#toxic negativity

[matt0044]

“Toxic Positivity” is a cop out when someone’s negative take on something is challenged.

They go on about how fans “can’t take criticism towards their faves” until the detractor is criticized for their criticism.

Oh sure, the one responding to the criticism might lack a bit of tact to put it generously but that doesn’t mean they might not have a point or that their views shouldn’t be considered.

But the accusation of “Toxic Positivity” to me comes off as, “I am never budging an inch on my stance and you are the problem for trying to.”

[conceptmobius]

Positivity or Negativity?

Friendly Reminder, everyone. If you don't like absolutely everything Sega or Sonic Team puts out, that's okay. You don't have to, and you won't be any less of a Sonic fan for it. I certainly don't like every single Sonic related thing that they've made, and I still consider myself a well-rounded fan of the franchise.

If anything, fussing and complaining about everything is what disqualifies you as a fan. If all you do is be negative about everything, you're just doing it because you're on autopilot. It's all you know how to do now. Nothing you say is helpful or constructive. You're not a fan at this point. You're, let's say, a grump.

For all their many, MANY flaws, even some of the worst elitists can come together to take action when they don't like something. How do you think Sonic Mania came about?

On the flip side, of course, if you gush about absolutely everything and worship the franchise, you're not a fan either; you're a consumer. You're around because you like the thing, you've always liked the thing, and you'll always like the thing as long as you always get the thing, quality be damned.

For example, I enjoyed Shadow's game on launch and still enjoy it now, but I recognize that it's not exactly a masterpiece. I also see the likes of Sonic Blast and the game.com version of Sonic Jam as among the worst of the worst. If I absolutely LOVED those games without acknowledging any of their flaws whatsoever and just mindlessly played them because I just had to have 'em, I'd be a consumer.

Toxic negativity creates grumps. Toxic positivity creates consumers. Don't be either. I hope this makes sense.

~Ryan

[the-soapbox]

You should not want everyone else to be miserable just because you are miserable. Yes, you should be angry at the world and want it to change for the better. But you should not be angry at other people just because they are not suffering as much as you or at least not in ways that are obvious to you. Or if they seem to be as miserable as you for "lesser" reasons. You are aiming your rage at the wrong thing. People should want the world to get better, and depriving others of their happiness does the opposite of that.

[xulsigae]

Toxic Positivity scares me

Between toxic positivity and toxic negativity, I fear the former more. Oh both are bad (the toxic part gives it away), but toxic positivity is far more insidious. I think many people are so focused on avoiding darker thoughts and ideas (which there are many of) that they flip right to the opposite problem. It discourages change by claiming the status quo is good enough.  It discourages critical thought by deflecting any thoughts that might 'harsh the vibe.' It is a very normative idea (Read: White, Straight, Well-Off, Cis etc.) that blasts anyone who has a complaint against a situation (Read: POC, Queer, Poor etc.) with 'Things could be worse!' See: Martin Luther King Jr.'s words on the White Moderate. It encourages people to vote for people who promise 'a return to the good ol' days/ to protect traditions/ to Make America Great Again/"It's Morning In America Again!" It encourages people to make good with people who abuse them/want them dead/think they are abominations. See: anyone who says 'We just need to all get along, no matter who you voted for!' It discourages improvements in media when people think any criticism of something they like is wanting people to not enjoy things. "Stop telling me that the show/game/book/movie I like has horrible treatment of workers behind it!" It discourages breaking down how we have seen traditionally beloved historical figures. "The Founding Fathers were great and anyone who says otherwise is a victim of propaganda!" It demands that people with mental illnesses 'Choose happiness!' It makes anyone who is depressed be seen as just having an attitude problem. "You just gotta smile!". Toxic positivity is an unironic statement of 'This is fine.'

[matt0044]

I tire of talking about Doctor Who now. The fans are officially tying The Fandom Menace itself.

And I’m not joking.

It's all "I want RTD's head on a pike" this or "Reality War" that. Like I wanna enjoy the free Classic adventures on YouTube but the comment sections are over-glorifying the past because the RTD 2.0 era that THEY CHAMPIONED AFTER CHIBNALL didn't quite stick the landing.

Is there something wrong with my brain for not joining in on this outrage? I got my pros and cons myself but it doesn't even feel like production discussion anymore but just... whinging. It's all "If RTD leave, the show would be good again" or "if they discarded this story element, the show would be good again" like searching for a magic bullet that doesn't exist.

Is this how it will always be? Another showrunner comes for us to burn at the stake and we mire in a swarm of misery? I'm not blaming RTD for any of this because WE can control how we respond to something and can control our anger.

I just want a place where we can all chill the fuck out. In this increasining dystopian world, I don't need this. And I don’t think I am the only one.

[matt0044]

On RWBY, The Amazing Digital Circus and Toxic Indie Fandoms...

Fans of cartoons, animated movies and animation in general have a... bit of a complex. Largely when it come to snubbing a new movie and/or show for not being just like what ever the standard bearer is at the time. A mentality that really hurts critical discussion than help. Like... getting mad at, say, Big City Greens of what Disney pulled with The Owl House is just not cool.

I find it happens a lot with Animation Twitter spaces being all about taking Disney down a peg be it because Spiderverse or Puss In Boots (take your pick at this point). Though in that case, it's a case of one-up-manship getting way too out of hand since there's at least a vocal push back.

With RWBY being pitted against every other indie animation, it's actually not too much of a unique case.

It has been a small scale project getting massive amounts of hype from the pilot (or Trailers as with RWBY's case) only for the show to come out and split its pre-established audience down the middle.

This split starts and widens when it comes to how a character may be initially presented only for more facets to them to be revealed. It should go without saying buuuuuuut the creative team are not mind-readers. Even the most popular of fanworks will inevitably NOT reflect what the show will develop into whether they come close or not.

However, that investment in fanon is liable to clash with what canon goes with. Some fans take it is stride and are willing to hear the showrunners on their direction. Others... take it personally.

Maybe a character that seemed mean but wronged turns out to be a very shitty person.

Maybe a character that seemed shitty has some hidden depths beyond how they initally came across.

Maybe the story is taking a turn that, well, had precedence but feels alienating to those who preferred the previous status quo.

Maybe the pacing feels off with certain reveals that may be a skill issue on the writer's part.

The issues may vary but a lot of this comes from a sort of "bigger they are" type of backlash with a lot of specific expectations formed of the story before there even was one.

Now this might sound like RWBY but... a lot of them were inspired by the polarized comments of Helluva Boss Season 2.

It happening to Vivziepop.

It's happening to RWBY.

And let me tell you, it WILL happen to The Amazing Digital Circus even if it has a limited run planned.

A character will become more than just some fan's blorbo for better or worse and said fans will loose their shit.

A ship will sail however much they wanted sunk.

No matter what, there will always be ONE FAN that will be pissed off.

[capepunkcatgirl]

A surprising amount of fandom toxicity can be boiled down to the same lines of thought that made people think video games caused mass shootings.

[creativables]

Negativity isn't the antidote to toxic positivity—it’s another trap for creativity. In Issue 9 of our magazine, we explore how constant negativity can stifle your creative potential just as much as forced optimism.

👉 To download or read the magazine, visit: https://linktr.ee/creativables