What's the point?
What's the point in starting a topic with the express intention of expressing your intense dislike for a band?
Subject - The Hold Steady
Content - I hate The Hold Steady and anybody who doesn't hate them is wrong.
Subject - Bob Dylan
Content - If you like Bob Dylan, you are wrong.
Subject - Animal Collective
Content - I don't get why Animal Collective are so popular so everybody must be wrong.
Ok. But what's the point?
There is so, so, so, so much good stuff out there. What's the point in wasting everybody's time in expressing disdain for one thing when you could be expressing your love for something else?
Nobody cares about your hatred. Those that love the band you hate aren't about to stop loving them just because they're made aware that there's people out there who aren't fans. And, no matter how hard you hate, hating a band won't make them go away.
But, still, all over the place, there it is. Would not the internet - neigh, the world - be a much better place if we focused on that which we loved rather than sharing the hatred?
Or is everybody so jaded and cynical now that the only joy in life is to rip things to shreds?
I know what you're thinking - "Oh, is this your first time on the internet?" - fuck that. It is in no way naive to yearn for positivity. Like never before it is so easy to immerse yourself fully in exactly that which you love. Why must spiteful, hateful debates be a prerequisite of a passion for music?
Sneering? Then ignore me. Nodding enthusiastically? Thank you.
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Animal Collective
The Hold Steady
Bob Dylan
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Stupid argument
What's the point in starting a topic with the express intention of expressing your intense dislike for a thread?
I'm jesting, of course
but it's just debate innit? I don't think people take it that seriously
Oh, not at all
It just grates sometimes, you know?
Sometimes a bit of slagging/debate/argument is fun.
I am also genuinely interested to find out why ceratin folk don't like certain artists the same way i am when discussing music with friends.
Is that not what online music chatrooms are all about?
Of course
Contributing to existing topics is great. I just don't understand at all what motivates people to get the ball rolling by expressing just how much they hate a certain band. Because they want to know as to what people see in them or because they want to piss people off? Unfortunately, I'm convinced that nine and a half times out of ten it's the latter.
It all boils down to the old addage
of a review being one person's opinion offered up to the public domain. You have to take negativity at the value of that - one voice amongst millions. That those negative voices often drown out the positive ones is a fact of life - it's easier to shout about it when you hate something than it is when you love something. If I can be so crude as to quote from Peter O'Toole's character's closing monologue from the Pixar Movie Ratatouille - "We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read.".
While I attempt to refrain from commenting about music that bothers me (or worse, fills me with apathy), I do find it immensely enjoyable to stir up a metaphor or simile or surrealistic manner in which to lambast something. That's not to say I don't do the same for stuff I love, more that it comes easier. I've attempted to start a fair few 'love in' threads about bands I adore and they almost always disappear in the space of 24 hours after a few cursory ^This's or outright ignored.
That being said, there are a few careerist trolls on DiS (KiK, Cronin et al) who deliberately bait conversation with their negativity, for right or wrong, regardless of what they truly believe themselves. Discussion can't really exist (at least for long) without opposing views, and soon enough there are other DiSers jumping in to defend something they love. Passion is passion, whether it's in building up or knocking down.
I wouldn't say Cronin is a careerist troll
Oh I like this band
Yeah this band is good
Are you going to see this band
Yes because I like this band
I also like this band
Do you what do you like about them
I like this band
Have you met kissinginkansas before?
Whereas if you express your love for a band
people who hate that band are going to suddenly change their minds? And purely as a result of your outpouring of affection, that band will immediately become the biggest band in the world? Is that what you're saying?
Yes, that's what I'm saying
And I was also hoping that in telling people how much apparent trolling pisses me off then everyone, everywhere, would stop such practices. Not just here, you understand. Not even just online. No. I was hoping that my post would put a stop to every single disagreement that has ever arisen over anything. Within the hour I was hoping to be able to pick up a Daily Mail and read the headline - "EVERYTHING'S OK!"
But I've failed, and it hurts so bad that I can feel a Livejournal post coming on.
Saying you don't like something is trolling?
in a way, I've got to agree
obviously the world would be an offal place if we never felt the urge to critique as well as praise, but it's got to be a matter of balance. If you spend all your time hating on music, then your love of music is just an abstract idea that goes on in the inbetweens. And why would you bother? But then, do people ever really do that?
***
Ooo - and it's relative to context. On a forum? Go for it, slag at will. This is fun. Building and writing a music blog? Keep a balance. Nothing worse than a vitriolic piece of turdpress
It is a sad but true fact that
threads slagging off popular (on DiS) bands/artists will get a lot of replies. Many more replies than you'd get for saying you like a band anyway.
The upshot of this is that if you are an attention seeker or even attention whore on this board, one of the easiest way of getting the reactions you crave is to start a thread 'I hate <popular band> they are <insult>.
"And, no matter how hard you hate, hating a band won't make them go away. "
you could kill them?
hang on a second...
perhaps not read negative threads?
YOU CRYBABY/HIPPY DOUCHEBAG
Easier said than done!
They're all like "DO YOU LIKE SLEEPER", but then you read it and it's all like "WELL, THAT MAKES YOU A HIPPY DOUCHEBAG!!!"
It's a trap! And I fall for it every time!
can i make a suggestion
if you say anything is bad, you must suggest 3 things for people to listen to instead. if someone starts a thread being negative, all the regulars should suggest similar music they might like instead. judo, innit.