We live in a world where being a contrarian is exciting for some people. To me, that is the most boring way to exist as a human. Do you not want to engage honestly with a piece of media? Why do you want to combat people?
Anymore, we have this way of going about things where if you don’t like the genre or franchise or whatever is of something, you feel as if that things needs to prove itself to you. Nope, that doesn’t actually have to happen! If you don’t like horror movies, the horror movie doesn’t have to be palatable to you. Superhero movies aren’t for everyone and they don’t have to appeal to just you because you think they’re silly.
For whatever reason, we’ve shifted the idea of criticism to mean “I didn’t like it therefore everyone else should also dislike it.” We used to be able to agree to disagree on a movie. Now, if you say you liked a movie that a lot of people didn’t, that somehow means you’re wrong and they’re all right. Instead of, you know, realizing that different tastes exist.
But I also think that this way of thinking has bred a bigger problem: The need to hate on things just to hate on them. I understand not liking a movie, despite what my public persona is. I know I tend to love movies more than the next person but I do understand that not everyone is going to love every movie. But what we’re seeing more and more are people who plan to hate something before they see it. Why? It is cooler than admitting you like something.
You can enjoy things, you know
When you’re a kid, if someone you don’t like or someone who is younger than you likes something, you tend to like the opposite thing just because you want to tease them. People who are doing that now with movies as adults are just kids who don’t want to allow people the joy of liking something.
Again, to make it clear, legitimate criticism of a movie or a television show is completely different. But I do fear that some forms of film criticism has bred this current issue we’re seeing pop up. People want a movie or show to be geared towards them and their specific interests and that’s not what entertainment is supposed to do.
Hating on something because it is “cool” is childish. Wanting a piece of media to be specifically for you is childish. You’re missing the point of art and what it can inspire when you want something to be what YOU want. How does that make you think or engage with it in a positive way?
So, if your plan is to log onto social media and hate someone for liking Superman or to call someone a paid shill for liking a Marvel movie, maybe stop and ask yourself why you think this is a constructive way of spending your time online.
(featured image: NBC)
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
