SNP’s word of the day: Reimagining

Illustration by Lewis Mirrett
Illustration by Lewis Mirrett

Word: Reimagining

Meaning: A new conception of something that already exists in a complete state; a reinvention of the proverbial wheel.

Usage: “It’s not a remake. It’s a reimagining.” — every Hollywood A-list-hole who’s ever made an inferior, insulting, and/or inconsequential new version of a movie we loved the way it was, thank you.

You should know it because: Well, you should understand something before you hate it. And what is there not to hate about a Footloose remake starring “Dancer” from Clerks III (2006)? How can you not want to shed blood (while listening to classical music) when you hear that someone who’s never directed a film—not one film—has decided to re-do American Psycho? That movie was made in 2000. Eleven years ago. Everyone who was involved with it is still alive. Anyone who wants to watch it can download it on the internet. Anyone who wants to watch it should watch it, because it’s great. It’s one of the universally acknowledged, untouchable classics of this tweenaged millennium. Besides, it’s already been reimagined. It’s called Shame. (Think about it).

Reimagining isn’t always a euphemism for “making something suck,” though. Steve Jobs spent his whole career reimagining technology, rather than inventing; his impact was such that when he died, people talked about reimagining the obituary. This year, the anniversary year of 9/11, we could finally, seriously talk about reimagining 9/11. Daniel Pinchbeck spends his days reimagining the future; scientists reimagine the AIDS cure. All of that reimagining is super-essential; all of that reimagining is still essentially about imagining. Without that, you’re just trying to remake easy money.

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