#ive been trying to avoid those bc while i support their right to criticize it's just a bit of a vibe killer for me atp lol

[diamondcitydarlin]

idk like, I think people should have the right and the space to complain about new canon fandom stuff if they want, I know how annoying it is when you wanna kvetch about something and then there's a toxically positive person trying to shame you for it, and I know there's probably always going to be stuff worth complaining about in any new thing, but that said I'm personally at a point where I really want to try to enjoy things for what they are, you know? There's so much conflict and horror in everyday modern life, plenty of things IRL to be upset about, and so I'm personally losing the willingness to be as critical as possible out the gate for things that are meant to bring enjoyment and escapism (video games, tv shows, movies, books, graphic novels, etc). I think a lot of it stems from personal disappointment when a new addition of a source material doesn't reflect every story note or have all the lore consistency or whatever it is that the person in question thinks it should, and honestly sometimes those errors are just so glaring it genuinely ruins the whole thing. BUT sometimes I think we get so wrapped up in what we think a thing 'should' be in our own minds that what seems like a genuine issue is actually just a personal bias that has become so strong it's getting in the way of any potential for enjoyment. That's the sort of thing I've been working with myself on, just remembering that the people who made a thing might have had different goals in doing so than I would have, and that doesn't have to make a thing inherently bad or worthy of reproach. It's also one of the reasons fandom exists, so we can explore those unanswered questions of 'what if this happened instead' and I think there's potential for that to coexist with enjoyment of the thing for what it is. Idk I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do, just sort of thinking out loud, but I will say it's been a much happier existence to try to enjoy canon source material for what it is, but also take it with a grain of salt to some extent because I can literally make up whatever I want to in my head and/or in fanworks to supplement and that's really not a bad thing!! Fandoms thrive on ambiguity and space to fill in the blanks, and not so much when we get everything we want (because then, what's left for us to create?). I mean, this is coming from someone who's made elaborate headcanons, fanfics and fanart about how my main characters romanced canonically unromanceable characters in two different video games, so I know I'm weird, but I also know I'm not alone, because there are many other talented creatives who've gone out on such limbs in fandom works before (I follow several of them and you know who you are!!). There's nothing wrong with just trying to enjoy something for what it is, and nothing wrong with taking those pieces and making it your own.