Really curious why people keep consuming media they don't seem to enjoy anymore
Like, I get that spite is a powerful motivator, but there comes a point where it's like "What the fuck are you even getting out of this???????"
I know that sounds aggressive, but I just truly struggle to understand why people consume media in that particular way.
And I am talking about a very specific way of interacting with content. A very active way. Not just idly keeping up with a long running series out of curiosity to see if the story goes back in a direction you like better.
The way I frame things for myself is that sometimes things just aren't for you, and that's okay!
That's what I said to a friend once about the... I think it was the captain marvel movie? Like, it was meaningful to me, but it clearly was not for them, and that's okay!
So, some unsolicited advice:
Don't fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy, just because you've invested a lot into your enjoyment of a story, doesn't mean you have to continue to sink your time/energy/money/whatever into it when it no longer brings you joy.
You can always go back to it later.
And also, keep in mind that false expectations are what leads to disappointment.
If you've built up an idea of what something will be, or where a story is going, etc etc, and you hang all of your hopes on that...
And then things go in a different direction...
It can be really hard to not let the disappointment color your perception of the story.
It's also easy to have it go in the opposite direction, where you expect to hate something, and so you do. You can only see the worst in it because you've primed yourself to notice it to the exclusion of the things you might have otherwise liked.
And this isn't a "spoilers are bad!!! Leave everything as a surprise!!!" message.
Because, actually, in my opinion, sometimes having some spoilers makes all the difference in being able to enjoy something.
And it's also not a "people can't be critical of the media they consume" thing either.
It's more a statement about how important it is to be aware of how you're being affected by the way you're consuming media.
I have fallen victim to the mindset of "Oh, I'm having FUN being a hater, it's okay! It's not detrimental to me, I promise!" before.
That's a fucking slippery slope, and it's real easy to just fall into a pit of pure negativity under the guise of other more lighthearted or well meaning motivations.
Don't accidentally act in bad faith out of a lack of awareness of your own feelings.
Criticism, much like whatever it is criticizing, does not exist in a void.
There is no truly objective lens through which one can view the world. There is no way to completely be free of your biases or preferences.
You can only do your best to be aware of them and acknowledge how they might affect your perceptions.
Be open and honest with yourself and your "audience"
Are you just venting? Do you just need to get this off your chest, have some people validate you, and then you'll be able to move on?
Are you looking for a discussion? A debate?
Are you trying to get people stirred up?
What are you hoping will come from this?
(As for me, my motivation with this post is partially just to help me articulate my own thoughts on this subject and express some frustrations.
And also I would be lying if I didn't admit that I'm hoping it resonates with someone else.
I don't expect this to be a sudden break through for anyone, but it would be nice if someone else reads this and goes, "Oh hey, I've experienced/witnessed this too.")