Opinions

[ladyofastolat]

I've been making this rant in my head for years, so I might as well get it out of the way so I can stop making myself cross about it. I watched half a DVD last night, finishing it this morning, and there were many things about the film that I didn't like, so I was curious to see what other people thought about it. I ended up reading about ten pages of IMDB reviews, getting more and more cross.



Why are so many people apparently incapable of distinguishing between opinion and fact? Why are so many people compelled to belittle anyone who holds a different opinion from theirs on the merits of a book or a film or an episode of a TV show?

"I really enjoyed it," is a statement of opinion. "I didn't find it remotely amusing," is a statement of an opinion. "I found it boring," "I thought it was excellent!" "The characters didn't engage me," "I switched off after half an hour because it was far too violent for me," etc. etc. are all statements of opinion.

"It was boring," rephrases that opinion as fact. "All the characters were completely unengaging", "The nudity was offensive," "It wasn't remotely funny" etc. are opinions stated as fact. Okay, perhaps you can argue that the "I think" is to be taken as read, but I've often seen this sort of statement angrily reiterated despite evidence to the contrary. "The characters were totally unsympathetic and the plot was boring." "Er... actually, I found them really engaging and was gripped by the plot." "No, don't be stupid, the characters were unsympathetic and the plot was boring." How is the poor person who actually liked the book supposed to feel when confronted with this blanket statement of "fact" that's telling them that they're wrong to feel this way?

A lot of online reviews take it further than that by finding ways to dismiss every single opposing opinion, in something that is probably my least favourite thing about internet fandom ever. "It was hilarious and anyone who doesn't laugh has no sense of humour." "Anyone who complains about the violence is clearly a religious fundamentalist." "Anyone who likes this adaptation is no true fan." "Anyone who likes this film has the emotional maturity of a ten year old." I find this almost chilling, since one of the things I most find scary is a belief system that finds a way to dismiss all opinions to the contrary. ("Anyone who disagrees has been brainwashed by the establishment/possessed by the devil/clearly doesn't truly understand the facts/is a heretic who needs burning")

Clearly there are many things in reviewing that can be stated as fact - the existence of plot holes, continuity errors, bad grammar etc. I accept that professional reviewers are employed to express their opinion as fact, and I have no objection to judgements being passed in polite, reasoned language, with reasons given; I just really dislike the pugnacious tone that so many online reviewers seem to adopt: my opinion's the only right one, and anyone who disagrees is worthless.

Comments

[sigisgrim.livejournal.com]

You and me both.

And I find it equally rant-worth, when somebody denies something that is a clear fact as a wrong opinion, such as a plot hole being dismissed as as the person being too stupid (or whatever) to accept that it is only their opinion and not shared by all the intelligent people in the world. (I know I haven't put this very well, but I hope you get what I mean.)

[tigerfort.livejournal.com]

What he said.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Thirded.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Yes, agreed. Particularly annoying is the person who demands justification from the poor unfortunate soul who posts 'actually, I really enjoyed it...'

What baffles me about a lot of online reviewers is *why do they go on watching/reading* ?

I mean, OK, a film or a single book, you probably are going to sit through the whole thing unless you really cannot bear it, and afterwards express your loathing in a review.

But a series? Why on earth do people go on watching something that they seem not to be able to take any pleasure in, which is episodic in nature? If you hate it that much, why not go and do something more fun?

Weirdos. :-p

[pellegrina.livejournal.com]

... one of the things I most find scary is a belief system that finds a way to dismiss all opinions to the contrary.

This is so true. It scares the living daylights out of me, along with its good pal, the belief system that treats any individual as nothing but a representative of whatever group or category they belong to that the belief system wishes to demonize.