Current Events > Why is anime discussion online so vitriolic?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I've always been a casual anime watcher and only in the past couple years have I really sought out discussion online about it. But what I noticed is that people can't seem to help but speak in absolutes, calling shows they don't like "trash". I've only seen so many series, and I've seen some bad ones, but even the ones that I've seen that were bad had *some* aspects of things I could enjoy from them.

It just blows my mind because it's not like the content of the stuff I watch is controversial or artsy or something, it's usually like high school drama or non non byori, etc. How does a human being even get worked up over something like that?

When I see people putting others down online for their taste in entertainment, it really has the air of a narcissist using other people to feel superior for having their own taste. I wish people wouldn't use the internet this way, but I can't really stop them. I guess it bothers me that people don't really consider that there is another person on the other end, who, actually shares something in common by liking anime.
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If I had to guess, it's a sort of pushback against how people who do like the shows often use extreme hyperbole in the other direction ("saving anime", "best show of the year", "best girl", etc)

if you watch something and it's mediocre and everyone is saying it's the greatest thing to ever exist, just calling it mediocre feels lacking sort of
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Most Dragon Ball fans now started on the Cell Saga and have o fucking room to talk.
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Mango Sauce posted...

When I see people putting others down online for their taste in entertainment, it really has the air of a narcissist using other people to feel superior for having their own taste.

That's the internet.
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You can't claim to have a waifu if you won't defend her with your laifu.
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Mango Sauce posted...

But what I noticed is that people can't seem to help but speak in absolutes, calling shows they don't like "trash".

Watch whatever the hell you want, and ignore the haters.