Dear Snoops,
It’s summer, we’re all relaxing, and we’re hopefully enjoying some nice weather and a little literal escapism. And yet, inescapably there is screen time, addictive (and sometimes useful) as it is. Personally, we’re always in Inst*gram even though it’s boring and basically LOBOTOMIZING.
Yet, no 21st-century aesthetic of the screen has truly developed, because the new gadgets are no longer furniture (as televisions WERE), they are, like, things you carry with you.
Televisions and desktop computers are kind of in-place things – what about them? We’re glad you asked. Both have been reduced to an utterly limited LOOK-range, and so are deeply boring. To expand:
TELEVISIONS: tend to fall into two categories: 1) basement rec room (i.e. enormous and black, like on-steroids size that is IMAX-adjacent) and 2) “hidden”, i.e. The Frame (which, if you don’t know it, masquerades as artwork when not in use)
DESKTOP COMPUTERS: absolutely and utterly outside of the paradigm of “décor”, simply because they suit only the desk: arrangement, which is décor’s main verb, is essentially totally restricted
Ok, what the f*ck are we on about?
In our investigations into Great Domestic Spaces From Before Now, it has struck us how kind of great televisions used to look at home. Now, of course, FOR SCALE operates without a television because they seem like black holes of energy when off – but, are we wrong?
We are always, always, ALWAYS, ALWAYS looking at a screen – but, just only little baby ones. We’re looking at a little-ish screen as we compose this; you’re likely looking at an even littler one while you read it, prob.
So, we’d like to do a little review of…
SUCCESSFUL SCREENS IN THE DOMESTIC SPACE, NOTABLY TELEVISIONS
FOR SCALE BRAIN-SAVING STRATEGY:
USING “TELEVISION” AS A RELIEF FROM “SCREEN TIME”
The typical logic of screens is: the smaller the screen, the greater its brain-corrosive powers. That’s because the stuff people make for phones is generally little bitty things you whip through at lightning speed, but for hours and hours (SUBSTACK EXCLUDED). This is what is often derided as “CONTENT”, cause it’s filling a void that never gets full. (In contrast: Substackers, quite earnestly, refer to themselves as “true artists” – it’s a wild world!)
The largest screens, of course, don’t even fit in the Homesphere, as they are CINEMAS. And so commanding is that screen and the environment of that Screen that you sit there, totally silent (if you’re a good boy), and just stare. And, like, if you’re a Paul Thomas Anderson fan, you stare for a super duper long time.
And so, A PROPOSAL:
The reappraisal and revision of a larger domestic-appropriate screen, a.k.a. Television, is an opportunity:
→ Allowing you to diversify Screen time
→ … with a Screen that generally hosts longer, slower types of culture
→ … thus encouraging an exercise of your attention span
→ … and Satisfying Screen Addiction, whilst avoiding “memes”
There is a style note here, already:
It is crucial to reject the insatiable appetite for Higher Definition with a classic television set, which are, coincidentally, much more interesting-looking as objects.
ASIDE: FOR SCALE-APPROVED SUMMER MOVIES
(i.e. intriguing interiors, sunshiny vibe)
BOOM! (1968) - Elizabeth Taylor in what John Waters described as “THE GREATEST FAILED FILM EVER!”
YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW (1963) - Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni do triple duty in an Italy-spanning trilogy-in-one-movie
JULIET OF THE SPIRITS (1965) - the surreal life of frumpy, naive housewife Giulietta (Fellini, of course)
PLEIN SOLEIL (1960) - The Talented Mr Ripley, but the French ‘original’ (like, they are both based off the book), but anyway, very sophisticated-like
THE LONG GOODBYE (1973) neo-noir Elliot Gold Los Angeles/Malibu satirical mystery featuring a YOUNG, UNCREDITED ARNOLD SHWARZENEGGER in his (yellow) underpants. Many good homes and apartments, varyingly dumpy and chic.
Let us explore DOMESTIC TELEVISION LOOKS:
There are several, and then we shall dissect ‘em.
First off: many of these are from the 1970s-1990s, so of course television sets were present. But best for us to look back at this moment when there was still some thrill and novelty to them – relatively speaking – and also where televisions were relieved of being like ENORMOUS CONSOLES and also before they needed to be thin and kind of “sleek-tech-butch”. A sweet spot where people were really going for different Looks.
We must note a few things:
References were super easy to find, because interesting television placement is everywhere = TELEVISION SETS WERE DIVERSE, AND THEY SHOULD BE AGAIN
Often in bedrooms; one with a triple-TV setup in the bedroom = TELEVISION WATCHING IS AN INTIMATE ACT
Often centered in rooms, given a plinth or some height = TELEVISION SET ART SCULPTURE
CONCLUSION:
There’s something to be said for “Stupid” televisions, i.e. not “SMART TV”, and 1) their proximity to Good Furniture in terms of how they can be incorporated into décor, and 2) a return to SLOW LIVING that will still satisfy a need for Zombie-like screen time.
FOR SCALE super pal, JOSEPH R., has one such television set (in his bedroom; in his old house; he’s since moved) – and we’ve only grown in appreciation for it since first seeing it:
He has – and this is kind of ‘00s “Hipster” (which we’re ready to extract lessons from) – a small collection of video cassettes. We assume video cassettes will enjoy a resurgence much like vinyl, in that classic films in particular are NOT best viewed in high definition.
TV-RELATED LOS ANGELES “NEW” BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENT:
Thankfully, the physical video rental scene in Los Angeles has a new best friend in VIDIOTS (or a reopened Best Friend, rather), which is a cinema-plus-rental-place. Cheaper rental than f*cking YouT*be! Which is wild, you’d think YouTube would be cheap as chips, because they can be rented Infinity times at the same time. F*CK YOUT*BE RENTALS.
But this is really all for this one, just because it’s the height of summer and frankly we’re on a beach. We have just been craving a relief/release from mini-screens, but also seeking a more warm-and-fuzzy way to watch films and enjoy Screen that:
a) contributes to the décor of the home
b) feels a bit more of a “thing”, i.e. something that feels of greater consequence than Netfl*x infinity-choice, binge-style viewing.
Until next week (when we have a debate on “BEIGE”), LOVE AND GOOD LUCK!
Have you seen the LG StanByMe?
Chic, but inevitably overpriced.
LG 27-Inch Class StanbyMe 1080p Portable Touch Screen Monitor 27ART10AKPL, 2022 - Built-in Battery, Full Swivel Rotation, 60Hz Refresh Rate https://a.co/d/6LBYsPZ
https://www.reddit.com/r/FuckYourEamesLounge/comments/106ekjw/hotel_zeus_tv_stand_1992_a_tv_stand_on_wheels_by/