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[Neonivek]

So... I've been thinking of the times I've seen the word Modernized lately and so far there seems to be one fact between all of them.

They are "Modern garbage" that add a modern aestetic for what used to be "good quality"

I know that Modernize doesn't mean "bad" I know there are a few good examples of it... but man has this buzz word turned negative HARD!

[Zrk2]

The only good reboot I've ever encountered was Mad Max.

[wierd]

That's the result of a perfect storm between several factors.

1) people are attracted to shiny, and the idea that something is new and hip.
2) Product manufacturers have a profit motive to sell you as many of their products as possible
3) Durable products result in market saturation.
4) People are dumb. (PT Barnum for the win.)

Combined, you end up with the following outcome:

People want to buy new, trendy, and shiny objects, and want to discard products that arent hip. They want to keep up with the jones's. The price of a product can become a symbol of status for ownership. See EG, Apple products.  So, device makers and advertisers cuddle up to this wasteful consumer behavior. They offer The NEW and IMPROVED shiny! Now only 150% the price of the old one, instead of 200% of the price!  However, due to durable goods saturating the market, and thus poisoning the well for consistent, reliable purchases-- they PURPOSEFULLY produce products that are DESIGNED to fail after a specific period of time. This practice is called "Product Lifecycle Management", and covers the total expense and profit profiles of the product from inception to landfill. This allows the product manufacturer to produce a continuous stream of "Trendy and NEW!" product, while assuring that the old product will leave the market and leave a vacancy for the new product to be sold to satisfy.  Because people are stupid, they fall for this-- over and over and over again.  Whole business models DEPEND on these events happening.

That's why.

[Radio Controlled]

I've told you before Neo, there's an easy trick to get over this: just stay away from the dang garbage! I do NOT get the feeling that modernised means trash, because 'modernising' in and of itself doesn't mean it'll be shitty. Case in point: that 'scooby doo mystery inc' show was pretty entertaining I think, yet it was very much updated from the original. Mad Max seems to be very good (haven't checked it out yet). I heard people say Jurassic world is good. And as always, Sturgeon's law applies: "ninety percent of everything is crap".

So instead of watching the modern crap and complaining about it, we should all watch the good classics instead (time is a great filter, and it does all the hard work for you!). This comes at the price of not being in on what's new and shiny. But who cares, right?

[Gunner-Chan]

Just to be clear on things, the new mad max movie isn't even really modernized. The script was done for decades.

[Radio Controlled]

Just to be clear on things, the new mad max movie isn't even really modernized. The script was done for decades.

Heh, didn't know that! Well, that's one example down the drain I guess. Though it does raise a question: how do we define modernising here? To pre-empt people saying all the good modern media are done in the 'old style' or something, and as such wouldn't count.

modernize
ˈmɒd(ə)nʌɪz/
verb
gerund or present participle: modernising
adapt (something) to modern needs or habits, typically by installing modern equipment or adopting modern ideas or methods.
"he modernized the health service"
synonyms:   update, bring up to date, bring/drag/lead/march into the twenty-first century, streamline, rationalize, overhaul, develop;

[Flying Dice]

I can't say that I have, honestly.

I'm particularly keen on modernized communication networks and plumbing. I've never seen it used as a buzzword, but that might be because I don't frequent business-scum ideaman meetings. It literally just means what RC posted.

[penguinofhonor]

.

[Neonivek]

Something is "Modernized" when it makes an attempt to shift things in a more "Modern" type of thinking or aesthetic beyond just being "good quality".

So lets take the new Annie movie for example. This one is to me the template of "Modernized"
1) Annie isn't an Orphan because it is an outdated term
2) It adds a lot of rap
3) Auto-tune
4) Smart House
5) Lots and LOTS of social media
6) Old stuff sucks (Modernized works tend to take a lot or ribs against the old)

'scooby doo mystery inc' show was pretty entertaining I think, yet it was very much updated from the original

That really wasn't "Modernized", it was just made in modern times and given a story.

What part of it is exactly modernized other then maybe Velma having a computer and of course being a "hacker"?

---

Think of Modernized as making a period piece set in current times... or at least what someone imagines the current times is (Even if it takes place in the future)

So... Like a movie that looks like it takes place inside a giant apple store.

Or a shooter that is a clone of Call of Duty in spite the series having its own thing.

Or a store looking like an Apple Store.

Or a Vista looking like a touch screen

It is hard to really explain because it is very easy to spot... But the key is "Improved Quality" is not the same as "Modernized"... "Updated" is not the same as "Modernized"

I've told you before Neo, there's an easy trick to get over this: just stay away from the dang garbage!

Sure I'll just put myself in a bubble.

...

So just as an exercise lets just Imagine the Jetsons is being modernized.

So Judy is made into a Nerd because "Nerds are in" with thick glasses, who plays Call of Duty on her computer.

George and Jane are now having marriage problems because this movie is "Modernized" and thus we needed to add a bit more pathos to the story. Because you know, they can't be a happily married couple, no one would buy that.

And Elroy has problems with cyberbullying at school.

Ohh and the dog is now a talking snowman... because Frozen... Who does rap songs.

All with a Star Trek aesthetic to hold it together.

So while the show is not incredibly modern and Hip... it completely removes the feeling and really the point of the show...

And it will defend itself by saying it is "Modernized" as in "All that old stuff was old garbage!"

[wierd]

Neon-- Again, it's the same shtick as with a physical product that gets "modernized."  (Eg, a toaster from the 70s vs a toaster from today.) The maker wants you to abandon the old version in favor of the new shiny one, and for the same reasons.  They dont make any money unless you do this. That is why they do this. Their NEW version has to stand out from the old version for this process to work. The easiest way to do that is to make superficial changes.

In the case of movies- "Hey! Let's add HIP NEW TEENAGE VERSIONS of the old characters!" is a staple, as are "HEY, LET'S ADD A WHOLE BUNCH OF BUZZWORDS!"  and "HEY, Let's COMPLETELY DESTROY THE ORIGINAL PLOT, BECAUSE MODERN! Nobody will understand all those OLD references!"

It's still basically the same thing. Instead of a low cost POS with a different plastic shell, and lackluster chinese electronic innards, you have a lacklustre reinterpretation of the plot, superficial remodeling of the setting, and a hype machine turned up past 11.

People will come out in droves because they liked OLD VERSION, but be turned off because MODERN.  Always happens, always will-- but the producer already has your money. You paid to see it.

[itisnotlogical]

You can keep saying "lets just imagine", "let's just pretend" and "what if" until the cows come home though. What if they modernized the Jetsons and it was actually really good? What then?

[Neonivek]

You can keep saying "lets just imagine", "let's just pretend" and "what if" until the cows come home though. What if they modernized the Jetsons and it was actually really good? What then?

I am trying more to convey what I mean by modernized. As opposed to trashing it.

For example the new Star Trek movies are definitely modernized.

But for ever Star Trek movie (though I am not a fan of any of the modernized elements of that movie... Hey super white Kahn!)

[wierd]

WHoosh. I think you missed the point there.

"The Jetsons" was a saccharine view of a future, created out of a cultural mindset of the 70s and 80s. It is what it is.  A "Modernized" remake of The Jetsons would not be "The Jetsons" anymore, because it would no longer be what the original was-- A saccharine view of the future, created out of a cultural mindset of the 70s and 80s.

Likewise with Annie.  A modernized version departs from the staple underpinnings of the story, because the archetypes it was founded on are replaced with "Modern" analogs that do not fit with that story.  It fundamentally stops being "Annie."

[Radio Controlled]

The scooby doo show had an overarching plot slowly unveiled through 'monster of the week' type episodes, something that seems to be popular/modern now (eg steven universe, adventure time, gravity falls), had a different style of humor (more dialogue oriented and bit more surreal, no goddamn laughtrack), had that quality that it was both for kids and adults (old show was very kiddie), incorporated modern tech into the setting. It made 'fun' of the old show, but in a good-natured way, more like a hommage than mean spirited. That's what I meant: unless you give me a very clear definition of what you mean by 'modernised' you can always just claim good contemporary shows are made in the 'old style' and limit modern to what's crap.

Adventure time uses autotune, and it is awesome. That gumball show uses social media to great effect (often by making fun of it, but still).

What you seem to be pointing at are rather superficial things, or aesthetics. But hey, guess what, that's a phenomenon that happens all the time, but we don't notice it because the old crappy stuff gets filtered a lot. What you seem to be annoyed by is shallow corporate bussiness market strategy that try to appeal to the target (e.g. younger) audiences by using elements that are popular now, without going deeper into the issue or making it their own, or even knowing what its really about beyond superficial elements. But that happened 20 years ago as well.

So again, the problem is you're eating the corporatised trash Hollywood and the like is pushing, instead of cutting through the crap and watching good things.

Finally, if I am capable of doing that, without becoming a social recluse, then you can do so as well without 'putting yourself in a bubble'. For example, I didn't went to see Carrie, because... Most reviews said it was shit! Tadaa, an hour and a half of my life saved, that I can now use to watch a good movie!

Similarly, I loved the ninja turtles as a kid. New movie comes out, reviews all say it's crap. So even though I love the franshise, I won't waste time to go watch it and be annoyed what they did with it, so now I can watch a few eps of a good new show.

EDIT: busloads of ninja's here.

[Neonivek]

Changing things is not "Modernization" and "updating" is not "Modernization"

Also Adventure time uses autotune mostly because Fin can't sing... at all. And also because it sounds bad.

Goodness people... You would probably think putting honey in your milk was modernizing it. xD