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Does The Media, Fiction And Real Life Over-Expose You To Things You Can't Have ??

Hopeless_Aspie_Guy

Well-Known Member
READ IT ALL, ITS INTERESTING AND YOU KNOW YOU DO;

Do you feel lonelier or left out because of things you see in the media, fiction or witness in real life?

So for people in the UK it’d perhaps be soap-operas (also known as serial dramas) where you have a group of fictional friends (who are for the time of filming probably kinda friends in real life too) on TV that you feel you almost know and could be part of the group with even though in reality (and your knowledge of aspergers and your own social limitations and other peoples lack of affection etc towards you) you know that they’d be no different to all the other non celebs you’ve wanted to but failed to become friends with.
Or maybe it’s the girls in the group you find ‘hot’, but you know that they’d never turn to you when their fictional partner has cheated on them or they’re in some other spot of bother (much as you fantasize or could perhaps genuinely be of comfort or the new lover that they turn to) not that you could see them genuinely turning to you for help. Maybe you’d like to envision yourself as that guy that got the girl pregnant and of which is now actually being pursued by her and if nothing else you relish being pursued. Perhaps you’ve just been seduced by someone who can’t help herself (or his self) around you. How many times do you see yourself as being that better girl or guy that the fictional girl/guy should probably date or have sex with etc?
The almost sad thing is that perhaps you could be an actor or actress (some aspies act all the time, just to appear normal to NTs) and that the only kisses or other comradery you’ll ever exchange is through the fictional or rehearsed screenplay outside of which they’re all indifferent towards you and exchange pleasantries at best. Ultimately fame and popularity kinda go hand in hand so perhaps for most aspies it’s an impossibility anyway.

My point is that fiction presents a variety (and perhaps for many aspies it’s all you’ve ever known and or ever will) of scenarios you perhaps dream to be in but know you never could/would (whereas your average NT girl or guy has perhaps been in half of the ones you’ve fantasized about and for which things don’t seem quite so fictional or unattainable). You live much of life with these fictional characters or share a long journey with a group of attractive girls/guys or just a group of friends you want to involve yourself with, only to find them parting ways from the friend/lover they never knew they had when they get to their desired train station (or you depart at yours). Even as a driver you see other cars full of people, friends and couples and there you are driving solo (again). You can’t escape any of this so long as you watch TV or venture out into the NT dominated world, so how do you see/deal with all of this or are you just content (or fooling yourself into thinking you are) with having none of this and perhaps never having it?
 
It's good to be selective in what you watch. Avoid that which has a negative effect on you. But there are also positive shows or at least neutral ones, that can have a good effect (informative, motivating) or just be entertaining.
 
Well, that's the whole point of the programming in the first place. They're trying to make you feel less than perfect in order to sell the sponsor's product.
 
As Flinty pointed out; it's pretty much why these things exist, to sell a product and make you crave something more.

I suppose it goes both emotional and materialistic ways, where the materialistic ones are merely driven by desire to own stuff. Emotional ideals are harder to come by for some. Not everyone is that desireable as a partner (and it's a good thing or else we'd all be the same), yet I do think it contributes to a certain degree of stuff like depression, since it makes some people feel more disempowered and hopeless merely because they eventually understand they're missing out on certain things.

However, what I always wonder with these shows and such "Is this something I would enjoy finding myself in?" and the less absurd the show is, the more my answer is a resounding "No!". Most of these shows with a group of friends going through everyday stuff feels way more mundane than anything I do by myself.

Perhaps the trick of it all is to live your life to your own idea and ideals and not what media tells you what to do with your life. But a lot of people need some kind of general guideline as it seems. They idealize their life and romanticise their lovelife as they saw in the latest movie.
 
Well, that's the whole point of the programming in the first place. They're trying to make you feel less than perfect in order to sell the sponsor's product.
Unlikely, besides, I can watch so many different films and TV shows and practically all situations of friendship, people wanting to depend on others and love etc are all things I know cannot happen to me (time after time again). This can't all be what you say it is.
Not everyone is that desireable as a partner (and it's a good thing or else we'd all be the same), yet I do think it contributes to a certain degree of stuff like depression, since it makes some people feel more disempowered and hopeless merely because they eventually understand they're missing out on certain things.

I'm certainly not desireable as one (and I wish I didn't care, but I'm forced to), but that doesn't stop the very situation that keeps that damn temptation alive from being the very problem that stops my combative anti-love tactics from working.
It seems too evident that many/most people (not some) are pre-programmed to want/need or be tempted by love (not to mention feeling more empowerd by having a larger group of loyal friends, or just being able to connect with more people). And yes, depression is (mostly) that problem that strengthens/sustains the temptations/desires and also prevents my otherwise successful anti-love tactics from working. But if I wasn't partly depressed then the tactics wouldn't be needed.
 
Unlikely, besides, I can watch so many different films and TV shows and practically all situations of friendship, people wanting to depend on others and love etc are all things I know cannot happen to me (time after time again). This can't all be what you say it is.

Remember, most people are not like us. Most people have at least some susceptibility to sponsorship. Sometimes, even I do, but I notice when it happens.
 
Remember, most people are not like us. Most people have at least some susceptibility to sponsorship. Sometimes, even I do, but I notice when it happens.
Ok here's what I really mean. I just watched the film 'The Bourne Identity' and asides from much of the plot being very entertaining and yet well beyond the realms of possibility for someone comparatively insignificant like myself, what I did seee is the lead female character being dependent and gradually falling in love with the lead guy character in ways you typically see in real life in those situations that never happen to you. The thing that can happen to many NT's, but not for me (or perhaps other aspie guys) of whom most or all girls care nothing for for whatever reason. Now you see you were wrong, if just because you didn't get what I meant before. But there is a cold sad truth present in all things I see around me that I cannot have any part of (like it or not).
 
I understand where the OP is coming from. I do my best to avoid watching anything that depicts passion,love, love-making (as opposed to 'sex'),falling in love, happy couples etc. because I sorely lack them in my life. The sad fact is that I am married, wife is not active in the passion/physical affection or even verbal affection departments, add to this the fact that at this point, I don't really find her 'easy on the eyes' either. I believe an affectionate marriage will only ever exist in my head. Terrible.
 
I understand where the OP is coming from. I do my best to avoid watching anything that depicts passion,love, love-making (as opposed to 'sex'),falling in love, happy couples etc. because I sorely lack them in my life. The sad fact is that I am married, wife is not active in the passion/physical affection or even verbal affection departments, add to this the fact that at this point, I don't really find her 'easy on the eyes' either. I believe an affectionate marriage will only ever exist in my head. Terrible.

Thats sounds like quite a bleak marriage :(
 
Settling is bad and going without is preferable I agree.
I also think that being with someone you don't have strong feelings/attraction for/towards is unfair on that person-especially if they are into you.

That's a big part of why I'll likely stay single even if I do come across someone who likes me-I just don't tend to like people (in that way).
 
I also think that being with someone you don't have strong feelings/attraction for/towards is unfair on that person-especially if they are into you.

That's a big part of why I'll likely stay single even if I do come across someone who likes me-I just don't tend to like people (in that way).

I think my 'GF' was on and off with deciding what she thought of me looks-wise. For me the issue was that she looked different depending on the light and angle, but I couldn't see many being jealous of me and if I told my past self that she was my GF, past me would kick my ass and laugh.

I've never had the right person like me (or many at all of those whop aren't right for that matter).
 
That's a big part of why I'll likely stay single even if I do come across someone who likes me-I just don't tend to like people (in that way).

Sometimes I think I may have a similar mindset. Probably a big factor in deciding not to pursue relationships in my early 40s.

For some of us, wanting something is much better than actually having it. :eek:
 
I just watched the film 'The Bourne Identity' and asides from much of the plot being very entertaining and yet well beyond the realms of possibility for someone comparatively insignificant like myself, what I did seee is the lead female character being dependent and gradually falling in love with the lead guy character in ways you typically see in real life in those situations that never happen to you. The thing that can happen to many NT's, but not for me (or perhaps other aspie guys) of whom most or all girls care nothing for for whatever reason.

As you know from the other thread we have been talking in, I disagree with this. You are allowing Depression to lie to you. Don't believe it!!!! It becomes self fulfilling and self defeating. Depression is a lying piece of sh*t.

I haven't seen that film but I can imagine the sort of Hollywood beautiful-woman-just-can't-help-falling-for-the-lead-male situation you describe. That is one of the reasons I don't watch many films, especially not Hollywood ones. They are so boring, so derivative, so repetitive and formulaic! It's all crap and Flinty is right: they are selling you an image. The image is not real life. It is fantasy. They want you to buy into it and get sucked into the story.

For proof, take a look at the way lead female characters are introduced in scripts: http://theconversation.com/sexist-screen-representations-of-women-start-in-the-script-55022. Therein lies the dream those writers are trying to sell; the guy has the career/accolades/adventure and he gets a pretty/empty-headed/sexy/beautiful girl. The girl is nothing but her looks, there to sell the guy's story. It is exactly the same as selling a car by having a girl draped over it. It is a ploy.

If you find yourself feel down after watching something or you find it reinforces your negative feelings, stay away from that sort of thing for a while.

Also, asking NTs you know what they think about such films, whether they think they are realistic, may give you insight. My husband teaches media studies and he would say that sort of guy-automatically-gets-beautiful-woman-of-his-choosing thing is far removed from reality! :)
 
Depression is a lying piece of sh*t.
LMFA, funny :D
I haven't seen that film but I can imagine the sort of Hollywood beautiful-woman-just-can't-help-falling-for-the-lead-male situation you describe.
Actually she's not a particularly attractive women by your typical hollywood standards and she's quite impoverished and ran down in the film.
If you find yourself feel down after watching something or you find it reinforces your negative feelings, stay away from that sort of thing for a while.
It comes at times and in films you least most expect though and in real life you see this all around you, guys with girls you want or might want.
 

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