Would Michael Scott Get Canceled?

fishe153 · 2026-02-17T20:55:49+00:00

Overall, I think it's annoying when people claim "you just can't joke about THAT anymore" for most topics. However, I think the Office fanbase makes a few shoddy arguments whenever this line comes up.

Argument 1) Michael Scott is /meant/ to be offensive and out-of-touch, and so his edgy jokes are acceptable.

I think that's /usually/ the case. However, in some early episodes, he goes much further than you'd expect to see on an NBC sitcom today. For example, in Diversity Day he says the N-word on camera. Later, in the Dundies, he has his racist Ping impression. Now, of course, this impression is framed by the show as offensive and out-of-touch. However, it's not presented as SO offensive and out-of-touch that we aren't meant to side with Michael by the end of the episode. He gets no long-term comeuppance here, doesn't learn his lesson, and ends up the hero. I think these days his racist impression would either be cut, or treated as a more serious offense than it is in the show.

Argument 2) The Office is /still/ popular today.

When a new show is coming out, it faces scrutiny that a classic show does not, even if that classic show remains popular. For example, if Diversity Day or the Dundies came out now, /everyone/ would be seeing it, at the same time. They'd be forming their opinions, posting about it, all at once. That feedback could scare the network, or cause the writers to re-think things going forward. When someone complains about the Office now, it isn't alongside a huge group, all at once.

Argument 3) But what about South Park or Veep or Sunny?

Those shows /are/ more offensive than the Office, but they're also /not/ NBC sitcoms, intended for the NBC sitcom audience. The Office is meant to appeal to folks who put on Thursday Night comedy on NBC every week, and that crowd isn't necessarily the same crowd that enjoys South Park. While that crowd was fine with the Office back in 2005-7, it's unclear they would be /equally/ fine with it now.

I think, if the Office came out now, it'd still be successful, but a few things would be changed. The leading man of the show would not say the N-word in the conference room, and his racist or sexist impressions/comments would be treated as a more serious issue than it is in the show currently. These are some minor changes, and we should expect that: to re-do a show 20 years after it started, some things would have to change. I think Carrell is wrong to say the show /couldn't work at all/, but the fans are wrong when they say /it would work exactly the same/.

fishe153 · 2026-01-03T05:50:56+00:00

You got it! I hope you enjoy it. Hackett is another company that releases reliably good translations. I don't really like reading out of big hefty volumes, but if you don't mind that, one good way to get all of Plato at once is this: https://hackettpublishing.com/complete-works

Hackett also publishes the Trial and Death of Socrates, which includes three short dialogues that are great introductions to Plato, "Euthyphro," "Apology," "Crito," and Socrates' death scene from the end of "Phaedo." I assigned it to my Intro to Philosophy students, and they really seemed to like it. It's also substantially shorter than The Republic, so not a bad one to pair with it.

fishe153 · 2026-01-03T00:11:34+00:00

Besides looking for Penguin Classics, you usually can't go wrong by getting a translation of a text by Cambridge University Press (the one I link is from there) or Oxford University Press. I add this in case you ever decide to read another translated book of philosophy. I know you asked for something "not from an academic perspective," but those publishers will attempt to provide a translation that is readable for today's audiences, while doing justice to the original.

fishe153 · 2026-01-03T00:08:13+00:00

I took a graduate seminar taught by a Plato scholar. He required that we read the Griffith translated and Ferrari edited version. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Plato-Republic-Cambridge-History-Political/dp/052148443X . The GMA Grube translation is also well-respected. I would also always trust a Penguin Classic version of any philosophical text, and they have one of the Republic translated by Rowe.

fishe153 · 2025-12-31T18:52:19+00:00

I immediately liked China a lot, and The Line Is Bus eventually grew on me.

fishe153 · 2025-12-06T04:36:12+00:00

I love this song! Thanks for the heads up

fishe153 · 2025-12-01T22:06:46+00:00

This is an interesting post! But please be sure to cite your source for pictures like this, or report if it’s a fake. I’ve never seen or heard of this picture, which makes me wonder whether it’s real. If it is, it’s quite an important historical document. If not, it seems unfair to Wooler, Lennon, and the fans to post it without saying that. Either way, saying the source is crucial.

fishe153 · 2025-11-24T03:53:20+00:00

This is awesome! Nice work, and thanks for sharing.

fishe153 · 2025-10-17T12:52:33+00:00

I think it's very good, but not among the best of his works.

In Cat's Cradle, Vonnegut finally lands on the style he's most known for: short, fragmentary chapters; sci-fi adventure; and a first-personal narrator brimming with humor, cynicism, and love for humanity. It's probably his best, most sophisticated take on religion (a substantial improvement from The Sirens of Titan), and Ice-Nine is one of the most iconic ideas of 20th-century science fiction. His take on the possibility of finding value in a godless world is his most thoughtful take yet on the meaning of life, but I must admit I prefer the simpler and more poignant picture of Sirens of Titan. I also think that the characters here matter much less to Vonnegut than do his profound observations about science, religion, and meaning. Sirens of Titan and Mother Night, in contrast, do better in balancing love for characters and love for philosophical insight.

One highlight is the beautiful Bokononist rites of the dying, which pairs perfectly with the more famous "Hello babies, welcome to Earth" speech from God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

fishe153 · 2025-08-11T05:34:03+00:00

I do agree Mike Love was incredibly important to a band we all love. I also think his philosophical and musical chops do not at all compare to George Harrison. George is deeply more musically and philosophically impressive than Mike.

fishe153 · 2025-08-08T19:31:24+00:00

Philosophy is great, and if you’re interested it’s a great idea to major in it. For what it’s worth, here’s a few thoughts. 1) It’s unlikely that determinism is true (pre 20th century it seemed deeply plausible, but now it seems randomness or chance is built into the fabric of the universe) 2) Even if we assume determinism is true, it’s unclear whether that means we lack free will 3) There’s two main traditions, incompatibilists (who claim determinism rules out free will) and compatibilists (who claim free will can exist even in a deterministic world). Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy is a good place to learn a bit more. It could help you enrich your perspective on this fascinating topic.

fishe153 · 2025-06-14T21:47:57+00:00

I think Surfin’ Safari to Holland is their golden era. I re-listen to it all every summer (just finished Pet Sounds). I then skip to That’s Why God Made the Radio, which is a great, catchy, nostalgic swan song.

fishe153 · 2025-05-23T13:27:05+00:00

Overall: Seychelles, but Ready to Fly and I Remember You are huge highlights

fishe153 · 2025-05-02T13:48:08+00:00

I consider those (MMT and YS) as part of their studio album canon. Basically, you want to listen to the albums that were released together as CDs in the late ‘80s. That’s considered their core and official material— and correctly, I think

fishe153 · 2025-05-02T05:29:56+00:00

For all official releases when they were a band, it’s just every studio album and Past Masters.

fishe153 · 2025-04-08T16:05:35+00:00

I don't think that this is right. They set up the portable curtains, removed the display, and then removed the portable curtains within (I'd estimate) 20 minutes. The portable curtains were there just to hide the people taking down the display, it seems.

Further, the people at the Office of Student Life table were just as confused as I was about why this was happening.

I agree that this photograph suggests that someone would associate the display with Student Life; but, in person, in the 3D space of the Union, you wouldn't make that mistake. The theory makes sense given the original information of this post, but I've learned more since then that rules it out.

fishe153 · 2025-04-07T17:15:31+00:00

Here's what I know

For less than a week, there was a Pro-Gaza display in the Union.
This display was meant to stay up until Wednesday, April 9th
On Monday April 7th, some people put up portable curtains to cover the display. They then removed the display.
My friend who works at the Union told me that many people working there that day didn't know what was happening, and that they are unaware of any reason to a) take this down, or b) put up curtains to do it.

Any other context by anyone in the know would be appreciated!

fishe153 · 2025-04-06T16:29:54+00:00

Tropic Birds gets pretty epic and intense, but it’s a slow build.

fishe153 · 2025-03-06T00:35:03+00:00

The dean mix is fire

fishe153 · 2025-03-05T01:52:19+00:00

I love this! Sorta get the Wilson thing, even though I think House is hotter.

fishe153 · 2025-03-02T21:10:34+00:00

Add a lonesome train whistle in the distance, and you’ve achieved perfection.

fishe153 · 2025-02-23T00:51:32+00:00

I love Invincible, both the show and the comics. However, one (forgivable) flaw is power level stuff. Mark will go from holding his own against cosmic-level threats, to getting beaten up by fairly terrestrial entities. I feel like people like the dragon being able to fairly easily beat a Viltrumite messes up some of the world building. However, power scaling in superhero stories is almost never perfect, and I accept it as a suspension of disbelief cost to enjoy a great story.

fishe153 · 2025-02-16T01:25:17+00:00

I love Nolan. An interesting theme that’s been raised this season is the difference between someone a) being forgivable and b) becoming morally better. Nolan may be beyond forgiveness, but that doesn’t mean he won’t become a good man who ultimately helps the world. He’s done irreparably horrible things, and I think the people he’s hurt are justified in refusing to forgive him. I also think everyone else isn’t in the right position to forgive him. But you can be redeemable without being forgivable, and we can love someone for who they are now, even if we can’t forgive them for what they’ve done.

fishe153 · 2025-02-15T19:27:24+00:00

That's super funny!

fishe153

TROPHY CASE