I Like Well Rounded People
Recently I've been getting really annoyed at my fellow "geeks." Too often I find some person spouting about how stupid X was or how Y can't be aprreciated by people who "really understand" what's "wrong" with it.
And I do mean really annoyed. A few times in the past year or so I've found out that some person I've encountered casually and not enjoyed interacting with has died or suffered some terrible turn of fortune that means that they won't be posting on certain message boards or attending certain events or what have you and I find myself thinking "Well, on the bright side they won't be around to annoy the hell out of me with arbitrary proclaimations of how everything they like is golden and everything else is crap."
So yeah, I guess that kinda makes me a dick. But at least I can endeavor to be an honest one. My estimation of someone's worth and interest is proportional to how well rounded they are and how well rounded they try to be.
Why? Simple. Well rounded folks have to overcome more empathy to be a raging cockmonkey. They can still do it. I see it all the time. But at least those folks are motivated in their aberrant behavior. They aren't casually and lazily arrogant in ways you see so often.
Particularly online. If I had a nickel for every time I've read some internet post that follows the format of "People who like X aren't as cool and smart as those of us who like Y" or the ever popular "Z sucks" sans any explanation or reasoning I could probably finance a hit on all the people who annoyed me by saying those things.
And in my experience, it's the folks who at least try and see multiple sides of an argument, conversation, or even a piece of entertainment who tend not to act in such an abrasive and annoying fashion. They also tend not to throw up the old "I know I said only a retarded monkey fucker would like that book/movie/whatever, but stop being mean to me! It's my opinion and you're horrible for saying you think it sucks. I can say what I want! Stop telling me how to act, you Nazi!" and usually don't get all bent out of shape if you disagree with them.
Also, well rounded folks tend to actually enjoy things more.
No really, I'm sure there's someone out there who wants to scream about dilluted focus and a lack of deeper understanding but come the fuck on...if you haven't read the Odyssey you won't get references to it in DC Comic's 52. It's actually just that simple. Sure, you might still enjoy that work for other reasons and miss the reference, but the guy who recognized and appreciated it just enjoyed it more.
Also, I'm not just talking about whether or not someone likes doing something, I'm talking about trying a few new things and spending a minute or two let the acceptance take that there are usually reasons that other people like the things you don't that have nothing to do with any innate superiority on your part. I'm also talking about being willing to step outside one's comfort zone every once and awhile without acting like it's utter torture. Go to that ball game with your grandpa and don't bitch about how you hate sports, let your DC comic reading friend talk about his favorite book to your Marvel loving ass, and maybe realize the bored retail monkey who won't let you break store policy is just trying to get through his day without getting crap from the boss. And when you do all of these things, pay attention to the people around you. See if you can understand why they're happy, sad, angry, or excited.
And if the answer comes back "because they're stupid and I'm better than they are because I only do cool things and engage in perfectly righteous behavior" or any such variation then look again. Look harder. Look until you're damned sure that's the case and you can defend that position from a hundred reasoned arguments to the contrary.
Because if you can't, odds are in those cases the maladjusted dipshit in the room (or the chat room for you shut ins) is you.
And that's fine, until you actually want someone to accept that idea...or you as a person. I know a lot of lonely not terribly well-rounded folks of various stripes. I don't really them, but I do know them.
I'm not really going anywhere with this, I just kinda wanted to say it. I normally try to gives these posts a bit more cohesion, but this particular "thought of the day" is just a fairly random musing.
And I do mean really annoyed. A few times in the past year or so I've found out that some person I've encountered casually and not enjoyed interacting with has died or suffered some terrible turn of fortune that means that they won't be posting on certain message boards or attending certain events or what have you and I find myself thinking "Well, on the bright side they won't be around to annoy the hell out of me with arbitrary proclaimations of how everything they like is golden and everything else is crap."
So yeah, I guess that kinda makes me a dick. But at least I can endeavor to be an honest one. My estimation of someone's worth and interest is proportional to how well rounded they are and how well rounded they try to be.
Why? Simple. Well rounded folks have to overcome more empathy to be a raging cockmonkey. They can still do it. I see it all the time. But at least those folks are motivated in their aberrant behavior. They aren't casually and lazily arrogant in ways you see so often.
Particularly online. If I had a nickel for every time I've read some internet post that follows the format of "People who like X aren't as cool and smart as those of us who like Y" or the ever popular "Z sucks" sans any explanation or reasoning I could probably finance a hit on all the people who annoyed me by saying those things.
And in my experience, it's the folks who at least try and see multiple sides of an argument, conversation, or even a piece of entertainment who tend not to act in such an abrasive and annoying fashion. They also tend not to throw up the old "I know I said only a retarded monkey fucker would like that book/movie/whatever, but stop being mean to me! It's my opinion and you're horrible for saying you think it sucks. I can say what I want! Stop telling me how to act, you Nazi!" and usually don't get all bent out of shape if you disagree with them.
Also, well rounded folks tend to actually enjoy things more.
No really, I'm sure there's someone out there who wants to scream about dilluted focus and a lack of deeper understanding but come the fuck on...if you haven't read the Odyssey you won't get references to it in DC Comic's 52. It's actually just that simple. Sure, you might still enjoy that work for other reasons and miss the reference, but the guy who recognized and appreciated it just enjoyed it more.
Also, I'm not just talking about whether or not someone likes doing something, I'm talking about trying a few new things and spending a minute or two let the acceptance take that there are usually reasons that other people like the things you don't that have nothing to do with any innate superiority on your part. I'm also talking about being willing to step outside one's comfort zone every once and awhile without acting like it's utter torture. Go to that ball game with your grandpa and don't bitch about how you hate sports, let your DC comic reading friend talk about his favorite book to your Marvel loving ass, and maybe realize the bored retail monkey who won't let you break store policy is just trying to get through his day without getting crap from the boss. And when you do all of these things, pay attention to the people around you. See if you can understand why they're happy, sad, angry, or excited.
And if the answer comes back "because they're stupid and I'm better than they are because I only do cool things and engage in perfectly righteous behavior" or any such variation then look again. Look harder. Look until you're damned sure that's the case and you can defend that position from a hundred reasoned arguments to the contrary.
Because if you can't, odds are in those cases the maladjusted dipshit in the room (or the chat room for you shut ins) is you.
And that's fine, until you actually want someone to accept that idea...or you as a person. I know a lot of lonely not terribly well-rounded folks of various stripes. I don't really them, but I do know them.
I'm not really going anywhere with this, I just kinda wanted to say it. I normally try to gives these posts a bit more cohesion, but this particular "thought of the day" is just a fairly random musing.
posted by Jack at 10:42 PM
2 Comments:
Expecting people to be open-minded on the internet is a Sysyphian task.
Then again, I have gotten people who hated the Resident Evil games to try Resident Evil 4, and loved it completely.
Or get them to read Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's books because they were tired of Dan Brown and John Grisham.
It really depends on who you know, how well you know them, and how much time you want to spend with them. But that's easier said than done. :P
Cool, glad you liked Brick. It really deserves more attention.
And while I've been barely lurking, I've seen such comments all over.
And as for Civil War, I don't like a lot of it. However, there have been some great stories to come out of it and it's not that hard to see how one would "fix" it.
I mean, sure, I think Tony Stark is acting like a crazy dick...but really, is that new? And really, do we really believe it can't be fixed...
I mean, seriously, Armor Wars anyone?
This is just another whacked out Tony Stark control fantasy taken to a Millar-esque extreme. If the characterization is so offensive to some folks then they should have never been reading Iron Man. Even back in the old early Avengers days he could be somewhat domineering when he didn't think people were doing what he thought was right.
Course the only comic I utterly hate is Nextwave...and I don't really care if other folks enjoy it...as long as they don't do the "hata" opposite of "OMG this sucks" with me. Which is "OMG, you just don't get it the way I do."
Shame that seems to keep happening.
But yeah, I can't help but laugh at things like "Oh this is so broken...how can we salvage it" or "Oh they changed one thing and now it sucks!"
People can hate all they want, I'm gonna enjoy the stuff I think is well done and ignore most of the rest. Sure, I might comment about things I think are really disappointing or actually make me feel insulted as a reader (like Nextwave did for me or the last few pages of Wanted seemed to do for pretty much anyone).
Oh wait, I also hate All Star Batman & Robin. But then that just proves I'm sane and have taste. ;)
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