I owe you a photo post from the Narc Twain show I went to and an introduction to the record label I’m working with now, but I just got into two conversations about spoilers (mostly regarding Star Wars but it’s a hot topic in general) and I want to get this rage post out of my system so I can enjoy the rest of my day.
This all started with a friend on Facebook announcing he was planning on seeing Star Wars on opening night and THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. He suggested that if people don’t like it they can just stay off the internet. I pointed out how unrealistic this was in today’s society, and his friend proceeded to rage at me all the reasons I was WRONG. We went back and forth for a bit before I finally accepted the fact he would never see my viewpoint and quietly backed down. I then had almost the same exact conversation with a group of friends on another Facebook thread, but way more civil and less RAGEY. Which is good because I was ready to ragequit the internet for the next two weeks in an effort to avoid both spoilers and the assholes who post them. Of course one of my most awesome friends sent me a link to simply block all the spoilers if you use Google Chrome. It got me thinking, however, about the unwritten rules when it comes to spoilers and how we consume media nowadays and internet etiquette and such. And that is what this post is really about…
First I’ll give you the argument that was given to me about why it’s ok for someone to post spoilers. Basically it boils down to the fact that the person’s Facebook page is theirs to do with as they please, and if they are excited about a thing then they are going to talk about it and you can’t stop them. This is all fine and good, but there’s also my mantra to consider: DON’T BE A DICK. I’m not saying don’t post spoilers at all. Just have some self-control and if you just can’t help yourself then please for the love of god warn a person before you ruin it for them. Yes, I get you’re a fan that’s excited about a thing. I am too, which is why I would like you to respect that not everyone can see a movie opening weekend. Hell, you’re lucky I’m seeing it a week later. The last James Bond movie I just saw last week and it had been out for a month at that point. I did not see a single spoiler for that movie though and had to go through very little effort to avoid them. But for some reason Star Wars has its own special rules where if I don’t see the movie opening night then it’s my own damn fault if I get spoiled. Which is unrealistic and somewhat childish IMO.
Now let’s look at the other side of things. In one of the discussions I had it was suggested the appropriate time to wait before one can no longer complain about spoilers is a year for movies and a month for TV shows. I, for one, do not watch TV the night it airs. I usually 1) work nights, and 2) wait until the next day when I can watch it online. I also have a life outside of consuming media and have seen almost none of the fall finales of my favorite shows because of this. I am very grateful to the corners of the internet I tend to frequent that they make it fairly obvious what posts to avoid if I don’t want to be spoiled on a thing.
Movies are a bit different. I rarely go to the theater unless it’s something I think the big screen and such will contribute to the experience (or I just can’t wait for the DVD). This usually means I only really see big ticket items like the Marvel franchise, and I wait for everything else. I pay for the Netflix DVD account, which is way cheaper than going to see all these movies when they premiere. Obviously I’m going to see Star Wars. I’m waiting a week though, so I can watch when visiting my family for Christmas weekend. I get that a lot of people will have already seen the movie by then, but I don’t think it’s fair to tell me I need to avoid the internet or have no right to complain when I get spoiled on things. We live in an age where that is unrealistic. For example, the record label I mentioned at the top of the page? It currently has a crowdfunding campaign going that I need to be able to promote ON THE INTERNET. I need to plaster it on Facebook and Twitter and send email blasts, otherwise how do people know I’m doing this awesome thing? And there are plenty of other nerds where it’s THEIR JOB to be on the internet. It is unrealistic and unfair to expect them to stay offline till they watch a movie just because you can’t put a simple “spoiler warning” on something you post.
That’s the thing that gets me the most… I’m not asking people to refrain from talking about it until I’ve seen it. I realize the world does not revolve around me, and you’re excited about this thing just as much as I am, but don’t be a dick about it. Give me a warning so I know to avoid that post and I can still get the same experience you got when you saw that thing for the first time. I’m sure when I finally see the movie I will want to post about it too. Might even write something up on this ol’ blog here. But rest assured I will either choose my words carefully and/or warn people about spoilers beforehand. It’s the little things like respect that make the internet big enough for all of us.
That’s all I have to say on the matter. Feel free to RESPECTFULLY share your opinion in the comments.
