[spcglider]

Why watch something you don't like? Excellent question.

Several reasons spring to mind. First, it gives you the ability to genuinely criticize the property. Frankly, I don't tend to waste my time doing this, considering that there's far too many things I'd rather do than watch a show that I don't like. now, this should be considered in contrast to someone who DOES like the show, but offers up ideas on how the show could be made better. We do this a lot here on Fleets. many of us have authored threads about how we'd change a particular episode to better suit our vision of how things should have played out. But none of us have sat around simply saying "TOS sucks".

Second, it gives one the ability to repress those of a different mindset. Overall, we have gone quite far in this country towards an attitude of "You're either WITH us or AGAINST us". A very unhealthy polarization of mores, attitudes, moralities, and policies based on minutia that are nearly inconsequential. That polarization extends to the pop culture realm... and is exspecially prevalent on the internet where one isn't "burdened" with actually adressing another human being. Studies have shown that people act VERY differently while using the internet than they do in face-to-face socialization. And that includes a somewhat remorseless agressiveness at times. Sometimes its also just a popular acivity to jump on the "slam bandwagon"... to obtain a sense of belonging in a community. The way to turn that around is to fight fire with fire. Bring together people who LIKE the show and bury the people who don't like it in a shower of positive attitude. The detractors will eventually get the message and realize how they are wasting their time and either join the positive side or simply give up and go away.

And third, I would bet that the overwhelming majority of those who are complaining about a particular show don't REALLY watch it and are simply using the internet as a tool to vent their own angers and inadequacies. It doesn't have much to do with the show's merits in that case. There are just people who enjoy being incensed or outraged or just plain angry and they are using a show as an excuse to complain. Whether or not they are actually raising valid criticisms of a show is irrelevant. Its the excercise of complaining that they are stuck in. And that is a personal issue... not an issue with the show. They'd be complaining about something else if they weren't complaining about the show they ARE complaining about.

So the answer? The answer is to rise above. Because that is the only thing you can do.

-G