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Crossposts: http://turps33.livejournal.com/1035023.html

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I've been talking about this elsewhere and am curious.

Mikey's comment about the conch shell, do you get what he means?

( sorry for the bad quality btw, but this is the specific section I wanted )

I was reading elsewhere today and came across comments that said his conch shell comment proves that he's a weirdo that says stupid things. And really, the reference can't be that obscure surely?

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I read a story where that reply was a main plot point. The story didn't explain what it meant, though.

Edited (edited for word choice) 2010-08-03 14:47 (UTC)

I know some people believe he was referencing Lord Of The Flies, but it's been too long since I read the book to remember what the reference is *lol*

I always thought that when he was so rudely interrupted by the others he was about to say "so you can talk to yourself", but of course when you talk into a conch shell then bring it to your ear your supposed to be able to hear the echo of what you said *shrugs* So I always thought it was a clever answer for spur of the moment *lol*

I don't think anything, this is the first time I've concentrated enough to hear what he says :-)

I thought that was hilarious, actually!

For those who haven't suffered through an English class about Lord Of The Flies (the suffering was the symbolism discussion, not the book itself, which was excellent): the conch shell is used by the kids during meetings - IIRC, whoever held the shell is the one allowed to talk. In other words, Girard should bring a conch shell so that he can talk all the time.

Well you're no use in my informal survey!

So did I!

Your comment about Gerard made me laugh so much. I think the others should have the shell, see if they can get a word in every now and then *g*

I really wish the others hadn't interrupted, because I'd love to know how he was going to finish his thought.

Talking to himself would make sense, it would be his conch shell cell phone, even if he could only talk to himself *g*

Airgiodslv's Mikey/Gabe/William?

I loved that story.

Yeah, I really liked that too!

Okay, when I read airgiodslv's story referenced above, never having seen the footage, my immediate association was Lord of the Flies, even though I've never read the book. So it *can't* be that obscure, no. And he does say "So you can always talk." I'd be with Risha.

... I think everyone else is going to have to bring their own shell...

This clip - and a lot of other MCR ones - always vex me because the others seem incapable of letting Mikey finish his sentences.

I'm assuming it's either a Lord of the Flies (don't get me started on that book) reference or, like the others have said, a point about hearing the echo of your words in a conch. Given that it sounds like he says something about talking to yourself it seems more likely he was referencing the echo idea but I don't think the Lord of the Flie reference is much of a stretch.

Edited 2010-08-04 02:11 (UTC)

I really didn't think it was that obscure either, but I guess not.

Really though, what's came out of this is a very amusing mental picture of them carrying a conch shell to interviews.

There's a vid on You Tube about how Gerard tends to cut Mikey off a lot. It makes me wonder if they're like that in private, or if it's just when they're around press.

Yeah, it could be either one really, and it's not like we'll ever know. Mostly I was just annoyed that people were saying that the comment showed he was stupid.

I know that vid. I'd assume they're sort of like that privately and it comes out a lot more in their public personas.

I just don't get the Mikey is stupid comments. He hasn't done anything - as far as I can see - that would make him stand out as especially stupid.

It's a Lord Of The Flies reference.

And I don't think having read Lord Of The Flies makes Mikey a weirdo, if he's anything like yours truly, he probably had to read it for english class.

The only thing I get out of 'conch shell' in that context would be a reference to Lord of the Flies. Surely I'm not the only one that thinks so? Mind you, that book gave me some sleepless nights while I was doing O Level Lit.

Yeah, I had to read it for English class too, but so many people don't seem to get the reference and think he just randomly says a conch shell.

Poor guy, his joke falling flat on film.

Yep, I agree.

But so many people don't seem to get that. I've read countless comments where people think he's said something stupid. I've always thought it was a widely read book, but it seems not.

I don't blame you for the sleepless nights.

Conch shell was a genius comment - I've always found it amusing. Ignore the haters, they've obviously read nothing more taxing than bad!fic.

I don't think that reference is obscure at ALL. And I think it proves that Mikey is one of the funniest mofos in MCR. (I LOVE his random references all the time. He's like the hottest geek to ever exist.)

I laugh every time I hear it, and wish he could have finished his thought.

I agree, he's got such an amazing sense of humour, but so often it slips over people's heads.

I also agree about the reference not being obscure at all, but it seems many people don't get it at all. At least, away from here. I should learn and keep away from outside sites and their comments.

Well, I didn't get it, but that is because the one and only time I read Lord of the Flies (yes, for an English class) I loathed it so much that I seriously almost set it on fire after the class was over. It's the only book in the world that I hate. So I thought he was making a sex joke. with the conch thing, or a joke about listening to the ocean in it. [grins] But I like that he's able make over-the-head literary jokes, that makes me all warm and squishy inside. :)

I could tell it was supposed to be a reference to something, but I managed to dodge Lord of the Flies in high school, so I didn't know what. Interesting how people spin that.

I was beginning to think Lord of the Flies was taught in schools the world over.

There were so many comments laughing at what a stupid thing it was to say. I got very frowny-faced about it. Which is a sign to back away for sure.

Hee. I bet that would have gone down well, setting fire to your book.

But more important. A sex joke! I want to believe that too. It wouldn't be the first time after all.

I always got annoyed with people I thought were really smart totally missed that reference.

I hate that he gets cut off. I want to know what he was going to say after, but no.

I never really thought about the conch shell comment, but if anything just figured Mikey was being silly. (FTR, I took Pre-AP/AP Englishes all through high school in south Texas, and no one I know ever even had the possibility of reading Lord of the Flies for school. I know it's about some sort of society of boys on an island that goes wrong? But that's about it. It's not much en vogue these days.)

I didn't get the ref at the time, because although I did read Lord of the Flies about 10 years ago, I did it in French and so "conch shell" didn't ring a bell at all. I only got it recently, when I read a fic that mentionned it! *g*

I never had to read it for class, when I was going through a I <3 dystopias phase I read it but that was a few years ago. So I didn't actually catch the book reference. I just figured he was being a smart ass about trying to hear the ocean, or using it as horn call thing (which was right, I can see from the comments). No thoughts of weirdos or stupid came up in my head, and I sort of want to smack those that said that.

I get that you wish more people got this literary reference? But the impression your comment gives off, IMO, is not a favorable one. It's pretty classist to say that anyone who doesn't read a certain book is not smart; not all schools have the same curriculum, and not all people have the same opportunities or interests.

oh no, i didn't mean it in a terrible way. i meant personally i had people i know in my older friend circle went more skewed to "mikey: the retarded manchild" thing and held this up as an example.

sorry to give you a wrong impression.

OHHH okay. That would be really irritating, yeah.

No worries! Thanks for replying so promptly and nicely.

i really just hate that style of characterization in general. but when it's somebody i wife really hard, i get all irrational >:(

i am sorry that i gave off something shitty. wasn't thinking. but thank you!

I made the reference to Lord of the Flies right away, and always found it slightly amusing that he immediately gets interrupted and thus can't finish what he's saying, when the whole point of the conch shell in LotF is so that "he who holds the shell gets to speak"

is it really that random a reference? I thought most (US) kids had to read that book in 8th or 9th grade.

also, A+ to Mikey to knowing what he'd need to survive his band, since something needs to shut Geeway up sometimes :-P

It's been cool reading about the people who have and haven't read the book.

Mostly I got annoyed at the comments on another site that said saying such a random thing showed he was stupid, which I thought was a ridiculous thing to say. It's also made me wonder how many references I've missed over years, I bet there's been thousands of good jokes that just flew over my head.

I read that same fic. I guess it's been a conch shell kind of time around these parts *g*

The whole stupid thing is what annoyed me. Even if he was having fun with thinking about way to use a conch shell it doesn't mean he's a moron.

Obviously Mikey needs to get his own conch shell *g*

Wondering how well known the reference is is what made me make this post, and it seems quite a few people haven't read LotF. The times are changing it seems.

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