#im so glad that steven universe is getting the vindication it needed with the new video essays

[stardustizuku]

With the way social media is structured nowadays, it’s easier to find engagement and arguments by hating on stuff.

It’s so easy to find so-called “video essays” about how ‘[x] is bad and here is why’; filled with bad-faith interpretations, assumptions on the author, and straight up misinformation and lack of any cultural context. More often than not, using pretentious language -that they don’t understand to- in place of any analysis (aka female gaze, ND gaze, character coding etc). And these videos make MILLIONS.

Which is why I have an extreme dislike to anyone who approaches stories with that negative mindset. More often than not, they replicate this toxic idea that the only way to make media analysis “good” is by finding every flaw in a media - even if you have to make evidence up. And not because, you know, they have a point to make.

I find way more investing and rewarding to see analysis that praise a piece of artwork.

In an era filled with rage bait, cynicism, and bad-faith interpretations, I think the best act of resistance is just…being positive. Praising something for doing something good. Finding joy in what someone put their soul into creating.

THATS not to say that I think we should praise BAD art, or mindless soulless corporate propaganda in the shape of a movie.

But I’m just…tired of watching the 100th video on why this one new movie is bad. I think the worst insult an art piece can have is irrelevancy. No one talking about it. People forgetting.

So simply letting something truly bad be forgotten is the best way to say it was bad.

If you make something about how “x is bad”, I think it has to come from a place importance. You have to be willing to accept what was made of was worthy of your time and effort. You have to acknowledge it wasn’t trash or bad - and even what it said about “x” is worthy of discussion.

If it isn’t - then I don’t see a point in what you create