I cannot describe the visceral level of aversion I have to mainstream shit. It doesn’t matter if the show is the best thing on earth, if the general public knows about it (And I don’t mean the internet I mean the general public) then I refuse to watch or partake in it. I have no idea why and it genuinely kills me to be like this and I have no idea why.
It prevents me from joining most fandoms nowadays unless the fandom is super niche. Things like Hotel Hazbin, Star Wars, The Office, K-pop (in general), Kpop Demon Hunters, most popular anime… WHY. WHY AM I LIKE THIS?? Is anyone else like this? Even people just mentioning “Oh yeah I love One Piece, you should watch it sometimes” makes me go “Oh fuck nah I’m good” as if the damn show was a personal insult. I feel like a stuck-up prick when I do this but I genuinely can’t control it, why???
Other people’s responses were good, and may have helped you. But there’s another, less complimentary angle. You can decide if it’s relevant to you.
You may have learned too boost your self-esteem by looking down on popular media and selecting things that are not popular, to some extent because they are not popular.
It’s an easy trap to fall into, but only you can decide if that’s what you have done.
I an absolutely guilty of this. I was a strange boy and I leaned into it. Sea shanties and suits, but there no way I was trying too hard. It was those other sheep.
I have tried to be conscious of the flaw since I became aware of it. Marvel movies are okay. It’s not a character deficit to have fun watching a sporting event.
I suppose I have. But it’s not a conscious feeling, it feels like an unconscious one. It’s a weird feeling between my heart and my brain and it permeates the rest of my body until I can change the subject. That’s why I say it’s a visceral reaction.
Kpop Demon Hunters looks interesting but god damn if I had to choose between watching that and running full force into a brick wall id rather run into the brick wall. Like it makes me uncomfortable to wanna watch popular stuff. The more popular it is the worse the feeling.
K-pop Demon Hunters irks me especially cus, I’m not gonna lie— Them Korean boys be hot asf, and now you’re adding DEMONS to the mix? like— girl I cant be doin this shit, fuck no, its like they’re just trying to entice me and god damn it I refuse to let it happen 😭😭😭 K-pop almost hooked me in middle school I ain’t gonna let it happen again 😩
Maybe you could approach it slightly differently. K-pop demon hunters maybe a fine show, or movie, or whatever it is, but there are other ones just as good, maybe even better, that haven’t received worldwide publicity. Don’t reject the popular mainstream things, but intentionally seek out gems that haven’t got a media empire behind them.
I haven’t been to a large concert for many years, but I am absolutely delighted to attend concerts by local and indie artists. The intimacy of a small show, and the ability to talk to performers before or afterwards, makes it a very different experience. A large concert is more of the group think, ecstatic evangelical experience.
What’s your feeling on ads? This reads exactly like how I feel about ads, and it’s because I know I’m being manipulated. And anything popular must be exploiting our brains similarly as well right?