the poor taste of the unwashed masses

[cimorene]

also. for those of you who, like me, have this syndrome whereby you think you're always right, and everyone who disagrees with you is probably wrong although you don't want to be too mean and unaccepting about it and of course other opinions are acceptable but it's just how could they think that. especially when it's not what you think?

uhm. so yes, have always been of the opinion that the vast majority of people are stupid. evidence the kind of books that get to be vastly popular, with, of course, the notable exception of harry potter--except that hp isn't even the best of its genre (british children's fantasy) out there, and it just figures the best wouldn't come close to it. right. but look at tom clancy, stephen king, danielle steele, that dude who wrote jurassic park, and the guy who writes all those exactlythesame!lawyer novels that are supposed to be dramatic. even within sff, look at mercedes lackey, marion zimmer bradley, anne mccaffrey, david weber. the list goes on.

pop music is obviously the exception here, because the only criterion for it isn't absolute quality of music/etc, but also includes catchiness, sparkliness, cool dance moves, appearance in eye makeup.

ahem. so. my point is that i shouldn't be surprised when the very slash stories that i find the most maudlin, insipid, predictable, mischaracterized repetitive bullshit ever garner pages of feedback and squishy gushing goodness from hordes of fans. why? well, evidently brain damage, or simple native lack of intelligence and good taste. so why am i surprised? but i always, always am.

naming no names of fics. hey, i'm probably not talking about any of the people who are reading this.

someone agree with me to make me feel better.

*pout*

Comments

[likeahiphopsong.livejournal.com]

*Yes, people, as a whole, are stupid.

*I have to say, because I always stick up for the hometown hero, that Stephen King is a much better writer than he's given credit for.

*I think I agree with you on the bad slash getting many a rec, but I can't completely agree as I don't know what fic(s) you're talking about. Am deply intrigued, though.

*Chris and Justin? Desperately, madly, wonderfully inlove.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

OHHH THE ICON. *dies* katie, i love your icons. like, more than life itself.

nope. about stephen king. no way.

just the subject matter, writing aside, excludes it from the possibility of literary value.

Re:

[likeahiphopsong.livejournal.com]

Isn't the icon gorgeous? They're so damn pretty. Especially together.

And hey, I'm not getting into a Stephen King arguement here. But. "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption". Different subject matter. And that's that. He's a really great guy and I like some of his stuff, so I tend to stick up for him. To each his own and all that.

[silviakundera.livejournal.com]

Biotch! I heart "Firestarter" and "It". Those were fantastic. Okay, often times his novels are really really overrated.... but he's done a few exceptional pieces of work. He HAS!

[cimness.livejournal.com]

well... i don't want to have a debate about it either.

but i will say i'm astonished you like him.

[silviakundera.livejournal.com]

Dude. Wax loves "Firestarter" too. My fic "Driven Like" had subtle references to it, and she emailed me all: Firestarter! Firestarter! He's pushing!

::shrugs:: I first read "It" when I was in sixth grade and it took me a month. *giggles* I was so in love with that book, and I think it influenced me some. I know that "Firestarter" did. I'm, like, obsessed with that scarred!creepy!Native American guy of whose name I don't remember. He was oddly seductive and fascinating. That book had a lot of quiet horror. Those poor burned chickens! and. oh fuck. ::shudders:: the tranquilizer in her throat and the snow..... ::shudders:: I have so many images in my head from that book. My copy of it is worn thin -- probobly read it about 11 times.

I can't stand anything he's written for a long time, and think it's pretty much all crap, but some of the old skool books I love. I grew up reading him -- all through sixth grade and junior high and ninth grade.

but. er. yes. Pretty much my favorite genre is horror. I don't read much of anything else, other than homoerotic literature and then a few quirky authors like Vonnegut and Oscar Wilde and Kundera. hehehe...

<- dork

[cimness.livejournal.com]

i don't know if "dork" is the proper word for what you describe, but yes. i have monumental hate for the horror genre. this may be partly rebellion against my dad, who has a fantasy/horror thing, and reads horror (albeit only on the sf and fantasy edge of it) and writes horror poetry and publishes a horror/fantastic poetry magazine. ...on second thought, though, i think it's just plain lack of interest (not saying "plain good taste" or "distrust of random sensationalism" because the fact that you like it this much sort of cripples that understanding of it).

...anyway, i've never read anything like the entirety of a stephen king book, just snippets of... it and pet cemetery, i think, in... 3rd or 4th grade? and much raving from an eccentric friend, and i remained singularly unimpressed.

i read fantasy and science fiction growing up (mostly during school, like, while the teacher was talking. this was never injurious until 8th grade or so, except in 4th when my teacher tried to confiscate my book in math. i mean honestly--negative numbers. who needs to pay attention to know how to do THAT?)

[silviakundera.livejournal.com]

Hee! We're opposites! ::twirls:: See, I can't stand science fiction and fantasy. It's a serious aversion. Hee! *g*

[cimness.livejournal.com]

See, I can't stand science fiction and fantasy.

and you just come right out and admit this? *thinks* nope, there is no possible explanation except brain damage. poor sil! your brain is damaged and i never knew it! in other news, people need to stop disagreeing with me. grrrr.

[silviakundera.livejournal.com]

Well, see.... My dad LOVES science fiction and fantasy and is all obsessed with it. I've never been able to stand it. I dunno. I like my stuff grounded in our reality, normally. It can be surreal - I love that - but I like it to occur within our universe. I just can't get up any interest in description of make believe lands or new magical species or green and purple forests or whatever. ::shrugs:: Some people feel it wakes up their imagination... I just find it too implausible. I think it probably depends on personality type. It's a taste issues, that's all. Nothing to do with genre quality - since there are equally bad fantasy novels and horror novels out there.

hmmmmmmm... I wonder if we both just have major father issues. ahahahahahahaha! Daddy issues! ahahahaha!

in other news, people need to stop disagreeing with me. grrrr.
awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.... *petpetpetpet*

[cimness.livejournal.com]

oooh! i got petted. then i forgive you.

i admit of a possibility that it is taste and not brain damage.

Agreed in full

[(Anonymous)]

I agree. It's astonishing that some people remember how to breathe sometimes. >_< And yeah, too often the fics that get rave reviews make me want to pound the fics and the reviewers both with an aluminum baseball bat until my arms get so tired I can't lift them anymore.

At any rate, mediocrity gets the lion's share of praise-- partly because many people are too lazy to try to understand more involved or deeper works, Partly because many people may be too dumb to fully appreciate them, and partly because most people, even the smarter ones, are jealous of others' intellects.

In other words, I think a lot of people praise the mediocre or bad fics simply because they don't have to be jealous of the minds that created them, and because they don't have to bear the burden of having *their* minds challenged or bettered by reading them.

This happens to such an extent in fandom that I've known a few authors who actually worry *when they get* a lot of praise, for fear that it means they're becoming mediocre, or for fear that it means the story they just put out there wasn't as good as their usual level.

*sigh*

I know I'm not right as often as I'd like to think I am, and I know that I'm occasionally far too short and nasty with people when I think they're being stupid... but Jesus. Sometimes you just want to shake the writers and scream, "TRY, FOR GOD'S SAKE!" Or in the case of readers, "HELLO? FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DISCRIMINATE A LITTLE!"

This is also why good shows get cancelled in a year or two and crappy ones linger for aeons, IMNSHO.
--A Fellow Author

Re: Agreed in full

[cimness.livejournal.com]

hee. thank you. i feel much better after being agreed with. --although that's a good point about the praise; now i'm worried. effusive praise is a mark of inferiority? damn.

maybe just quantity of praise, not effusivity thereof? *hopeful look*

Re: Agreed in full

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, I meant quantity, not quality. Like that received by people who come on list a day after posting Gawdawful Heinous Crap that they tossed off in half an hour and brag about having gotten anywhere from 40-100 locs instantaneously and now they're carrying them home in a dump truck, etc. And you know they're not completely lying because at least a couple dozen of them were on list, and YOUR last fic that you slaved on for weeks got, oh, three or four.

>_<

--Your Anonymous Author. I'm not bitter about this! Really!


...okay, so I'm bitter. :-P

Re: Agreed in full

[cimness.livejournal.com]

yeah, well, don't worry. i'm bitter too!

[sirndipiti.livejournal.com]

...well, of course i would agree with you, where you say, ("... whereby you think ... not what you think...", except i'm not inclined to call it a syndrome, it's just that when you're right, you're right! It is, sadly, the untutored masses who suffer from the pervasive syndrome you so clearly describe -- SNITS, Simple Native Intelligence with Tasteless Selection -- ample opportunities abound to observe the U.M. going about their daily activities blissfully unaware that they suffer from a severe case of the SNITS -- sadder, even, are the incurable or those who refuse to be cured ... -- do you feel better now? heheheheheh

[cimness.livejournal.com]

oh, yes! of course! you know it.

<--always loves new acronyms. snits. must remember this.

[strangelette.livejournal.com]

It all comes back to the unfortunate fact that most people are stupid. Mediocre writing will get great feedback from people with mediocre intellects because they can understand it and that makes them happy.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

this makes perfect sense; it's just so sad and unfair.

i should learn to be happy that people without taste don't like my fic, yes?

[kmazzy.livejournal.com]

yup. and people with incredible taste like me are absolutely smitten by your writing.

(ok, i still haven't looked at the nsync stuff yet but i don't want to add to the list of people saying "i like this but not nsync" which i am afraid would happen if i read them. so at least by not reading them this can't happen...)

i love your writing enough for at least 20 people. so if you like i could get myself 19 new email addresses and write feedback in 20 different ways?

[cimness.livejournal.com]

yes, and obviously your taste is impeccable. because you like me. *coughcough*

but look, all you have to do re: nsync is not *mention* in your feedback that you don't like them. that's all i'm asking.

but fine, don't read them. :p

Re:

[kmazzy.livejournal.com]

*smiles*

ok, i will read them. but ahahahah not on the day when i should have left the house to catch the train 5 minutes ago but instead am not yet dressed and using the computer - aarghhhhhh!

[cjmarlowe.livejournal.com]

Without getting into detail, because unfortunately I'm at work and I can't, I just have to say, agree 100% and thank you for saying it. =)

[cimness.livejournal.com]

:-) you're velcome. i feel a lot better, anyway.

Haha, that's life isn't it

[kwirbx.livejournal.com]

Kind of like Dead or alive 3 compared to Tekken 4. Sure, doa 3 has really pretty girls, mad-looking tags, chasm falls and crazy stuff like that which would make someone passing by say "Hey, doa 3 looks better because of the cheap gimmicks!" But we all know that Tekken 4 has 10 layers of depth BEYOND doa3. Cheap button mashers get a kick out of doa 3 because they randomly push buttons and do exciting things. Cheap button pusher get their asses kicked in tekken 4 because tekken was built with the pro players in mind. (ecept for maybe christy/eddy and that just-frame kuma) Yeah, most people are stupid and just don't understand and it is annoying that doa 3 is heralded as one of the best fighting games ever. (stupid xbox) I hope that wasn't too off base. I mean, I wouldn't dare comment on what good slash is because I've read so little of it. Point being, I'm relating it to video games, because that's what I know a lot about so don't get mad and call me stupid for saying what I said because it DOES make sense if you think about it and it shows that I understand. That's what the whole point of this is right??

Re: Haha, that's life isn't it

[cimness.livejournal.com]

why do you think i would get mad and call you stupid?

i don't really know what you're talking about, having no familiarity with either game, but i'm sure you're right. the same principles apply everywhere.

[silviakundera.livejournal.com]

::taps foot::

I write TONS of maudlin, predictable, mischaracterized repetitive bullshit! Where's my feedback? ::looks pointedly at the unwashed masses::

Some people get all the luck.

[but. er. yes. I agree with you. It's frightening and frustrating and yes. Just on principle. It drives me nuts when crap TV gets good ratings too. People should not support crap! We're dumbing down our culture! blah, blah, blah...]

[cimness.livejournal.com]

Ahahahahahahahahahahaha.

new icon? i like it!

[tavella.livejournal.com]

Oh, god yes. lotr_rps is driving me crazy with that. I see pages of gush over some of the stories, and I just want to shake them and scream 'every character is talking and behaving like a 14 year old girl! An *immature* 14 year old girl!'

[cimness.livejournal.com]

i could add more to the dialogue for while shaking the writers and fb'ers, but again, am not getting story or genre-specific here.

14-yr-old girl behavior is typical of maudlin bad stories. have you noticed this?

[tavella.livejournal.com]

The snark inside me wants to say 'that's that's who writes them', but the darn logician points out that 1) snark is bad debating technique 2) in fact much of this gush is written by adults and 3) I know some 14 year olds who write much much better than than (and better than me.)

My ability to be snide would be much improved if I didn't have an internal beta.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

yes. damn you, internal beta!

and i would say they have universally bad taste and can't write well partly because they read nothing worthwhile, but i think it's much more complicated than that. because look at stunningly good writers like sil and wax reading crap like stephen king, and people who can't write anything at all liking good literature (ie, my parents).

[tavella.livejournal.com]

My internal snide also admires my multiple grammatical errors in the previous post. Gah.

Have I babbled at you yet about the wonderfulness of Tennessee and how it is all Your Fault that I'm reading RPS at all? I've lost track of who I've feedbacked, and I know I haven't sent the long exegesis it deserves.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

i don't *think* so, but it's quite possible that you have.