Yo
It’s specifically because of something written in the forward. I don’t remember the exact quote now, but it got pointed out that he doesn’t put villains in his stories, to which he replies that he learned that in the war. It flipped a switch in teenage me’s brain and I started forming my own opinions after that.
Severe abuse by the church made me firmly anti religion for most of my youth, and then meeting religious people of varied faiths who weren’t monsters softened my feelings as I realized it wasnt all entirely evil. Then studying some of my family’s roots brought me where I am now: vaguely pagan while still acknowledging that I’m always going to be culturally Christian. I like to just tell people I’m a “recovering Catholic” for brevity and a laugh.
As for my social and political views, it was seeing all my friends come out as queer and realizing that I could either keep the far right views my family taught me, or I could learn to get my head out of my ass to keep my found family. Once I started forming my own opinions, I realized I got fed a load of shit my whole life(and also I’d wind up coming out too lmao)
I’m not the same person as I was before I watched(and later read) Annihilation, particularly in how I think about trauma
Slaughterhouse 5 had the same effect on me, as well as reframing how I view morality.
I think it’s difficult for most comedy to stand the test of time(not all obviously). I went back and watched Bo Burnham’s older work after watching Inside. At the time, that stuff was hilarious, but now it makes me cringe hard.
I wanted to like Bright more than I did. The main thing I got out of it was a burning desire for a Shadowrun movie.
I rewatched Kung Pow recently and I don’t think it’s held up as well as I remember, but its still great fun and I continue to quote it constantly.
I don’t have the charisma for it, but it would be great fun to be on Game Changer or other Dropout stuff like Um Actually or Make Some Noise