Answer Me This, Flist

[anogete]

I have a question for you, flist.

I was involved in an LJ discussion in a community yesterday, and the crux of it was finding humor through making fun of badly written or executed books/movies/programs/etc. When was was in high school, I was friends with people who spent all of their time making fun of the world - the people, the school we went to, the classwork, the city, everything. They never wanted to discuss real interests with me, nor did they seem to have a true passion for anything. By the time I was a senior, I had cut ties with all of my friends for this reason. I thought I was better off on my own than with people who were so mean, who spent their time making fun of things to make themselves feel better about their empty lives.

Now, let me say that I don't think that everyone who makes fun of something is doing it in a negative way, nor do I think they are all doing it for self defense purposes. Sometimes it is just simply finding humor in a situation. However...

I have never read a book or fanfiction, watched a movie or television program, or gone to a social function with the sole purpose of gathering information so I could make fun of it, be it in my head or to others in person or on the internet. There are so many wonderful things in this world that will entertain and/or touch me. Why would I spend my valuable time on something that I intend to viciously poke fun at? If it's bad, then I don't read it or watch it. Why would I? Humor can be found in so many other things. It doesn't make sense to spend my time being mean. And making fun of something that you consider to be sub par or not measuring up to your high standards is being mean, especially when that something wasn't intended to be bad in the first place. I know, I know... Some movies, books, fanfics are intended to be bad, and that is another matter entirely. The creator has made that piece of media for people to watch/read and giggle over. It is humor. I think it is fairly evident when I come across situations such as these. The movie/book was made to be lovingly poked fun at by fans.

Let's stick with the book example. Why would someone who dislikes a particular book read that book (and other books associated with it) simply to poke fun? Why not read a book you enjoy? If you're looking for a laugh, why not read a humorous book you enjoy? I don't understand why anyone would read something they consider horrible just for the sake of making fun. It comes across as very childish to me. I want to read something that will become important to me, something I will love and enjoy. I don't want to read something stupid and then act like I'm cool because I'm totally making fun of it. How dumb is that?

So, yeah... I guess that's my question. Do you read/watch things for the sole purpose of poking fun at them when you aren't a fan of the creator or piece of media? And, if so, why do you do it? I'm not trying to attack; I'm just trying to understand. Because, on this, my brain just does not compute.

Comments

[anogete.livejournal.com]

It's funny you mentioned Twilight. That's what initially prompted this post. I've read Twilight and New Moon. I liked them both, and read them very quickly because they are very addicting and easy reads. However, they weren't the be-all-end-all of my literature experience. They were good reads, but not OMG-my-favorites. Someone I spoke to on a community on LJ said that she thought the Twilight books were complete trash and extremely badly written, but she still read them just for the sake of making fun of them with her friends. Huh? What? That's a 500 page monster of a book and you're reading it for the lolz? For serious? I'd never spend that much time on a book I thought was trash. I think most of those people who bash Twilight are ones who consider it a guilty pleasure of theirs. They feel like they aren't supposed to like it, but they do. I don't have any guilty pleasures. I like what I like, and I don't feel any guilt about it whatsoever. I have two NSync albums, for goodness sake! And I listened to one of them last week. Eat that guilty pleasures! :-)

[dreamy-dragon73.livejournal.com]

Exactly. This whole "guilty pleasures" thing seems to be a way of saying people like something they feel they shouldn't for whatever reason. Hell, I've a couple of those (dragons, vampires anyone? Or Dark!Hermione in the hp fandom) - so? *shrugs*

I had a similar experience with the Twilight books. I read all three of them very quickly, too and while it would be easy to point the many obvious flaws they have on various levels, they do make a very compelling reading. They won't make it on my list of favourites either, but I still liked them and I just know that I will read the next one when it comes out.