I watched this movie a few times back when I was in high school... I really enjoyed it, and it wasn't nearly as draining as most vampire films tend to be—honestly. Tom Cruise and Kirsten Dunst were both excellent, though I found Brad Pitt's character a bit tedious and dull—not that his acting was bad, per se. All in all, it's a solid film; it's just a shame I didn't catch it on TV, as I'm not particularly fond of hunting for things through the dark corners of the internet.
This remains one of my absolute favorite films—the plot leans into certain clichés, I'll admit, but the aesthetic is just stunning. While some of the characters can be a bit grating at times, you eventually find yourself rooting for them; there's a genuine sense of chemistry between them that really pulls you in.
So many bands coming out of CBGB drew their inspiration from them—especially when it comes to the sound. To me, they were essentially the cornerstone of punk—alongside Iggy and the Stooges. In terms of their fashion style, they definitely lean into that glam rock vibe.
It’s interesting because the punk movement didn't actually adopt much of the New York Dolls' glam aesthetic. It's a shame they burned out so early; they really were a fantastic band.
To be honest—and I mean this sincerely—swearing actually helps clear my soul. Of course, I make sure to watch my language depending on the setting; I wouldn't dream of cursing at work, or around the kids, or with people I only know casually. But when I'm home or hanging out with close friends? I’ll let it rip, and I feel an immediate sense of relief.
It's much better to vent like that than to just lose your mind.
boldnomad45 said:Spot on. Personally, I feel like I burned out during my own upbringing. I was never really a kid; I was always the overresponsible one, essentially acting as a parent to my own parents. I simply don't have the capacity left to provide everything a child needs while simultaneously fighting for my own existence, health, and happiness. I know it isn't sustainable, so we won't have kids. We both had similar experiences growing up. But yes, when people with children take our choice as a personal insult, they can be incredibly rude. Honestly, repulsive.
And then there's the judgment—being called selfish just because you don't want kids...🙂🙂
redscout46 said:"Bitterness"... isn't that just the convenient label used around here whenever someone happens to hold a perspective that doesn't align with yours? 🤦 Neither brightviper22, nor I, nor anyone else in this group actually has anything or anyone to be bitter about... unlike you two lost souls.
I don't get this "bitterness" accusation either—honestly, people just don't want the responsibility of raising kids, they don't want to make sacrifices, and there's nothing wrong with that. Why should they be bitter?
I'm not bitter, and I'm certainly not jealous of my friends who have children—I'm genuinely happy for them, truly—but I know for a fact I wouldn't want to be in their shoes.
I don't want children either—to be honest, I've always known deep down that motherhood just isn't in my nature. I simply don't possess those maternal instincts or feelings. Some of my girlfriends have kids, and the more time I spend with them, the more certain I feel about my own decision to remain childfree.
I would also suggest trying some more intense physical activity during the day—if you can manage it, that is. I haven’t quite conquered my own insomnia yet—it's a struggle—but when I really wear myself out physically, at least I don't end up waking up every forty minutes like a restless toddler.
Of course, this advice only holds water if you can't find a night shift that isn't one of those exhausting roles you mentioned above. If you actually do stumble upon a decent one, please let me know—I might just apply myself.
“I want to put this out there—people truly have the power to change whatever they choose. And that means everything in the world. Most of us are just scurrying along our pre-set paths—myself included—but we really need to stop merely following those tiny little mouse trails. We have the capacity to do anything; it's a lesson I'm finally starting to grasp. Right now, people are causing harm to one another simply because they've lost their sense of connection to each other. It is high time we pull our shared humanity back into the spotlight and let it lead us for a while. As for greed? It isn't vanishing anytime soon. Honestly, they ought to put that truth on a massive billboard right across Times Square. At the end of the day, without people, you have nothing at all. That's just my two cents.”
I honestly can't wrap my head around how Jennifer Lawrence walked away with the Academy Award for Silver Linings Playbook last year—not to mention her nomination for American Hustle this year.
She was decent in Winter's Bone—truly the only role where she really stood out—but for Silver Linings, she felt like a massive miscast. She was just way too young, and frankly, it pulled me right out of the story. Bradley Cooper actually caught me off guard there; he did an incredible job in a role I never would have pegged him for. As for her in Silver Linings, she was far too over-the-top—and don't even get me started on American Hustle. The movie itself isn't anything special, but she was easily the worst part of it.
I won't even waste my breath talking about The Hunger Games.
Nicholas King said:It was perfectly clear—you only seem to care as long as you aren't replying directly to me to disagree with my point 🙂.
I’m not sure where I disagreed with your post😕—I simply mentioned that I don't quite grasp the concept of beauty when applied to animals, specifically this idea of "animals that are beautiful in their behavior."🙂
Nicholas King said:If those statements were intended as a direct rebuttal to what I wrote, then you have quite frankly twisted my words 🙂.
My point was specifically about "active dislike" toward animals—meaning the idea that some people are genuinely bothered by the mere existence of others' pets—rather than a simple lack of desire to keep a pet in one's own apartment, which—given the mention of aesthetics—falls much more into the category of being indifferent...
Well, I am certainly not an "active hater" of animals; I think that’s pretty obvious from my previous posts—as if I wanted to wipe out every living thing except humans. Other people's pets don't bother me, provided they aren't constantly invading my space... It's fine to grab coffee with a friend who brings their dog along, as long as that dog isn't jumping all over me or licking me. I don't find that cute or intentional or anything... it's just gross.
I don't "love" animals in the sense that they trigger any desire for closeness or petting—which, I assume, is why most people keep pets in the first place.
@Almost Rosey — I think I may have interpreted the concept of "beauty" too purely from an aesthetic standpoint in my last example. In other words, I can admire animals and be fascinated by them without feeling any need for companionship, ownership, or physical contact.
Nicholas King said:It’s honestly such a shame—really, a genuine waste—that a topic with this much potential has devolved into this messy cocktail of shallow trolling and aggressive finger-pointing at pet owners by people who clearly don't get it (not to mention the occasional dramatic confession of deep-seated phobias masquerading as a simple dislike of animals). I suppose trying to debunk every single misconception posted here would just be pouring gasoline on an already raging fire, so I'll stick to one point: the square footage of someone's living space has absolutely zero bearing on the quality of a dog's life. If they have a decent owner, a dog could live in a tiny studio apartment in Manhattan and still thrive; besides, it is fundamentally wrong—and frankly, quite unfair—to blame the animals for the sheer stupidity of certain owners.
The core issue, if we're being honest, starts with how we categorize ourselves: there are those who love animals, those who "actively dislike" them, and then there's that middle ground of people who are mostly indifferent. If we use that framework, I'll admit that those of us in the "actively dislike" camp—meaning people who are bothered simply by the mere presence of animals nearby—are, well, strange. We aren't necessarily "weirdos" (defined as someone who lives differently than the masses, someone acting out of character or being an eccentric), but we are certainly odd (someone who deviates unexpectedly from the norm, someone who surprises others by being different from what is customary; peculiar)).
For instance, some animals are—quite simply—beautiful. They are beautiful in their appearance, they are beautiful in their "behavior" (I think my meaning is clear enough without getting bogged down in specifics), and they are beautiful just by existing—and that beauty exists independently of anything else. I find it difficult to wrap my head around how someone who isn't otherwise repelled by beauty in any other form can find the mere existence of animal beauty so incredibly bothersome.
I don't quite follow. Beauty is such a subjective concept—whether we are talking about people or animals. For example, I find snakes to be stunning creatures. I wouldn't want one as a pet, of course, but they are magnificent—their appearance and their natural habits truly fascinate me. It's the same with bees and ants; their social structures are a marvel of nature, and I find them beautiful because of that—it just inspires a sense of awe in me.
I am a bit confused about which animals are considered "beautiful in behavior"—after all, pets are trained; we teach them how to act.
I doubt anyone is actually offended by the beauty of animals (whatever that entails)—for me personally, it's the smell and the shedding that I can't stand, and I simply don't want that in my home. And yes, it does bother me when people judge me as selfish or cold because of those preferences.
@William Collins11 — those are just people I knew back in college. We saw each other every day for five years, so we’d chat over coffee about things outside of class, but I wouldn't exactly put them on my list of true friends.
Austin Hill6 said:Honestly, forget what they said. People just love to act morally superior, don't they? Personally, I think spending an entire day stuck inside an apartment just waiting for an owner to take you for a walk sounds like a miserable way for any animal to live.
I have nothing but respect for people who rescue animals and save them from sickness, hunger, or death in some local shelter. That’s noble and truly humane, but regardless of that, I don't think anyone has the right to label you a freak or call you selfish simply because you don't want pets.
Not everyone is built for everything, and most people really ought to question their actual motives before getting a pet—instead of picking one up and then dumping it on the street whenever they decide to head to the beach or go on vacation.
So, how did you handle their accusations?
To be honest—I didn't even bother much with a defense—I just told them I don't consider myself selfish; I simply have no desire to share my personal space or my time with animals, nor do I feel the need to care for them. (The conversation drifted toward how they both live in such a tiny apartment, yet somehow find enough room and time for three dogs.)
I didn't say this out loud to them—though perhaps I should have—but to me, it seems far more selfish to cram three dogs into a small living space just to satisfy one's own desire for companionship or whatever else.
Hmm... I see this thread has expanded into areas I hadn't quite intended—though, honestly, I'm glad. It’s helpful to see such a wide spectrum of perspectives; it really helps me gauge the social climate.
When I mentioned my dislike for animals, I was specifically referring to pets. I simply don't care for having them near me—in my own apartment, at least. I can tolerate them perfectly well at someone else's place, provided they aren't being intrusive and I don't have to spend my entire evening fussing over how "precious" or "sweet" they are.
Broadly speaking, I have nothing against animals themselves. I've only ever been to a zoo once in my life, and I can't imagine ever going back. Personally, I don't think anyone should have to live like that—confined to a cage.
It isn't as if I grew up without animals nearby; back at my grandmother's place out in the countryside, there were plenty of cats roaming around, though we never actually kept a pet. They were just local strays you'd toss some food to—not "pets" in the sense of buying them cans of tuna, letting them sleep in your bed, or constantly kissing their noses. My family never had pets like that. Perhaps that's where my indifference stems from.
I actually started this discussion because I was once labeled "selfish" just for stating that I didn't want pets in my home—specifically because I can't stand the hair and the smells. This came from a couple I knew from college—they were living in a tiny 300-square-foot studio with three dogs. We were having a general conversation about animals, and they ended up targeting me personally for my views, which apparently are unacceptable to most people.
Perhaps the title misses the mark—maybe even the subject itself—so please, moderators, feel free to delete or move this if it’s misplaced. (Or if I'm repeating something already posted.)
To be clear, I am one of the people mentioned in the title. The reality is that I simply don't like animals; yet, whenever I admit this in social settings, people look at me as if I were—without any exaggeration—a cold-blooded killer. I truly don't understand why.
Growing up, I never wanted pets, nor did I ever own them... I just never felt that need for that kind of companionship.
Let me clarify one thing immediately—I am strictly against any form of animal cruelty, abuse, or killing. What I see online—people starving animals or beating them to death—it makes me physically ill; it's horrific. I don't hate animals in the sense that I want them all wiped out, but I simply do not love them.
For instance, the other day I was grabbing coffee with a friend and her group of acquaintances—people I barely know. She had this little poodle that wouldn't leave me alone for a single second. It was jumping on everyone, barking, whimpering... and everyone else thought it was "absolutely precious," while I found it so irritating that I could barely stay in my seat. Eventually, I ended up snapping at the dog and pushing it away—mostly because it was trying to lick my face. The reactions from the group were indescribable... they looked at me like I was some sort of monster, or someone mentally unstable. They couldn't fathom how I could yell at a dog or push it away... they pushed me to the point where I went home in tears.
The truth is, I just don't like it when animals jump on me, or lick me, or the smell, or the fur... I can't imagine having a pet in my house—not even a canary, let alone a cat or a dog.
Why does society label those who don't love animals as outcasts, or as cold and terrible people? (Perhaps I am exaggerating slightly, but that encounter truly shook me.)
Has anyone else here dealt with similar experiences?
I watched the movie recently—I haven't actually read the book, so I can't really make any comparisons there—but I thought the film was wonderful. It had such great pacing, and the chemistry between the two leads was excellent; they both did a fantastic job.