What single work of creation would you remove from the world?

[jefmcg]

This is from one of my podcasts**, on an end-of-year conundrums show. I thought CC might enjoy the first one, because we love irrationally hating things. So the question is (in my phrasing) ...

What cultural artefact would you remove from the world?

Imagine you had the power to delete from history one novel, film, painting, song, album, TV series or .... so it would be as if it had never been created. Which one would you choose? What art would make your world a better place by not existing?

Notes:

1. Only pick one, not one from each category
2. I guess if you remove the first superman comic, then superman is gone. Ditto for the first Star Wars movie, the original Star Trek etc.
3. Lord of the Rings I think would count as one work, but the complete works of Shakespeare wouldn't. Hopefully no one would suggest that, so nor would the complete works of Dan Brown - you have to pick one.
4. Foods could also go, but not something that grows, but something created, like - for a random example - Marmite or Vegemite.
5. I'm not sure what my choice will be, yet.
6. Caveat: yeah, no art should really be destroyed, but that ruins the game - so that's not a option.

**bonus points to whomever identifies the podcast first

 

[jefmcg]

[QUOTE 5093902, member: 9609"]None - just caus I might not like something doesnt mean that it might not be someone elses favourite[/QUOTE]
No, I wouldn't either. And the nor would the denizens of the podcast. But that ruins the game, so I've added point 6.

Note: no art was destroyed in the creation of this thread

 

[rikki]

Mein Kampf is the first book that comes to mind, but I'm still thinking.
It wasn't a novel, so maybe it doesn't meet the criteria.

 

[sheddy]

Sunday Trading

 

[Ian H]

Could I nuke Paul Day's hideous piece of kitsch at St Pancras, please.

 

[Colin_P]

The rest of Art Garfunkles hair, he should have gone full slaphead years ago.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Palmyra temple before Isis destroyed it. Shame.

 

[rikki]

Sunday Trading

If Sunday Trading is a cultural artefact that can be removed, then I'd like to nominate the removal of speed restrictions on motor vehicles (repeal of the Red Flag Act).

 

[jefmcg]

Mein Kampf is the first book that comes to mind, but I'm still thinking.
It wasn't a novel, so maybe it doesn't meet the criteria.

No, that's fine. It's any piece of art or cultural artefact.

Interestingly the source podcast considered and rejected Mein Kampf because not many people actually read it, so it didn't specifically have a big impact.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Reality TV

 

[rikki]

No, that's fine. It's any piece of art or cultural artefact.

Interestingly the source podcast considered and rejected Mein Kampf because not many people actually read it, so it didn't specifically have a big impact.

It sold 5.2 million copies before 1939, but I'm more concerned with who read it rather than how many. To paraphrase an advertising guru - "it's not what people believe, it's which people believe what". The "influencers".

 

[rikki]

Reality TV

Especially anything involving Donald.

 

[Bollo]

...., because we love irrationally hating things.

I’d remove the desire to irrationally hate things.

 

[Tin Pot]

Talent contests.

Democracy.

Musicals.

Or the accordion.

 

[raleighnut]

East-Enders, the TV series not the lovable cockneys (although on 2nd thoughts they can go as well )

(I may have worked in that there Landun a fair bit)