I love this because it justifies my cranky behavior -- but also I genuinely believe in what you say about being a hater. You're right that it comes from a place of expecting more and wanting people to reach their artistic and aesthetic potential. I'm finding myself being driven a bit mad rn on this platform, because I'm a natural hater and the algorithm keeps feeding me wildly celebrated pieces and lit criticism that is just... not good? And it isn't even just aesthetically bad (though they are that too); the pieces are really lazy in thought, kind of cruel, written from a place of perpetual aggrievement. My impulse is to put these pieces on blast and be a loud and vocal critic of them, but also that's precisely what these writers want: they want engagement, they want dumb internet feuds that will drive traffic. Also, they're trying to occupy my brain and attention.
I'm trying to be a bit more disciplined with my Haterdom. And maybe sometimes being a hater is just depriving a bad thing of attention. It's been said before by others, but I think it is often more brutal to simply ignore a bad piece of art. Like, these pieces that I'm reading are so awful that they don't deserve oxygen, they don't deserve my attention. I could spend my whole life pointing out bad writing on Substack (and elsewhere!). I'm trying to be a more productive and self-aware hater, lol.
First of all, this incredibly thoughtful so thank you for writing it. And yeah I think that's the thing for me. Like, this isn't a bit. I mean everything I said and use it as a critical philosophy for the most part. We've seen the 'let people enjoy things' ethos evolve into something even more annoying, which is a misplaced, ego-driven superiority complex in the arts. It's the Gagosian syndrome: 'I don't like it because it's good, it's good because I like it.'
I love this because it justifies my cranky behavior -- but also I genuinely believe in what you say about being a hater. You're right that it comes from a place of expecting more and wanting people to reach their artistic and aesthetic potential. I'm finding myself being driven a bit mad rn on this platform, because I'm a natural hater and the algorithm keeps feeding me wildly celebrated pieces and lit criticism that is just... not good? And it isn't even just aesthetically bad (though they are that too); the pieces are really lazy in thought, kind of cruel, written from a place of perpetual aggrievement. My impulse is to put these pieces on blast and be a loud and vocal critic of them, but also that's precisely what these writers want: they want engagement, they want dumb internet feuds that will drive traffic. Also, they're trying to occupy my brain and attention.
I'm trying to be a bit more disciplined with my Haterdom. And maybe sometimes being a hater is just depriving a bad thing of attention. It's been said before by others, but I think it is often more brutal to simply ignore a bad piece of art. Like, these pieces that I'm reading are so awful that they don't deserve oxygen, they don't deserve my attention. I could spend my whole life pointing out bad writing on Substack (and elsewhere!). I'm trying to be a more productive and self-aware hater, lol.
First of all, this incredibly thoughtful so thank you for writing it. And yeah I think that's the thing for me. Like, this isn't a bit. I mean everything I said and use it as a critical philosophy for the most part. We've seen the 'let people enjoy things' ethos evolve into something even more annoying, which is a misplaced, ego-driven superiority complex in the arts. It's the Gagosian syndrome: 'I don't like it because it's good, it's good because I like it.'
This feels like the secret rules to enter the Player Haters Ball tbqh
I can't post a picture but I am imagining Silky Johnson saying, "Now, if you'll excuse me. I'm gonna go put water in Buck Nasty's mama's dish."
Timeless.
[insert sickos meme]
This is it
it's the season of the hater
dammit you beat me to the punch