MovieChat Forums > Incredibles 2 (2018) Discussion > Strobe strobity strobes! Hooray for seiz...

Strobe strobity strobes! Hooray for seizures!

posted 6 years ago by Heisenberg (6730)
10 replies | jump to latest

It's 2018 everyone!
But it seems that idiots like these pixar filmmakers, video game makers, and frankly all concert organizers and disco managers, haven't heard the news (30 years old news) yet: strobe lights are bad for our brains!
This flick was full of flashing seizure inducing lights, bad for everyone, not just PSE sufferers. Everybody's brain suffers from intermittent lights, to different degrees. Strobe flashlights are a WEAPON used by police and armies to impair their enemies, ALL enemies, not just PSE ones.

So why the F there's no law against it at light shows like movies, stages, dance halls?
It's such a cheeeeeap effect to create some "excitement" in the viewer. Of course it works, it's damaging your brain, as much as a super loud noise is damagin your hearing.
Why do (I believe educated) people like pixar animators ignore this, and to this day and age they keep using it in their family oriented movies?

[–] BrunoAntony (1198) 6 years ago

Bruh ... do you have worms in your brain?

[–] Heisenberg (6730) 6 years ago

I don't, but I wish you to get them soon, bruh!

[–] Costumer (1825) 6 years ago

And yet, most of us suffered no ill effects at all. I agree that a warning is needed for folks who are sensitive to this type of effect. But the flashing lights used in films and most stage shows are not nearly as intense as those used by other forces.

Yes, I know you are saying everyone suffers ill effects. But do they? Alcohol can kill brain cells. But those who use it in moderation, do not become addicted to it, and do not drink to excess in a given session, do not suffer any lasting effects. I suspect strobe lighting is similar.

[–] Heisenberg (6730) 6 years ago

Costumer, of course some people are more sensitive than others and some will suffer and most won't from the same strobe effect. Like anything else in life: the same car crash can kill all passengers or leave everybody without a scratch.

Other than the randomness of their effects, strobe lights have another major disclaimer: they trigger the onsight of a sensitivity in a random fashion. What this means is, a person with no strobe sensitivity whatsoever, can suddenly become a sensitive one exactly because he was subjected to a strobe attack.
There's no vaccination or guarantee against it. As far as I know there's no way to train our brain to be more resistant to it. It's like an allergen: allergic people will suffer from it, but non allergic one should avoid overexposition or they might become allergic too.

The best way to keep strobe problems away, is to avoid subjecting our brain to itm especially when it's not needed.
Movies and concert organizers should just know better than this, there should be laws preventing them and regulating the use and abuse of strobes.

[–] Costumer (1825) 6 years ago

With all due respect, allergies can begin without warning. It is not unknown, for instance, that someone can eat a type of food for years without issue and suddenly develop an allergy to it. That doesn't mean we should ban that food. Heck, by that logic we would need to ban everything except water from the public spaces. That's the only thing I've ever heard of that no one is allergic to. (And if someone can find an instance, well then nothing is in the public square.)

Over regulation is a problem here and in many countries. I don't recommend passing laws banning everything that can cause harm. Again, we would be left with bans on everything imaginable, including water. After all, Dihydrogen oxide can be very dangerous.

[–] Heisenberg (6730) 6 years ago

I see your point, I agree with your position about avoiding banning everything.
But some regulation is necessary.

I'm not a lawmaker and I don't know what's the best approach to similar problems.
I know that, because of allergens, while almost every food is allowed producers are forced to tell you what's inside their food, and have to be careful when they produce it or else they have to label "this food may contain traces of this and that". They can't just say "oh, but it tastes so nice and almost everybody is fine with it!"
So there is a conscious effort to avoid harming some consumer because of ignorance.

This crap should be regulated by somebody in charge.
What pisses me off is the ignorance of the people abusing it, like some filmmakers or event organizers, they think it's cool when it's actually harmful.

[–] HarryShoulder (279) 3 years ago

It’s actually very rare for people with epilepsy to be triggered by strobe lights, only 3% of epileptics. They could also be triggered by certain visual patterns like stripes.

[–] Heisenberg (6730) 3 years ago

Nope, it is quite common indeed.
And strobes are so effective in fucking brains up that they impair even people with no epilepsy.

[–] HarryShoulder (279) 3 years ago

Uggh, just take the L , dude. There’s no harm in believing a common misconception, but doubling down just make you look like an idiot.

https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/triggers-seizures/photosensitivity-and-seizures

https://www.epsyhealth.com/seizure-epilepsy-blog/your-introduction-to-photosensitive-epilepsy#:~:text=Flashing%20lights%20are%20one%20of,with%20epilepsy%20have%20photosensitive%20seizures.

[–] Heisenberg (6730) 3 years ago

And?