OH MY GOD, ME TOO (3): Return of the Unusual Opinions Amnesty Post
Recent ~things and ~stuff have convinced me that it's high time for another round of appreciation of the quirky, silly, and not entirely defensible, and in any event it's been about a year, so let's have another Unusual Opinions Amnesty Post.
"Fandom secrets" will eternally crack me up. Some of them are really moving Post Secret-y type things, and some of them are Insta-Flame-War topics and I don't blame people for keeping it on the dl. Then some of them are totally uncontroversial statements, like "I love Daenerys Targaryen/Hermione Granger/Katherine Pierce and I think she's pretty!" Without disputing either clause there, part of me still thinks, OH, YEAH, YOU'RE FOREVER ALONE.
Then some of them are...not unpopular opinions in the sense that people would see attacks on them, but they're a little unusual in one way or another, and I end up wondering why they're secrets just because, WHY? Are people that determined not to show enthusiasm about anything? Because the knowledge that somewhere on the internet there are some people who disagree is that much of a deterrent? Sometimes I think it's just that there's never a good moment to mention something.
And that, my friends, is what we are going to fix.
So! FANDOM SHAME MILD-TO-MODERATE AWKWARDNESS AMNESTY POST. Something you keep quiet for one reason or another but it's not really a big deal? Something you see and go "OH MY GOD ME TOO"? Rare ship? One-off episode that gets ignored/eyerolled-at? Character who may or may not be hated, but doesn't get a lot of love? This is the place.
"Fandom secrets" will eternally crack me up. Some of them are really moving Post Secret-y type things, and some of them are Insta-Flame-War topics and I don't blame people for keeping it on the dl. Then some of them are totally uncontroversial statements, like "I love Daenerys Targaryen/Hermione Granger/Katherine Pierce and I think she's pretty!" Without disputing either clause there, part of me still thinks, OH, YEAH, YOU'RE FOREVER ALONE.
Then some of them are...not unpopular opinions in the sense that people would see attacks on them, but they're a little unusual in one way or another, and I end up wondering why they're secrets just because, WHY? Are people that determined not to show enthusiasm about anything? Because the knowledge that somewhere on the internet there are some people who disagree is that much of a deterrent? Sometimes I think it's just that there's never a good moment to mention something.
And that, my friends, is what we are going to fix.
So! FANDOM SHAME MILD-TO-MODERATE AWKWARDNESS AMNESTY POST. Something you keep quiet for one reason or another but it's not really a big deal? Something you see and go "OH MY GOD ME TOO"? Rare ship? One-off episode that gets ignored/eyerolled-at? Character who may or may not be hated, but doesn't get a lot of love? This is the place.
- Discussion of other people's comments is fine, as long as it is positive. Variations on "OH MY GOD, ME TOO" are encouraged. But not argument. If it's here, someone is probably assuming you disagree, so don't bother telling them.
- Mild-to-moderate apathy toward something is okay ("why do people bother to buy a U? If they ask for it, they already know it's there. Meh"), but no hatin.
- However, all levels of love are acceptable. And if you wish to ENLIGHTEN us about something obscure, do it! Recs, including and especially self-promos, are encouraged. If you have a Stefan/Silas epic languishing in obscurity, YES, we want to know about it.
- Be cool. If something might go into clearly triggery or flametastic territory, it's probably outside the parameters here.
- Logistics: there are threads for a few bigger fandoms already set up, but if you don't see yours, go ahead and start a thread, or just spit it out. Probably put the fandom in the header if you're just going to post a comment, so like-minded folks can find it. Or don't, whatever.
- Spoilers policy guidelines: If you're dealing with adaptations (True Blood/the Sookie Stackhouse novels or ASOIAF/Game of Thrones, frex) please do err on the side of using spoiler tags for stuff that only some of the audience will know. That said, it's probably best to consider the thread for a given fandom to be spoilery for all aired episodes/released movies/published books. If you're not caught up with something but you still want to share the love, by all means comment, but let us know where you are so you can try to avoid spoilery replies. If you want to get excited about a spoiler for something that hasn't been released yet, that's cool too, but drop a warning first so people can avoid if they want.
- Wanky threads will be frozen or deleted at my discretion, by which I mean, if and when I feel like it.
- Anonymous comments are screened; consider them OFF. This is for the sheer fun of OWNING OUR SHIT.
- If the ~spirit moves you, please do publicize, the more the merrier!