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  • I love the fighting but the story makes me want to hurt myself. It's F-ed up.
    The story hurts because it hits too close to home for many people. Napoleon Dynamite had the same impact.

    It's not that any of us are actually like Napoleon or Shinji in fullness -- that's weapons-grade -- but all of us exhibit some of their traits to a degree. Eva and Napoleon Dynamite turn the lens onto some of the truly painful aspects of humanity/nerdiness that many of us would rather avoid seeing.
    Really? I really liked Napoleon Dynamite for the same reasons I like Tim and Eric. I'm not uncomfortable with the emotional elements of Eva, they just don't interest me. Somewhere along the line, it becomes intensely apparent to me that it's just Hideaki Anno exorcising the demons of immense psychological trauma on the public stage, and I just kind of lose interest. I mean, a lot of good art comes from similar places, and I enjoy it (Van Gogh, etc.), but Eva was just eh.

    As for your assertion that we're all a bit like Shinji, not really. I know I'm not.
  • As for your assertion that we're all a bit like Shinji, not really. I know I'm not.
    You've never, in your whole life, witnessed suffering in another person that pained you, yet simultaneously were unwilling to step forth and engage?
  • You've never, in your whole life, witnessed suffering in another person that pained you, yet simultaneously were unwilling to step forth and engage?
    You're confusing being like someone and having something similar happen to you. That doesn't mean you're like Shinji, just that you have had a similar experience to that character.
  • That's not just an experience, that's a choice, and what defines you if not your choices?
  • That's not just an experience, that's a choice, and what defines you if not your choices?
    Only being unwilling to step forth and engage is a choice. Every other part of it is an experience. Other than that, the philosophical bullshit is nice, but an oversimplification. The culture you were raised in is not your choice, but it is part of what defines you, as is your base physical structure, which again, you had no choice in.
  • The culture you were raised in is not your choice, but it is part of what defines you, as is your base physical structure, which again, you had no choice in.
    By the nature of causality, your logic chain extends to the Big Bang. At no point were there choices.
  • Free will is an illusion.

    /Thread
  • Free will is an illusion.
    True, but irrelevant to whether or not one is like Shinji. We could simply use the word "action" instead of "choice".
  • You've never, in your whole life, witnessed suffering in another person that pained you, yet simultaneously were unwilling to step forth and engage?
    All that means is that Shinji is a commentary on several aspects of human behavior. None of us are "like" Shinji, in that nobody does what he does as consistently or pervasively.

    That you exhibit a behavior of his from time to time is expected. That's the point of the show - holding up the mirror and saying "This is you."

    Then, it goes on to expound on why people do that.

    Aaaaaand I just saw that you edited that in up above:
    It's not that any of us are actually like Napoleon or Shinji in fullness -- that's weapons-grade -- but all of us exhibit some of their traits to a degree. Eva and Napoleon Dynamite turn the lens onto some of the truly painful aspects of humanity/nerdiness that many of us would rather avoid seeing.
  • edited February 2011
    By the nature of causality, your logic chain extends to the Big Bang. At no point were there choices.
    And that doesn't change that you've confused having a similar experience at one point as to being similar in personality, as well as over-simplified the situation - why you might be willing or not willing to engage could be entirely different, for example.

    Also, You're missing the point that there are only some things which in part define you, that are not choices. For example, you don't choose the culture you're raised in, but you do choose, for example, to become a Fitter and Turner VS a Mechanic, or a Programmer VS a Graphic Designer. Your culture will change the choices you make, as will the situation, and your personality. Over-simplifying the argument into a straw-man is easy, but I expect better.
    Post edited by Churba on
  • Aaaaaand I just saw that you edited that in up above:
    I didn't edit that in: I fixed a typo.
  • I wasn't a fan of NGE because the villains were totally unnecessary. For such a threat against humanity, the fact that they are unstoppable force with barely any motivation (And the small amount they have is confusing and insane)
  • Guys, read the statement I quoted above.

    No, we are not "like" Shinji.

    Yes, we all do things that Shinji does from time to time.

    Evangelion goes on to expound on why Shinji behaves the way he does, which serves to explain why we behave the way that we do.
  • Guys, read the statement I quoted above.

    No, we are not "like" Shinji.

    Yes, we all do things that Shinji does from time to time.

    Evangelion goes on to expound onwhyShinji behaves the way he does, which serves to explain whywebehave the way thatwedo.
    Quite. ;^)

    Eva condenses all of the pain and failings inherent in humanity to a small cast of deeply flawed people. At every juncture, you see them causing further pain to both themselves and those around them, yet that all of this pain could have been avoided had anyone acted differently.
  • Quite. ;^)

    Eva condenses all of the pain and failings inherent in humanity to a small cast of deeply flawed people. At every juncture, you see them causing further pain to both themselves and those around them, yet that all of this pain could have been avoided had anyone acted differently.
    I thought you guys hated characters that didn't always make the smart choice.
  • Guys, read the statement I quoted above.

    No, we are not "like" Shinji.

    Yes, we all do things that Shinji does from time to time.

    Evangelion goes on to expound onwhyShinji behaves the way he does, which serves to explain whywebehave the way thatwedo.
    Quite. ;^)

    Eva condenses all of the pain and failings inherent in humanity to a small cast of deeply flawed people. At every juncture, you see them causing further pain to both themselves and those around them, yet that all of this pain could have been avoided had anyone acted differently.
    Actually, all the pain could have been avoided if Kaji would have just tossed that fucking briefcase into the ocean.
  • I thought you guys hated characters that didn't always make the smart choice.
    They do, except when liking that character makes them better than all those punk kids. :P

    Also, I hate Shinji. He's a good character, but I hate that little fucker. You should. He represents all of the detestable weaknesses in ourselves. Then, you learn to deal with him, like you have to learn to deal with your own weaknesses.
  • edited February 2011
    I thought you guys hated characters that didn't always make the smart choice.
    They do, except when liking that character makes them better than all those punk kids. :P

    Also, I hate Shinji. He's a good character, but I hate that little fucker. You should. He represents all of the detestable weaknesses in ourselves. Then, you learn to deal with him, like you have to learn to deal with your own weaknesses.
    I always had Asuka as my fave, mostly because she's not afraid to kick some ass. I always thought Shinji was a bit of a whiny puss.
    Post edited by GreatTeacherMacRoss on
  • Best character in Evangelion.

    No, actually...
  • It occurs to me that Misato is horribly out of proportion in that image.
  • Also, her fingers look wiggly. The shadows are weird.
  • That image has always looked that way.
  • edited February 2011
    Doesn't make it less wrong.
    Post edited by George Patches on
  • It occurs to me that Misato is horribly out of proportion in that image.
    I heard that happens in cartoons.

  • image
    There is porn of him.
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