harlan is part of it whether he likes it or not.
Not every movie becomes a ride, only kiddie adventure films like "Indiana Jones" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Harry Potter" - there is no "Inception" ride, no "Black Swan" ride, no "The King's Speech" ride.
No Inception Ride... CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
Hobo Ramirez
What are you going to do? Make one? I think you need rights. Or am I wrong? Does one already exist? I'd rather go on an X-rated Black Swan ride.
Sure, it's not a real "interactive" activity, but far from it, as it was back then, it's now a global alliance that can bring a closer link to one another, it's significance has changed greatly, and it will in the future, it's the norm and will stay As it is.
(from Billy:)
One might jump to conclusions and say, "Old fogey! Luddite! Standing in the way of media progress and the brave new world of ultra-realistic multiplayer gaming and over-the-top SFX!!" but if I clearly remember (which is questionable, the 1990s were MY 1960s if you get my drift), these were recorded in the early to mid nineties (for the newborn suckling infant Sci Fi Channel I think?), when the height of home interactive gaming technology was lame point and click adventures punctuated by occasional short 200x100-pixel video samples of Tia Carrera delivering flat and emotionless (like her FACE! Hah!) dialogue while wearing a leather spacesuit that revealed far too little of her body... and the internet came to us at
Hey Harlan, I was curious. Have you written and published anything new recently that I might be able to find and read? If you'll point me in the right direction, I'll find it and read it.
I'd like to think you're kidding, but in case you aren't.. www.harlanellisonbooks.com/
Rick Boiter I apologize, I should have been specific. I meant any new short stories in magazines, but thanks for the link.
Some of the posters here missed the point of Harlan's rant! He was referring to the lack of perspective regarding entertainment! Nobody can experience a film or TV show unless their part of that experience anymore! You used to go to the movie theatre, watch a film and leave and go back to your life. Now, you can go to Disney World or Universal Theme Park and ride a ride based on the film that you saw! It used to be that if you wanted to have sex, you could either hire a prostitute or actually experience a relationship! Now you can simulate the sexual experience either by telephone or on a computer! The social and informational interaction that some of the posters are describing that exist on the internet is completely different from the psychological disconnect with reality that some internet users have experienced since before this broadcast and they should know that! Packaging entertainment as the ultimate escape has been the theme for a number of SF stories over the years (Harlan has written several of them) and he was justifiably annoyed at the willing lemmings who participate in this stupid activity! Now please go back to your chat boards and online games and leave him alone!
I think you're putting words in Harlan's mouth there. I have an anthology of pulp detective stories and Harlan wrote an introduction to it in which he wrote about the beauty of escapism and lamented how it has now become regarded as lesser. He had nothing against literature being an escape.
Please look at his video AGAIN and then read my comment AGAIN! At no point did Harlan mention that Escapist LITERATURE was bad! He said basically that the existence of "Amusement Park rides that allows the participant to RELIVE THE MOVIE EXPERIENCE" is bad! Literary Escapism through the joy of reading is wonderful. Manufactured Escapism as a marketing ploy is inexcusable! Yeah we're BOTH slamming Disneyland and its imitators but Harlan and I had made a point that you've probably missed! Peace.
:-D
This is a rare thing to see - Harlan Ellison ranting and being dead wrong. The antipathy he had for the internet and "interactivity" a generation ago seems humorous by now. Besides its enormous impact on global culture, communications, etal., the internet also where one can see archived video of Harlan Ellison - as well as recent footage of him selling his work.
This isn't your grandfather's internet - nor Ellison's, ca. 1994.
He's actually not wrong. Things have become over-commercialised to serve the corporations more now than ever, and great art is being buried by corporate crap. There's no better example than the new Star Wars movies.
Ironic, considering he adapted "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream" into an adventure game. He would've really helped out at Sierra back then.
Of course, almost any criticism of the internet from the 1990s seems naive today.
+Nonamearisto Naive? The man was right! We're not connected just because I'm writing this to you. We're apart and we don't even feel it. Everything's detached. Facebook friends? That's crap. All my school friends are nothing but acquaintances now because they think sending message over Facebook counts as a genuine interaction. He was absolutely right and things have gotten worse.
@@kylej.whitehead9773 And five years later, it is EVEN WORSE.
Well, I guess he doesn’t have to worry about hearing “interactive” anymore.
Ouch! He would appreciate the bite in that comment, though.
It would be funny if we weren't all so lucky as to make it to 84.