AEE: How to Talk About the Aging of Music, Movies, and Trends
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This is an All Ears English podcast. How to talk about the aging of music, movies, and trends.

Welcome to the All Ears English podcast, downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection. With your American hosts, Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer, and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl, coming to you from Colorado.

And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com forward slash subscribe. In English, sometimes you want to talk about an old movie that has not stood the test of time. Listen in today to have this discussion on whether certain kinds of media are still acceptable or relevant today.

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Hey, Lindsay, how are you? Good. Doing well, Michelle. How are you? How's it going? I'm good. I'm good. Yeah. Lindsay, have you ever rewatched an old favorite movie and realized it didn't stand the test of time? Yeah, this happens, you know, and it's always a little disappointing. Although, you know, for example, even Good Will Hunting, there's a few things in there that haven't

that didn't stand the test of time. It's not that much, but there's a few comments that are made in there that wouldn't pass now. You know, that's one of my favorite old movies. I don't know. Yeah. What about you? What about you, Michelle? Yeah. Yeah. Well, you and I were just saying that, you know, there are certain movies where they dissect it many years later and they say, oh, now this wouldn't be okay to do.

or it just didn't stand the test of time. We were talking about love. Actually, um, there are definitely things about love actually that didn't stand the test of time, but we still love it. Sometimes you just, you don't have to abandon everything you like, right? And it's a personal choice. We all have different choices of which movies we just don't watch anymore. Um, and then which ones we can kind of look past it. It just depends, right? It just depends. Um,

But this is an interesting topic today, Michelle. What are we talking about? Yeah, well, I'm excited about this one because recently on another episode, I think this came up because we were talking about the movie My Cousin Vinny and we said that it did stand the test of time. Are we still going with that?

Well, I haven't watched it recently. I mean, so I feel like this could be defined in a couple of different ways. I think when we were talking about My Cousin Vinny, we weren't saying it doesn't have any crude comments that would not pass today. I think we were saying it's still funny. Do you know what I mean? Right. It's kind of like art can also become... The art of comedy can change. And what was funny in the 80s, regardless of any crudeness, if it was just plain humor, could not be that funny anymore. Do you know what I mean? Exactly.

- Yes, well, I mean, yeah, there are definitely shows that my parents have shown me and they're excited to show me and it's funny and I might not have the same reaction that they did because humor changes over time. - Humor changes, it becomes more sophisticated, I think, or just different styles of humor, right? Become in style. - Right.

Oh yeah, absolutely. And my parents might not find certain things funny that I find funny because maybe they're just used to a certain style. So it's interesting. I mean, maybe they would, all the Instagram videos, the memes and stuff, maybe they wouldn't find that funny because it's just a totally different, you know, form of humor. Right. It's just different. Yeah. Yes, exactly. So yeah, you're right. This does have a couple different meanings. So we can kind of touch on them a little bit today. And today we're going to talk about what this means, how you can use it. And

other expressions that you can use in your conversations to connect about this very universal and interesting topic i think yeah because we've talked about how important it is to be able to refer to movies quotes from movies references music movies things like that we also need to know how to talk about this topic if you quote a movie and then it might it might bleed into a conversation around oh it really hasn't stood the test of time i can't believe they said this or this you want to be able to say something there

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Okay. Definitely. Love it. So thank you so much. So Lindsay, we already touched on the little bit to say something, stand the test of time. It means it's still good. It's still popular or significant in some way years later. So again, this could go for many things. So we talked about humor. It could go for anything in entertainment, music, TV shows, movies, style, even fashion, home decor, hair. We've talked about that stuff already.

a lot on the show as well, right? What looks good. If you cringe when you see your old photos or not, right? It stands the test of time. For sure. For sure. Yeah. Right now I'm for some reason on a This Is Us binge. You know, the show This Is Us.

Oh, of course, Lindsay, we have to talk about that. Wait, have you? Have you already watched the whole thing? I was not like an early adopter of This Is Us. I'm just discovering it now. This is what I do. I discovered shows 10 years later. But they have so many episodes and I've had a lot of time in the last couple of weeks. So I've been able to catch up, right?

And yeah, it really resonates with me just because I am the exact age of those kids. I was born in 81. And so I think these kids are like born in 82 or something. So they went through the same life stages. The fashion was exactly the same. Everything was the same. So that's why that resonates for me.

Yeah. Okay. Well, we have to talk about this show when we get off the mic. Sure. We should. I mean, do you think that that show, this is us stands the test of time at this point? I mean, it's only been out for what? 10 years or something. No, not even, not even. Okay. Uh, uh,

Yeah. I think it's just too soon. I think it's too soon. I think, I don't know. Would you put a time on something for what is the minimum you have to be able to use this expression? No, you're right. You have to go back. You have to go back to, um, 10 years, probably 10 years. I think 10 also. I think that's the soonest. Right. So, I mean, all right. So let's talk about something that would stand the test of time. Is there a TV show that when you think of it, you think this stands the test of time? Oh my gosh. I don't,

I don't know a lot of TV shows, Michelle, do you have one? Do you have an example? Oh, I think Seinfeld stands the test of time, but we can talk about the inverse. So we're going to talk about another expression, which I think fits more what we were discussing

um what we were touching on in the beginning so we'll talk about we'll save that um so I think Seinfeld stands the test of time um as far as a movie uh there's I mean yeah I don't I well our listeners can this is you know also the thing is like we can say one movie does or does not this is an opinion thing this is an opinion oh yeah um because Seinfeld I

i think if you really dug into seinfeld you could find some off-color jokes and some things that wouldn't fly now because we've just become a more politically correct culture well so yeah and i think that's an important point so this kind of goes back to that double meaning you know in one way it means it's it's still popular it's still significant right i mean and it and it

it certainly, I think that part is true, but then there's the other piece of, is it, would it like you sometimes you might hear somebody say, Oh, that wouldn't fly today. I wouldn't fly. That wouldn't be acceptable today. It would be the more formal way of saying, yeah. So are you saying that, uh, Seinfeld stands the test of time in the sense of it's still funny?

or that it's still like every politically correct is, is essentially what you're saying. I think it's still funny. I think it's still funny and I think it's still popular. I think it's still culturally significant. Yes. Yes. Yeah. I think it always will be, you know? Um, so this is a matter. So you kind of do have to say more than just, it doesn't stand the test of time. You have to say, here's why it's just not funny anymore. It's just not relevant anymore. Um,

I don't know. Things are changing so much with the internet, with friends. Do people hang out in coffee shops as a group every day anymore? I don't know. That's funny. Well, yeah. I mean, that's interesting too. I mean, whenever you see a...

I don't know. Do you ever see on a TV show where then they can't get in touch with each other? It's before cell phones. Right, right. The whole episode is something that could have been easily fixed with a cell phone, right? One of the...

But that's kind of refreshing when I watch those. I think, wow, life was so different back then. You know, it's kind of refreshing. Right, right. Like maybe two characters are looking for each other and this one leaves a note here and there. And you think, well, this entire story wouldn't exist. It's true. It's true. It's so true. So, but Lindsay, after the break, we're going to talk about some other ways that you can talk about the similar idea that touches more on

that second meaning where something isn't necessarily politically correct anymore. It doesn't quite work anymore. So a little, a good expression. All right. Let's take a quick break and then we'll come right back. Yes. Okay.

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All right, Michelle, we are back. So, well, first of all, we do have a few other ways to express this, right? Yeah.

or usually we say something didn't age well. Right. We usually don't say it aged well. Right. It's more common to say it didn't age well. More common in the negative sense. Yeah, exactly. Right.

Right. So this now, now we're really zeroing in on this meaning of maybe something for politically incorrect reasons or world events or just something where you watch it and it gives you that, I'm going to say that cringy feeling like, Ooh, that doesn't, yeah, that doesn't work anymore. Or that,

that's uncomfortable now, something they said, right? Yes. Yes. A hundred percent. A hundred percent. I mean, as I was saying, there's a scene in not too many, but in Good Will Hunting, there's a scene where Robin Williams refers to indigenous people in kind of a very weird way. And I cringed. I was like, oh gosh, not good. And, and, and yeah, and it's kind of heartbreaking when you go back and you sort of watch these movies and you think, wow, this,

you know, that was okay at that time in the nineties, but it's not, it's just interesting. But then you realize how much things have changed. Right. Yeah. Well, I mean, there have even been, I can't remember what it was. Oh man. I think it was a movie with Gwyneth Paltrow and she's wearing like a, a, a suit over her body to make her look morbidly obese. And I think there's, there, there, there,

then the actors sometimes your years later come out and they talk about, they talk about, Oh, this wasn't right. Or, um, I wouldn't have made this today because you realize it just, it, it feels very uncomfortable and you don't even realize how much things are changing until you watch one of these. I mean, for me, I felt like the show, I, my, one of my favorite musicals is Avenue Q. Yeah. And one,

When I had seen it, it had been years and years since I had seen it. And then I took Dan a few years ago, he had never seen it. And I'm watching it and I said, it's something, it doesn't feel as comfortable anymore.

And so it gives you that a little bit of a, you know, he wasn't laughing that much. And I thought, oh, but it used to be so funny. Did he not like Avenue Q? I think he thought it was fine, but I just wasn't. I think there had been two, we had become too politically charged and some of the things that are now politically incorrect that were in the show. And it kind of makes you think, oh, I laughed at this. But some of it is touching on

just that idea. Well, whatever it is, it just gave me a little, it wasn't quite as comfortable as another musical. I'll say that. Yeah. So this is really when we're having these thoughts, these are kind of thoughts that go on in our own heads. Is this okay now? It's, it's a reflection. It's an opportunity to think about how society's changed. So it's a good conversation starter for our listeners, right? Um,

Yeah. What else, Michelle? What else do we need to know here to talk about this? Yeah. I mean, so again, I think that the something didn't age well. I think that's mostly about entertainment rather than fashion or style. But the word timeless. Mm.

Um, this one is very versatile. I think this one could be used for fashion TV. It's very versatile. Um, but you want to say something isn't timeless. Would you, Lindsay, you would just say something is just, it's kind of similar to priceless. It's taken out of the vacuum of time. It's taken out of the, I don't know, the restrictions of time and something that's priceless is held above price. Right. And it's,

it works all the time timeless works all the time you know it's like a treasure you know right right right exactly so this is more like something as classic which is another good word um yeah yeah you could say the show i love lucy is timeless hardwood floors are timeless when you choose your i did i do want to say something about this you know is work because we're trying to renovate our bathrooms we've tried to make choices that are somewhat timeless yeah and also somewhat

plain. I don't want to say plain, but neutral. Just be a lot of whites and blacks and browns. Because if we rent our house in the future, I don't want someone coming in and saying, oh my God, a purple wall. I don't like this style. I'm not going to rent this house. Of course. So that's another example of when you choose your decor of your home, sometimes you might want to go for timeless, right? Yeah.

Right. It's interesting. It's always that debate. I mean, do you, sometimes they say, oh, but just go for what you like, you know, you it's everything is going to change no matter what. Yeah. You could go for timeless, but go for what you like. So it's always a little bit of that debate. What is, what is it worth?

you know, yeah, sorry, go ahead. Go ahead. Or like, should you make this maybe a little bit more of a risky decision, but you know that you're going to look back on it. Dan always says that he thinks that you should try different funny outfits. Just go with the trends because, yeah, because then when you, he says, he says, it's a good thing. If you look back at

Yeah. What you were wearing and say, it just means that you were going along with what you liked at the time. No, I agree. Because if you look at old home videos, if you watch old home videos, I

There's no escaping it. You're wearing something like right now people are starting to wear the wide leg pants and we used to wear skinny jeans. I'm still wearing skinny. But like if you look at home videos from the 90s, you're going to be wearing a slap bracelet or some neon or something ridiculous. And you're going to love that as part of your past. It's your family. It's your friends. There's beauty there.

Right? Right. Yeah. Instead of just maybe looking kind of vanilla. If you're wearing something fun. I mean, just yesterday. And then everything comes back around. Right? So yesterday, my friend came over and she was wearing...

the most adorable jacket I'd ever seen. It was so cute. And I was complimenting her. I was going crazy for this jacket. And she said, it was actually my grandma's. She said she got it a couple of years ago because it had gone out of style, but now it's back. It's true. If you can keep your stuff in your closet for 30 years, it will eventually come back. I'm still waiting on the slap bracelets. I'm not sure about that. But

That's so funny. Yeah. So, but timeless and classic, these are, and this, this is the source of great connection too, right? Yeah. Well, look at how, look at how we just got all excited to talk about it. I mean, it's just a fun, it's just a fun topic. I mean, Lindsay, which, which one of these are you mostly likely to use in your conversations? I like timeless. I think it's great. This idea of, like I said, I like the word treasure. Something's kind of a treasure still. It was a treasure then in the 1920s and it's a treasure now.

And we hold this thing in high regard, whether it's a movie or a style, it's something classic and timeless. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, and this is just, yeah, just so good for connection to talk about, express your opinions, share your nostalgic feelings, give recommendations. But I think let's skip and go to do a role play. Yeah, let's do a role play. So here, Michelle, we are flipping through TV shows and we're deciding what to watch. Here we go. Okay.

Oh, oh, oh, let's watch The Office. Love that show. It's a classic. Totally. It stands the test of time. Yeah, some episodes didn't age well, but overall, it's great. Agreed.

yeah everyone loves The Office I I haven't I don't know it well enough to dissect whether it did stand the test of time or not but it's a good one it's a good one right yeah well I know that there was some controversy really um politically incorrect episodes that um so they took off some channel I can't remember which one took it off the air really because it was more politically incorrect and then there was oh interesting I didn't know and there was a

about it you know it's because in fact they said that again i don't remember exactly so um something like that the episode was actually aware that it was politically incorrect and they was using that as a teachable moment so it's interesting how yeah there are a lot of debates that happen now especially as you know we get a little bit more progressive as a society um where we're

you know, it, it kind of goes into the idea of cancel culture and taking things off the air. And do you, do you let thing, do you try and get rid of the things that are now offensive or do you just let them be so interesting? Yeah. Yeah, it's true. Really interesting. And this could be another great conversation sort of for our listeners. Let's go through the role play real quick. So, because I want you guys to be able to use these words. Okay. So what you said first, I said, let's watch the office. And you said, Oh, I love that show. It's a

classic meaning it's, it was popular in the eight, uh, the nineties and it's popular now.

Right. It's become a classic. You can kind of tell when something's become a classic. It's still popular. It's still well known. Yeah. Um, movies, TV shows, whatever. So, um, then I said, then you said totally, it stands the test of time. And you said, yeah, some episodes didn't age well. And when we hear that, yeah, we know it's going to be a bit of a disagreement, right? That could be another episode for another day. The way we say, yeah, it could actually mean no. Yeah.

Absolutely. Yeah. Some episodes didn't age well, but overall it's great. Right? Yeah. Yes. Yeah, definitely. And,

And just another thing that's important to note, we do also use the term aged well to refer to people like that person's aged really well. They look really good or they haven't aged well. But that's another episode for another day, I think, Michelle. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, that's a good one. So guys also head on over to episode 2317. That was how to acknowledge wins in life. Hmm.

So, Lindsay, what's the takeaway today? This is I feel like we could have talked about this for five episodes. Yeah, I think actually we're going to ask a poll question and maybe it's going to be around your style. You know, do you lean? Think about how you come down on these things. Do you lean more on the side of

classic and timeless? Or do you lean more on the side of express yourself in the moment, even if it doesn't age well, or even if it doesn't look great 10 years from now, you're just living life fully. You're not thinking about how something is going to look in 10 years. That would be an interesting question. I think that will be our poll for today. So yeah, the takeaway is participate in the poll, make your voice heard. All right.

Good. All right. Thanks for talking about this with me today, Lindsay. This was fun. All right. Talk soon, Michelle. Bye. All right. Bye. Thanks for listening to All Ears English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our two-minute quiz. Go to allearsenglish.com forward slash fluency score. And if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.

The national sales event is on at your Toyota dealer, making now the perfect time to get a great deal on a dependable new car, like a legendary Camry built for performance and available with all wheel drive. You can count on your new Camry to get anywhere you need to go.

And with available features like heated seats and a multimedia touchscreen, you can stay connected in comfort and style. Or check out an affordable and reliable Corolla with a trim for every lifestyle. From the hip and agile sedan to the sporty hatchback, there's a dependable Corolla built just for you.

Plus, both Camrys and Corollas are available in hybrid models. So no matter your style, you can drive efficiently and affordably. So visit your local Toyota dealer and check out amazing national sales event deals on Camrys, Corollas, and more when you visit buyatoyota.com. Toyota, let's go places.