Reality vs Archetype - The Two Types of Romcom

In this palette cleanser we are going to talk about the philosophy of romcoms for a change. I reckon this should remove any accusations of important work being done on The Living Philosophy. We'll be looking at two romcoms - the classic Norah Ephron When Harry Met Sally and the lesser known Just Like Heaven starring Reese Wetherspoon and Mark Ruffalo.
One is reflective of a type of art that strives for psychological accuracy (Dostoevsky, When Harry Met Sally) category - while the second category (Just Like Heaven, Alexander Dumas's The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo) dispense with reality and works at the hyperreal level of the archetypal underworld.
Damien's KZbin channel: "Science Fiction with Damien Walter": / @damienwalter
Patreon interview with Damien Walter:
________________
📚 Learning Resources:
When Harry Met Sally. (1989). [Movie] USA: Columbia Pictures.
Just Like Heaven. (2005). [Movie] USA: DreamWorks Pictures.
Dumas A (2014) The Three Musketeers. United States: Shine Classics.
Dumas A (2004) The Count of Monte Cristo. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics.
Dostoyevsky (1993) Notes from Underground. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
________________
⭐ Support the channel (thank you!)
▶ Patreon: / thelivingphilosophy
▶ Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy
_________________
💬 More from The Living Philosophy
▶ 📨 Subscribe with email: thelivingphilosophy.substack....
________________
🎼 Media Used:
1. Anguish - Kevin MacLeod
2. Juniper - Kevin MacLeod
3. Overture - Pyotr Ilyich tchaikovsky
4. Fresh Air - Kevin MacLeod
Subscribe to Kevin MacLeod / kmmusic
_________________
⌛ Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
2:30 The True vs the Fantastic
3:15 Just Like Heaven
3:56 When Harry Met Sally
6:12 The Unrealistic Just Like Heaven
7:31 The Fantastic As Archetypal Dynamism
10:52 The Power of Archetypal Storytelling

[@TheLivingPhilosophy]

💚 Bonus Content and Philosophy Community: patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ⌛ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 2:30 The True vs the Fantastic 3:15 Just Like Heaven 3:56 When Harry Met Sally 6:12 The Unrealistic Just Like Heaven 7:31 The Fantastic As Archetypal Dynamism 10:52 The Power of Archetypal Storytelling

[@youtubeisevil]

The thumbnail made me imagine Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov as a romcom. To be honest it is entirely possible because of their length to make at least 1 season of it

[@psychosophy6538]

Wow, this is an example of a philosopher being in the crowd, in the midst of life taking place as opposed to the safe and remote and ideal Ivory tower. It's quite unique to analyze a cheesy movie genre from philosophical lenses and I see a lot of potential in this, although I don't enjoy the genre, but I am aware lots of people do. What you did is a nice way to reach to people that don't dig philosophy that much. I am hooked by an opinion we do not share in particular - the degree to which romcoms reflect reality. It is true that romcoms may evoke real feelings in us, but the story they represent, the probabilities of things to occur in this manner is unlikely. Then the characters seem very flat. They show little cues of emotional baggage, little to no dark coping mechanisms, little to no ideological preferences. Sometimes they do expose a causal chain of why they are the way they are and struggle with the realization they cannot escape their bad fate, but I feel the lines are way too shallow and fail to express those concerns in a deeper, more fruitful manner. It could be because most people do no prefer to express themselves that deeply and that make the romcom truly representative of the daily life. But how could I resonate with a character that says more or less "Life is hard, y'know"?. And that background music is ruining the breathtaking, real-life experience it was supposed to be during the first kiss. We all hear cellos when finally kissing our crush, right? Ok, romcom rant over. Thanks for the video! Maybe you approach other genres too sometime?

[@TheIkaruskid]

Thank you for the fun tour through an intersection of a film genre, philosophy, and literature. It was light but meaningful.

[@onelove1968]

Well, well, look who's having some fun! Good on ya. My most favorite recent Rom Com was Licorice Pizza. I grew up during the 70's, so this nostalgic film really HIT close to home.

[@suneasmussen2650]

I can't escape the feeling that you're slowly turning into Timothy Spall. Notes from underground left me crying when I finished it a couple of months ago. Make sure to read the edition with the altered ending that he added after it was first published.

[@campbellpaul]

It would be good to explore the components of an existential crisis. The literary vs. the reality.. and the the difference between the objective vs. the subjective view of such crises. I always think right away toward When Harry Met Sally when I think of romcoms. Great stuff.. Thanks

[@aboveman5321]

This is a classic case of the cortical v.s. the sub-cortical: we try to imagine our greatest reality, but, our greatest reality lies beyond our imagination.

[@KalebPeters99]

Great video! I like the playful tone and subject matter in this one, and your new setup has a lot more character as well! Excited to see what new places your existential crisis takes you this year 😅

[@KalebPeters99]

Also, I was watching your discussion on Metamodernism with Brendan Graham Dempsey today, and absolutely loved it It would be great to see you two talk again some time! 🤞

[@motownmoneygang]

Nice video dude!!! Needles to say but overdosing on hyperreality can be lethal! With that warning out of the way; anyone into sci-fi I would recommend Steins Gate - an moving story about time travel, and Accel world: a story in a future where brainchips and VR are fully integrated in society.

[@srirj44]

Incredible Insights Very Informative. Love from India.

[@stef1234]

Great video with a lot of interesting insights. Thank you!

[@freeda4100]

Great. Love your philosophy

[@doyle6000]

Thanks!

[@ptag6]

Refreshing video. Great job!

[@kevinmatthews9064]

James, life is a balance. So what if anyone leaves because we have a conversation about something that is light and fun and apply the seriousness of our discipline. If we cannot think within our life, what is the point to life. We cannot be serious all of the time.

[@jesperkristensen5875]

Wonderful segway in to approach the topic. I loved it. And I needed it, as someone who above all else is aspiring to make it as an author. Although an author on my terms, which would be to write fantastic literature. Fantastic as in way beyond fantasy or Sci-Fi, but instead inspired by Jorge Luis Borges. Sadly, despite getting praise for my writing in itself, beta readers and publishers cannot accept and wrap their head around this niche genre. If you haven't come across Borges, I strongly recommend going there. I'm sure, you'd love it, as would anyone reading this who's a fan of your content.

[@vinzaux]

it's me or the quality of the video improved a lot since the last one? great work!

[@justinthillens2853]

First time being listed in the credits! 🎉

[@ismaelmartinezbiurrun7624]

Loved this video!! Isn't this differenciation between romantic and realistic fiction very similar to Northrop Frye's?

[@landotter]

12:38 nice

[@James-ll3jb]

Hang in...😂❤

[@abrahamcollier]

13:46 What. That was NOT what we expected. So you’re actually defending a fantastical magic-ridden rom-com against the universally acknowledged greatest trend-setter of its own time? Kudos 👏

[@landotter]

I like Mallrats

[@SSNewberry]

Записки изъ подполья!!

[@woutblommers5252]

Just Like Heaven isn't a RomCom... It's makers call it a RomCom Fantasy. Is Cowboys & Aliens a Western film? The name is important. City Lights is a RomCom, although Chaplin called it a ComRom :-) I believe the RomCom is the most interesting genre in film making. Notting Hill is on top of my best list. Long Shot is a very nice second. Reese Witherspoon is on 11 in How Do You Know. But the deffinition of a RomCom Film would be nice...

[@woutblommers5252]

I have to review my reaction. In Notting Hill there is a reality and also archetypes. Even the realities change into archetypes... Give the reception theory a change: why do you show me this scene...? BTW are RomComs mainly in English spoken cultures?

[@brrryan2908]

I disagree with the statement that hyper-reality can do things that reality does not. It's merely the different preferences of an audience and their "need" for escapism. (Hyper-reality bores me because it's just costumes applied to reliably successful tropes.) I'll take a good rom com over dragons and unicorns any day. I'm weird that way.

[@occamsstubble]

Guess I'm going to be alone in this but I've only read Crime and Punishment and thought kt was actual garbage. He defeats his own purposes due to his need to add symbolism and themes leading me to claim, like the Marxists who took over Russia, real Raskolnikov-ism hasn't been tried.

[@developerdeveloper67]

7:46 this was weak. Why do you have to frame or accepted that this is framed by others as a "culture war". Are you afraid to take on controversial subjects because someone might represent that or "use" that video for "culture war". That shows a lack of backbone. First, one could say: what matters is the truth, and pursuit of it. And that alone should come before your concerns with "culture wars". But I will go further and say that: you should be able to have your opinions on subjects that interest you irregardless of you thinking that being the truth or just a subjective opinion. If you are afraid of expressing yourself like that, I would suggest you to become stronger.

[@beridledodopidop4822]

Weak