What the Bleep Do We Know?
I just watched this last night. Pretty interesting stuff. It kinda came across as Buddism-by-stealth, but at the same time really brought up some interesting points as far as out connectedness/disconnectedness goes, and some things I didn't quite grasp as far as Quantum theory goes.
Anybody have a take on this?
http://www.whatthebleep.com/
Anybody have a take on this?
http://www.whatthebleep.com/
Comments
Originally posted by groverat
I can safely say that I got absolutely nothing from it. My wife loved it, though. I have no idea why.
OH come on! You have to admit the Robert Palmer sequence was hysterical.
Originally posted by dmz
OH come on! You have to admit the Robert Palmer sequence was hysterical.
If by hysterical you mean terrible.
After seeing it I remember describing it to my friend as simultaneously the coolest and worst movie I've ever seen. A lot of the topics they touched on were really cool, but the wedding party, and that basketball kid, disgust me.
I liked that middle-aged blonde woman. She was funny.
Originally posted by dmz
I just watched this last night. Pretty interesting stuff. It kinda came across as Buddism-by-stealth, but at the same time really brought up some interesting points as far as out connectedness/disconnectedness goes, and some things I didn't quite grasp as far as Quantum theory goes.
Anybody have a take on this?
http://www.whatthebleep.com/
Don't be surprised if you couldn't follow the logic...
Most reviews suggest the film's "Quantum Theory for Dummies" approach was not just bad science, but willful misrepresentation of real research to soothe the New Age mindset. Trippy visuals, bad film.
Stick with PBS' Elegant Universe or similar if you're in it for the substance.
BBC review
Physics get turned into metaphysics in What The Bleep Do We Know!?, a documentary aimed at the totally gullible. Shifting from quantum theory to mystical mumbo jumbo in the blink of an eye, it blends hard science fact with Star Trek visuals, and talking head interviewees with a deadly dull drama about hearing impaired photographer Amanda (Marlee Matlin) and her attempts to achieve a happier life through positive thinking. What does it all mean? We're bleeped if we know.
It's tough to separate the science fact from the science fiction in this attempt to explain life, the universe and everything. Bringing together 'authorities' from the world of science and religion - and sometimes kooky characters from both camps - the three (count 'em) directors come up with some strange theories about quantum physics and the power of positive thinking. If you take What The Bleep at face value, you'll believe that it's been scientifically proven that labelling jars of tap water with negative or positive words actually changes the shapes of the water molecules themselves, or that mass meditation can reduce crime rates, or that reality is just a holodeck, or... Well, you get the idea.
"LESS STEPHEN HAWKING, MORE OPRAH WINFREY"
Eagerly pushing a New Age agenda this is less Stephen Hawking, more Oprah Winfrey: the self-help manual for the multiplex audiences of the 21st century. It feels like an advert for a cult, so it's no surprise to learn that the filmmakers allegedly have ties to the kooky folk at the Ramtha School of Enlightenment. Credulity required.
Originally posted by groverat
I can safely say that I got absolutely nothing from it. My wife loved it, though. I have no idea why.
Ah the mighty grover has gotten married?
Originally posted by curiousuburb
Don't be surprised if you couldn't follow the logic...
Most reviews suggest the film's "Quantum Theory for Dummies" approach was not just bad science, but willful misrepresentation of real research to soothe the New Age mindset. Trippy visuals, bad film.
Stick with PBS' Elegant Universe or similar if you're in it for the substance.
Unfortunately much of this New Age meta-psy stuff just drops in terms and ideas about quantum physics just to sound knowledgeable. They sadly manipulate or misrepresent these concepts to support there political ideas. I guess both the left and right political extremists have manipulate and misrepresent in common.
Originally posted by AquaMac
Unfortunately much of this New Age meta-psy stuff just drops in terms and ideas about quantum physics just to sound knowledgeable. They sadly manipulate or misrepresent these concepts to support there political ideas. I guess both the left and right political extremists have manipulate and misrepresent in common.
Well, I think it kinda goes without saying that the movie wasn't all that technical, in a classroom sort of way.
What I had more in mind was were comments on it's depiction of the ultimate disconnectedness of all matter. The depiction of the chemicals produced by the hypothalamus making us "feel" a certain way -- and how 'disconnected' it was from our experience of those same feelings.
I thought the movie 'chickened out' in that it's solution was essentially a stealthy mysticism, when it couldn't account for a large bundle of chemicals having experiences.