The one thing I'll state about negative reactions to fiction - it's "easier" to do because if you didn't like something, you don't hold the creator(s) in high esteem for the work, and so sending a message or tagging them or just blasting their work doesn't feel like a big action. Whereas if you adored a work, even sending the creator(s) a message of how much you loved it feels like a big reach, like you can't send them a message because they're THEM. So the negative proliferates and the positive maybe less so.
Also: when you think something doesn't work or is a bad idea, it's exceptionally hard to let that go. Like when you think someone is making a boneheaded decision at a day job - when they do something brilliant, you think or say "oh, amazing, thank you!" and then quickly move on with your day. When they do something (that you think is) dumb as rocks, it can haunt you for days, months, or even years. We're very much wired this way.
But I also have to say: I follow a lot of creators and fan appreciators, and see very little negative posting about, well, anything. But I read a LOT of write-ups/thoughts on how we need less negativity. And it's usually news to me: like, where are all these negative reactions? I've seen nearly nothing but positives (if many w/ caveats) about Avatar 2. I have no doubt there are negative postings about it out there, but is it really the epidemic we constantly make it out to be? Do I just not follow enough assholes on social media?
I agree with your thoughts on the ease of negativity v. the swift departure from positivity. In both “online” and “real life” I think this is the case.
You may just follow way more positive folks, or at the very least, a higher % of folks who only follow positive folks (if that makes sense). I am constantly hit with retweets, reel suggestions, YouTube suggestions, etc. that are “5 things that could’ve been done differently” or “what I hate about x.”
Definitely an algorithmic component as well. If I decide to watch a video essay on YT that thoughtfully reviews a piece of media the algorithm does a poor job of distinguishing between it (a largely positive and thoughtful piece of content) and its opposite (a largely negative and clickbait filled piece of content).
I personally don’t watch a lot of the negative stuff, nor do I partake in this or that Twitter spat but I know it’s there. Enough that I want to make it clear that I’m never going to engage in that kind of stuff on any of my platforms.
Ugh, yeah, I do tend to avoid the clickbait Youtube videos like "5 things that suck/don't work/I hate about..." When it comes to videos my brain assume it's a clickbait/they want views and so my brain doesn't count those as real responses. My eyes physically roll like a form of Tourettes when I read any title/headline like that. I think my snootiness on what constitutes an official response/review actually helps me out here - I stick to the major publications, the more established genre fan sites, and then the smaller fan-driven folks who are, like you, usually focused on being positive.
As a brief addendum: there was a point in my life where if a work rubbed me the wrong way - though it had to be something I thought was egregious - but was generally well received, I *really* wanted to chime in what I thought folks' missed. But over time I came to realize I was more responding to the work's reputation, and that will always be a petty motivation, even if a niche group of others will love that you're going against the grain. If someone asks me directly, I'm happy to say "nope, don't really like this one" and say why, but I care that it never comes across that I'm actively seeking to trash something on my own steam.
I saw an engagement you had on the subject of review and what counts as such, that’s exactly the type of thing I stay away from. Not because I don’t have an opinion, but online discourse like that rarely goes according to plan.
The idea of sticking to the well established is a much safer way to go. As I pivot towards my current audience (via this channel in particular) I want to distance myself from the others. I do have dreams of a standard Ennead focused YT page but I know when I’ll have the bandwidth for that sort of thing.
I think deconstruction *feels* like you're doing something, and while there's a place for it (academic criticism and... maybe that's about it) I think there's a watered down "fast food" version of it that is easy to practice online and makes you feel like you're part of the dialogue in some constructive way.
But, I agree with you here (as usual). Be about what you're about, not about what you're against.
Academic criticism is a legitimate pursuit, though as you point out, this watered down version online will clickbait titles, dog whistles and buzzwords, along with pseudo-intellectual takes is far from that.
The one thing I'll state about negative reactions to fiction - it's "easier" to do because if you didn't like something, you don't hold the creator(s) in high esteem for the work, and so sending a message or tagging them or just blasting their work doesn't feel like a big action. Whereas if you adored a work, even sending the creator(s) a message of how much you loved it feels like a big reach, like you can't send them a message because they're THEM. So the negative proliferates and the positive maybe less so.
Also: when you think something doesn't work or is a bad idea, it's exceptionally hard to let that go. Like when you think someone is making a boneheaded decision at a day job - when they do something brilliant, you think or say "oh, amazing, thank you!" and then quickly move on with your day. When they do something (that you think is) dumb as rocks, it can haunt you for days, months, or even years. We're very much wired this way.
But I also have to say: I follow a lot of creators and fan appreciators, and see very little negative posting about, well, anything. But I read a LOT of write-ups/thoughts on how we need less negativity. And it's usually news to me: like, where are all these negative reactions? I've seen nearly nothing but positives (if many w/ caveats) about Avatar 2. I have no doubt there are negative postings about it out there, but is it really the epidemic we constantly make it out to be? Do I just not follow enough assholes on social media?
A few quick thoughts in response:
I agree with your thoughts on the ease of negativity v. the swift departure from positivity. In both “online” and “real life” I think this is the case.
You may just follow way more positive folks, or at the very least, a higher % of folks who only follow positive folks (if that makes sense). I am constantly hit with retweets, reel suggestions, YouTube suggestions, etc. that are “5 things that could’ve been done differently” or “what I hate about x.”
Definitely an algorithmic component as well. If I decide to watch a video essay on YT that thoughtfully reviews a piece of media the algorithm does a poor job of distinguishing between it (a largely positive and thoughtful piece of content) and its opposite (a largely negative and clickbait filled piece of content).
I personally don’t watch a lot of the negative stuff, nor do I partake in this or that Twitter spat but I know it’s there. Enough that I want to make it clear that I’m never going to engage in that kind of stuff on any of my platforms.
Ugh, yeah, I do tend to avoid the clickbait Youtube videos like "5 things that suck/don't work/I hate about..." When it comes to videos my brain assume it's a clickbait/they want views and so my brain doesn't count those as real responses. My eyes physically roll like a form of Tourettes when I read any title/headline like that. I think my snootiness on what constitutes an official response/review actually helps me out here - I stick to the major publications, the more established genre fan sites, and then the smaller fan-driven folks who are, like you, usually focused on being positive.
As a brief addendum: there was a point in my life where if a work rubbed me the wrong way - though it had to be something I thought was egregious - but was generally well received, I *really* wanted to chime in what I thought folks' missed. But over time I came to realize I was more responding to the work's reputation, and that will always be a petty motivation, even if a niche group of others will love that you're going against the grain. If someone asks me directly, I'm happy to say "nope, don't really like this one" and say why, but I care that it never comes across that I'm actively seeking to trash something on my own steam.
I saw an engagement you had on the subject of review and what counts as such, that’s exactly the type of thing I stay away from. Not because I don’t have an opinion, but online discourse like that rarely goes according to plan.
The idea of sticking to the well established is a much safer way to go. As I pivot towards my current audience (via this channel in particular) I want to distance myself from the others. I do have dreams of a standard Ennead focused YT page but I know when I’ll have the bandwidth for that sort of thing.
I think deconstruction *feels* like you're doing something, and while there's a place for it (academic criticism and... maybe that's about it) I think there's a watered down "fast food" version of it that is easy to practice online and makes you feel like you're part of the dialogue in some constructive way.
But, I agree with you here (as usual). Be about what you're about, not about what you're against.
Academic criticism is a legitimate pursuit, though as you point out, this watered down version online will clickbait titles, dog whistles and buzzwords, along with pseudo-intellectual takes is far from that.
I’m over it.
The video you linked to = hilarious, btw lol.
Right? We need more content like that.
100 100 100