Matty Long
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Jack of all trades, master of … Vocal? Especially fond of movies, watching football, country music, travelling, beer, and pizza.
X: @eardstapa_
Achievements (1)
Stories (82)
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What Everyone Gets Wrong About Harper Lee
This is something I've been wanting to write about for a long time and recently I've seen things that have made me decide to really make an effort and write it. I was looking for stuff to watch and saw that during lockdown a show called ‘Lovecraft country’ had been popular. I saw Jordan Peele was involved and I enjoyed 'Get Out' and although I don't think I've ever read anything by HP Lovecraft, I've heard of him and his work sounds interesting. This led me to be linked an article in Vox about the show. I was soon informed, via the article, that, among other things, Lovecraft was a huge racist with absolutely no argument, something that the show explores in what sounds like a creative and interesting manner. However, the article then started talking about 'complex literary legacies' in relation to racism, specifically referring to the fact that the central character in the show is named 'Atticus,' which the article claims 'saddles him with a complicated relationship to the flawed white saviour of 'To Kill a Mockingbird.''
By Matty Long5 years ago in Geeks
"But they're family"
Throughout history and culture, people have found ways to forgive things that they wouldn't usually forgive because the offender was family. This stretches from little mistakes to horrendous crimes. And, of course, the opposite has always taken place too. Parents throughout history have disowned children and vice versa. But this isn't easy, and I think it's fair to say that there is a pressure in society, both internally and externally, to find understanding when the conflict took place with a close relation. Now, I think an exception that proves the rule more often than not is divorcees. Many people who divorce do not want anything to do with their ex and feel no pressure to. In fact, the opposite is prevalent in many cases. But what is common is for people to make amends when children are involved. And that illustrates the difference. It doesn't need to be stated that most people care very deeply for their relationships with their children, because their children are their blood. That's why, say, a childless couple who bitterly divorce may often have no desire to make amends because their is nothing to lose. This societal and personal pressure is something you feel to those whom you are blood-related. Fiction has often shown this, too. Look at the plot of 'The Godfather' (SPOILER ALERT), where Michael Corleone changes from the nice guy to the ruthless mobster all because of his family and his father.
By Matty Long5 years ago in Families
University Attendance Officer circa 2017, I Can Explain
Before my successful burger-flipping career took off, I used to be an English student. As a quiet, bookish person with a fear of the opposite sex and a tendency to blush at the tiniest piece of attention, many university experiences led to awkward situations for me. But, as I endured such experiences, I think I somewhat gained confidence in myself, and gradually became more comfortable contributing to groups or talking to other students. Or so I thought.
By Matty Long5 years ago in Confessions
Why a Little-known 2004 Medical Drama Is My Go-to Recommendation For 'Game of Thrones' Fans
Disclaimer: Spoilers for 'Bodies' do not appear. Some (clearly labelled) spoilers for 'Game of Thrones' do appear, but then if you're reading this (or are alive) you've probably seen it already . . .
By Matty Long5 years ago in Geeks
How Lockdown Saved “Question Time”
I’ve long been a fan of ‘Question Time,’ and often apply to be on it, but in recent years its flaws had really started to come to the forefront. The ‘Question Time’ audience lend themselves to parody, with their stereotypical and unoriginal opinions and comments, parodied very well by comedians and impressionists such as Harry Enfield. The panel’s increased need to have someone controversial or reactionary is also well parodied in British comedy, going back to Steve Coogan’s Alan Partridge parody Lieutenant colonel Kojak Slaphead III.
By Matty Long5 years ago in The Swamp
The Greatest Show on Earth
Defining your "favourite thing" is a difficult question. It's something that might come up in an exam when you're 16, and you have to think on the spot and maybe end up writing 500 words about what you had for breakfast just because you can't think of anything quickly enough. But given enough time to think about it, I can say for sure that my favourite thing is Films. The movies. Cinema. Pictures. Whatever you want to call it. It's a standard answer when people ask you your hobbies, or something you might write on a dating profile. Everyone watches movies. Most people like movies. It's in our nature and our human love of narrative. But some of us REALLY love movies. And going to the cinema in particular. I'd like to think I'm one of those people. And, imagining I'm a 16 year-old in an exam hall with only 45 minutes left because I've only just now realised what my favourite thing is, and nothing to go on but my passion, I'm going to pour my heart into this subject as best I can.
By Matty Long5 years ago in Geeks
Poppycock!
Last week, here in the UK, I saw a social media post that sarcastically anticipated the onset of poppy-themed face coverings in the UK, as if such things were something to sneer at. And, even though I understand the various issues the writer has with poppies, I found it quite a condescending and deeply ignorant statement, if I'm honest, and an example of the yearly culture war that goes on every year, centred on the wearing of poppies/not wearing of poppies/colour of poppy warn/attitude to war etc.
By Matty Long5 years ago in Serve
The Boy with the Teacup Tattoo. Top Story - October 2020.
I have seven tattoos, but the one people seem most eager to see is the teacup on my ankle. They seem to appreciate the lengths to which I have gone to declare my love of tea. I do love tea; in fact it is one of my favourite things. However, this is not why I have adorned myself with its famed receptacle. And, no, it isn't because Ed Sheeran or Louis Tomlinson has one either. But, as it's quite a long story, I often just don't correct people when they assume as much. However, it's nice to have an opportunity such as this to explain the full tale.
By Matty Long5 years ago in Humans
'Twitter is not real life'
Opinions on social media, I've always said, are exaggerations of reality. But the nature of social media only furthers this exaggeration, and, Twitter especially, becomes a hotbed of extreme views and intolerances. Libertarian commentator and comedian Dave Rubin used to have the title of this article as his Twitter bio, in an effort to combat the worry and panic one might experience at the thought of the world truly going down the pan as a result of thinking that social media does in fact reflect reality. Even he, however, is guilty of falling victim to this mentality, I would say. That's just the nature of the beast.
By Matty Long5 years ago in The Swamp
YOYOLOO
My last article was about what I think the meaning of life is. I'd recommend reading that before this one, because I see this as sort of a follow-up and an effort to clear up some seeming irregularities in my opinions. I basically said that the meaning of life is to enjoy it, do whatever you want to do, and don't overwork yourself mentally or physically because you feel like that is the right thing to do. However, when describing my lot and the things I enjoy, I said that I'm not a fan of YOLO culture, and that might be considered to be at odds with my entire point. But I intend to explain what I mean by this, and delve deeper into my thoughts about the meaning of life, in this follow-up.
By Matty Long5 years ago in Longevity
A Meaning of Life
Okay, firstly some disclaimers. This article, which I feel is not one of my best anyway, borrows some ideas that I wrote in a blog for my dad's company years ago. He's a journalist and wrote a similar article for a British newspaper and I've since seen other people make similar points but I assure you the ideas that I write about are mine, in the incredibly rare case that anyone is delving that deeply into it.
By Matty Long5 years ago in Longevity
