#wwjsd

[sparklywaistcoat]

Take a seat, children. I’m gonna tell you a story.

It’s Patrick Macnee’s birthday today, and somehow it feels right for me to get this out there, this thing I’ve been cooking for a few years now. So here goes.

About six years ago or so, I had a severe breakdown, both emotionally and physically. I had nearly worked myself to death (yes, literally; I was probably about two weeks away from needing to be hospitalized, and maybe four to eight from needing to be coffinized if I hadn’t regained my senses and stopped), and I was actively suicidal. I hadn’t actually made any attempts (and never did), but I was at the point where I was seriously considering methods and how I wanted to be found and by whom. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia soon thereafter, and a bit later had to deal with learning that I am autistic and have ADHD after already having lived nearly 50 years completely ignorant of those facts. (Actually it was something of a relief to finally know, but still; I had a pretty full plate already without having to also figure out what that meant for me.)

And all that up there? That’s just part of the story. (Yes, it was even worse than what’s in that bit up there. No, I am neither exaggerating nor joking.)

Anyway. With the help of some good meds and a better therapist, I started putting the pieces back together. And then my father died. His death wasn’t really unexpected, but it was kinda sudden, and since he passed an hour before my plane landed, I didn’t really get to say goodbye. (No, this isn’t the bit that’s missing from the first paragraph. My dad dying was on top of all the rest of that. Fun times.)

When I got home after the funeral, I started looking for old TV shows we used to watch together, and I remembered that my dad liked Avengers, although I myself had only the very foggiest memories of the show. But I looked around and found out Hulu happened to be streaming Seasons 4 and 5 for free at the time, which was convenient.

And into the cosmic shitshow I had been enduring walked John Steed and Emma Peel. And in a manner of speaking, they saved my life.

Oh, I had stopped being actively suicidal by then, because rest and meds and therapy, but Avengers was the thing that tipped the balance. I should mention that the whole suicide thing wasn’t exactly new for me: I had, in fact, been dealing with suicidal ideation of one kind or another for almost 30 years at that point, although I never really was tempted to actually do anything to myself until that breakdown. But after Avengers? I’ve had hardly any suicidal thoughts at all. Like, maybe once every six months or less, after having them on a weekly, if not daily, basis for three decades. And it’s not that I’m actively repressing them or anything. They just don’t happen much anymore.

Avengers was a revelation. I mean, here were two strong, intelligent people who were unapologetically themselves; who truly gave not a single rat’s ass about what others might think of them; who weren’t afraid to take open delight in things they loved and things that made them happy; who really loved each other and acted like it; who knew how to give each other their space and not resent the other’s need for privacy or alone time; who treated each other like equals and full human beings; who supported each other unconditionally and celebrated each other’s talents and contributions both to their work and to their relationship; who honestly trusted one another, and with good reason; and who really saw and respected one another and the other people they interacted with. I had never seen or experienced anything like it. (Sad, no?)

You know those “what I learned from Steed/what I learned from Mrs Peel” things I did a while back? Those weren’t jokes, and they weren’t just fun blog posts. Some of those really were things I learned from watching the show, while others were reminders of things that I never should have forgotten in the first place, but all of them things I consider life goals. (Well, except for maybe the kilt one. That was a little jokey. And I can’t really afford champagne on a daily basis. Also I don’t know how to do martial arts. Yet.)

Steed and Emma saved my life because they gave me back my self. For as long as I could remember, I had been walking a tightrope between trying to stay true to myself and trying to meet other people’s expectations of me, other people’s visions of who I am and how I should be in the world. Steed and Emma’s example gave me the courage to say FUCK THAT and just be myself, to stand up for myself, no matter what anyone else said, and showed me that it’s okay to be angry and to fight back because sometimes that’s the appropriate and necessary thing to do.

I think that’s the major reason why the suicidal ideation evaporated: I’ve stopped playing games, stopped trying to be someone I’m not, stopped feeling bad that I can’t be the person others want me to be, stopped beating myself up about the struggles I have because of my disabilities, stopped diminishing myself and twisting myself into pretzels so that others can be comfortable with me. Avengers showed me that was possible, and gave me the courage to do it.

So yeah. John Steed and Emma Peel kinda saved my life. They’re probably the two best role models I’ve ever had. That’s why they matter so much to me.

[redboy]

[lovelyamneris]

jerry you will NOT believe what happened to me today. I very generously offered this lady a coffee 3 minutes before closing as we were locking the doors. out of the kindness of my heart. and when I went outside to lock the doors do you know what happened? she was mocking me! mocking me JERRY. :((((

I wish seinfeld was real so I could go to the diner and tell them about my minor problems and have them convince me that I should be Outraged actually

[orlesianmask]

WWJSD

[punksleftshoe]

WWJSD

What Would Joe Strummer Do?

[barberfink]

Happy birthday to Joe Strummer , he would have been 65 today. #joestrummer #theclash #punkrock #wwjsd #thefutureisunwritten #knowyourrights

[despicablewench]

like this is going to sound like a joke but following a wwjsd (what would jenny slate do) mantra really has made me a happier and more confident person

[aborddelimpala]

@soulmates-for-real 😘

When having a discussion with fellow fans, always ask yourself "WWJSD" ? 😜🤣

Joke aside, we both love those characters. And the fact that I don't enjoy that much the way Sam & Dean are sometimes written in Dabb area, doesn't mean people who enjoyed it are wrong. Having different opinions & POV is what makes a discussion interesting. And sometimes, it even made me change my view on certain topics. 😉

Then 01.14 | Now 15.20

[sosorrydad]

WWJSD

What Would Julia Salinger Do?

[sparklywaistcoat]

Another thought....

@celluloidbroomcloset‘s post from “Mousetrap” set me a-thinking, especially the bit about Steed treating everyone as equals.

That’s an important thing that he does, but the reasons why he does it are even more important. He doesn’t do it only because he wants something from someone else. He doesn’t do it only because it makes him look good.

He’s not going to be all chummy towards the bikers one minute and show contempt for them the next or sneer at them behind their backs, and he’s not going to splain motorcycling to them. He’s not doing it so that Cathy will be impressed with him. He’s not doing it only this once and then never again.

Steed behaves this way because it’s the goddamn right way to treat other human beings, and it’s how he treats everyone.

[djgblogger-blog]

Can 'Game of Thrones' teach us about the meaning of life?

http://bit.ly/2y6SlGt

What makes 'Game of Thrones' so popular? Helen Sloan/HBO

When the popular television series “Game of Thrones” ended last month, fans bemoaned the long wait until the final season. Speculation pegs next summer as the earliest possibility. In the meantime, posts on the dragon Viserion’s blue flames, memes on the hookup of fictional characters Jon Snow and Daenerys and chatter about potential battle strategies indicate that there is plenty to ponder.

It’s easy to see why the show has so many fans: Its episodes feature complex characters played by good-looking actors engaged in exciting battles rendered with state-of-the-art visual effects.

But as a scholar of American media and religion, I believe there’s something else going on as well: “Game of Thrones” storytelling gives its audience the opportunity to contemplate and debate fundamental concerns about the meaning of human life – issues that are central to all world religions.

‘Game of Thrones’ 101

The HBO show is based on science fiction and fantasy writer George R.R. Martin’s book series – “A Song of Fire and Ice” – and was adapted by writers David Benioff and D.B Weiss for television. It made its American debut in April 2011.

The plot, at its most basic, is a power struggle: who has it, who wants it and how they plan to get it. Interwoven are themes of honor, justice, revenge and redemption layered between issues of ethics, morality and familial bonds. Further complications involve incest, angry gods and avaricious bankers.

“Game of Thrones” has been lauded for its acting and production values, although, some critics have objected to graphic depictions of violence, torture and rape.

Television as sacred text

There’s no denying that the series is eminently entertaining. But, I would argue it’s also something more: an opportunity for viewers to reflect on the human condition.

“Game of Thrones” storytelling is both instructive and inspiring, encouraging viewers to evaluate their own lives and choices. Although it’s not divine revelation, the show, like many sacred texts, highlights men and women whose human frailties do not define them.

Take the stories in the Hebrew Bible, which many Jews, Christians and Muslims believe is the word of God. Biblical figures drink, deceive and engage in violence, incest and familial conflict. Jacob, for example, one of the biblical patriarchs, took his older brother’s birthright when he tricked their father into blessing him as the firstborn. David, the shepherd boy who became king of the united Kingdom of Israel and Judah, slept with another man’s wife, then sent the man to slaughter and married his widow.

Yet despite faults, these biblical heroes have a stirring sense of their duty, destiny and responsibility. They do their best and make their actions matter.

Stories like these, which have parallels in religions worldwide, enable believers to confront their own shortcomings and strive for lives of consequence. They remind us that even the greatest religious figures are human beings who succumb to temptation.

Daenerys Targaryen. Helen Sloan/HBO

Likewise, “Game of Thrones” heroes strive for greatness amid trials of ego and enticements. Jaime Lannister, one of the bravest and most honorable knights in the Seven Kingdoms (the series’ setting), loses sight of his mission due to an incestuous relationship with his sister Cersei.

Daenerys Targaryen, called “Breaker of Chains,” seeks power so she can help others. Nevertheless, she ruthlessly kills those who stand in her way. And Jon Snow, who believes himself a bastard, is resurrected for an unknown purpose, thrust into leadership and tasked to lead a seemingly futile mission.

As viewers, we can spend hours on social media dissecting the how, what and why of these characters. They hold our imaginations because their quests for meaning, purpose and identity echo our own – albeit writ larger and with dragons.

And just like sacred texts that, for centuries, have helped believers reflect on right, wrong and the gray zone in between, “Game of Thrones” spurs audiences to see beyond their daily woes – and to consider the meaning and purpose of their own lives.

Religion and popular culture

So why is the series so successful? People seek inspiration and instruction from popular culture when institutional religion no longer speaks their language. Music, art, literature, film and television fill a void for growing numbers of Americans who opt out of church or never had a religious affiliation.

Today, hip-hop artists regularly explore spiritual themes just as painters and filmmakers have done for decades. Television may have been deemed a “cultural wasteland” once, but digitization and the subsequent explosion of cable and streaming options have enabled a new golden age.

Creative storytelling, featuring complex plots and complicated characters, has raised religious, spiritual and ethical questions that fuel viewer discussion. In the late 2000s, for example, a science fiction television series, “Battlestar Galactica,” probed the ethical issues around torture, suicide bombing and “othering” enemies. In the mid-2010s, a crime drama series, “Breaking Bad,” explored whether the ends justified the means.

More recently, the HBO science fiction “Westworld” forced viewers to consider the moral challenges posed by artificial intelligence.

What would Jon Snow do?

These same questions, I argue, preoccupy many among “Game of Thrones” metaphysical musers: Can a compromised hero find his moral compass? Are children doomed by their parents’ mistakes? Do the gods care about humanity’s fate? The series, an alternative to the everyday world of bad boyfriends, sullen children and missed deadlines, offers wider possibilities for a fulfilling life.

Most of us will never ride dragons, walk through fire or face armies of the undead. But we may, in quiet moments, confront questions of meaning, identity and purpose and ask ourselves WWJSD – What Would Jon Snow Do?

Diane Winston does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above.

[geekingonmusic]

RT @ShellbergT: @GeekingOnMusic Miss Joe terribly ... he's needed now ... #WWJSD ...

Miss Joe terribly ... he's needed now ... #WWJSD ...

— This Is Not 'Murica (@ShellbergT) August 22, 2017

via Twitter https://twitter.com/GeekingOnMusic August 21, 2017 at 07:29PM

[labyrinth-guy]

WWJSD

what would John Szarkowski do 

[lupoleo]

@petesearson #WWJSD 💪🏼🎸 #joestrummer #clash #tellason HQ #sanfrancisco #cali (presso Sausalito, California)

[mercenarygarage]

I made up a few WWJSD stickers...

[actuallylorelaigilmore]

aerosmiley219 said: #Oh my Janney #it's a thing now #I'm making it a thing.

I’m trying to do the same over here with James Spader! This makes me feel better.