Here's what's taking so long with the post I had intended for today: A person needs to be extraordinarily careful when criticizing the most universally beloved installment in a franchise.
I am not the kind of writer to be blunt and insensitive. I'm writing about a fandom I love, and the installment in question is one that I do like--I just don't love it the way apparently everyone else does, and I'm trying to build an argument backed by facts that will help set the record straight: the fans are wrong. Or, at the very least, the fans are blinded by nostalgia, or never gave the rest of the franchise a chance. Or perhaps they don't "get" the fandom. Any of these assertions is bound to get me in trouble, especially if I phrase them as I have here. I have the facts, but I don't know exactly what accusation to make with them, and it all turns into speculation in the end.
This is the post I've been working on for weeks, constantly rewriting it. I'm trying to say too much at once: to explain myself, the fandom, the fans, every aspect of everything. In the end, I may not be met with as much resistance as I'm expecting, and I know I'll have at least a few supporters, but I have to make sure I'm representing myself and my case adequately, so that even if you disagree with me, you understand exactly where I'm coming from. I get angry at people who harshly criticize things without providing ample explanation for why their hatred is so strong, especially when I think the thing in question is at least halfway decent.
In short, I don't want to be "that guy" who critiques something you hold dear, and doesn't even bother to provide a cogent rationale for his obviously personal assault.
So, if I write something in the next few days that either offends you or seems needlessly inflated with details irrelevant to the main focus of the post, I'm sorry. At this point, I might just let the facts speak for themselves, because at this rate you might never see this post at all.
2 comments:
I'm pretty sure I know what you're talking about, and if I do, don't worry. Having been one of and with your fans, they A. have a simmilar perspective as you on most things and B. won't be personaly offended by something you say espcially if you back it up and take the care into its presentation as you obviously have.
Don't fear us, if you've put so much effort into something, I'm sure I speak for the fans when I say don't let us stop you. This is you're (1/2) blog, you have a right to say what you want here. Anyone who disagrees doen't have to come anyways.
Plus, a statment that is different from the norm can be the most exiting to the eye. If you saw an article about say... Super Mario Galaxy 2 being the worst game ever, wouldn't you be interested?
And now my tangent has probably exeded the post in length. I need to learn to be consise. Hope my message got across. :)
I figured you might. ;) Thanks for the encouragement--it helped!
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