#like you can disagree with us but this total condescending dismissal that always

[txttletale]

ive been awake for like two hours today and if i took a shot for every time a he/they told me or my mutuals to shut up about transmisogyny in my notes today i would be seeing double right now

[itsclydebitches]

I think that regarding RWBY criticism people are defensive because there are a lot of people who dont like the show and actively shit talk it for whatever reason. We agree on that and we agree there are people who criticize the show because they like it and want it to be "better" (whatever that means to them.) Now feel free to disagree with me on this part but i think part of the reason the people who have genuine criticism often get disregarded and labeled a hater is because, at least to me, they dont provide a solution to the problems they have or do so in a way that can be interpreted as self-righteous and condescending. Its like if a teacher got mad at a student for not understanding the material rather than trying to explain it differently, it just creates another issue.

I think the reason why critics don't provide a solution is the same reason why that comparison doesn't work for me: we are not RT's teachers. We are the consumers of their product. Whereas a teacher has a responsibility to do everything possible to help a student get better at their subject (the thing they're paid to do), it is not the viewers' responsibility to do everything possible to help RT get better at writing (we're paying them). To my mind, it really is enough to say, "This is bad" and leave it at that. The same way if I order a meal at a restaurant, I'm allowed to go, "Wow. That tasted awful and I'm upset about it because I expected better." If my dinner companion went, "Well, why was it bad? Too cold? Not enough seasoning? Prove to me these failings exist because I'm not inclined to take you at your word. And more importantly, what's your solution here? I'm not going to take this complaint seriously unless you have a good plan for how to fix this dish" I'd be like, "... what am I supposed to do? March into the kitchen and teach the chef myself?"

We're under no obligation to fix RT's mistakes and, even if we were, how exactly are a bunch of fans meant accomplish that? What literal, practical action does anyone expect fans to take to ensure that the changes they want to see in RWBY actually come about? There's nothing you can do. However, despite this, many fans do suggest changes that they think would benefit the story, with the hope that the writers — who are very active on social media and engage a great deal with their fans — will see and take note. There have been times throughout the series where it does appear like they saw some of the more common complaints... only to then swerve right back towards their original writing decisions. Ren's Volume 8 arc is an example of that. So is Jaune's focus in the finale. Many in the fandom said, "I want to see the group held responsible for their bad decisions. I want Jaune to take a backseat so the girls can get more development. I think these choices will help alleviate many of the criticisms we've had" and RT did that... only to pull back on both changes at the last second. Obviously there's no way to know their intentions there, whether it's a coincidence they toyed with ideas the fandom has frequently discussed, or whether they actually tossed them in to try and appease critics with no real plans to take those changes seriously, but for the purposes of this discussion it amounts to the same: fans said "Doing this specific thing will make the story better, with 'better' defined as us deriving more enjoyment from it" and RT didn't do the thing. So, where are you supposed to go from there? Storm RT headquarters and make them take writing classes? Frankly, it's ridiculous to think that fans need or could do anything at all, making solutions a needless requirement.

To say nothing of how this comes across as another lose-lose situation. You say that critics should provide solutions to these problems in order to be taken seriously. You also say that if they do provide solutions, they tend to come across as "self-righteous and condescending." Pardon my skepticism, but it sounds like there isn't a version of criticism that's going to meet with your approval, or if it exists, it's an incredibly narrow pocket. Criticism is dismissed if there's no solution attached, but if you do provide a solution, make sure you don't sound too confident in the changes you want to make. That doesn't sound very doable to me. It just sounds like a catch-all way to dismiss criticism as a whole, either because a post didn't meet the first, arbitrary requirement, or did so in a tone the recipient decides they don't like (which is always subjective. Any post can be read as "self-righteous" if you decide that's the route you want to go. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy). And I do see this a lot. For a transformative fandom like any other, the RWBY community has a strangely hostile attitude towards rewrites, with many fans considering it "self-righteous" to think that anyone could write RWBY better than RT, and that a rewrite's existence is "condescending" towards the writers. If I actually gave a detailed account of not just my problems with the story, but also the specific changes needed to improve it (many of which, notably, require a reworking of the mechanics and world building from the very start), there's a very good chance that would still be dismissed because people would interpret it as too arrogant. "Look at her, thinking she's better than professional, successful writers. What massively popular stories have you published lately? Yeah, that's what I thought. God I hate critics, they're so pretentious." If you don't provide solutions you're being too negative and don't actually want the story to succeed. If you provide solutions you're too arrogant and insulting the writers by daring to think that you could do better. So again: lose-lose.

But as said, solutions shouldn't be necessary. It's great if you come up with some, but figuring out how to fix a product's failings is not a requirement for voicing grievances with that product. I don't need to know how to build a better computer to be upset if mine suddenly fails. I don't need to know how to bake muffins to grimace if the one I'm eating tastes off. And you don't need to know how to write a webseries to be unhappy with how RWBY is going. If we were in a position of responsibility with RT, like a teacher, then yeah, totally different situation. But they're producing something that they expect fans to pay for, whether it's through First accounts, merch, cons, etc. or, payment aside, they nevertheless hope to receive attention and praise for this product. The flipside of that is that people might not like what you're selling. You can be displeased with the quality of a webseries purchase in precisely the same way you can be displeased with the quality of a meal. No Gordon Ramsey-level knowledge required.

[weedle-testaburger]

Me again. You do make a good point about leftist youtubers. I don't mind Renegade Cut myself, I started watching him a few years ago for his film essays, but he does come across as appallingly pessimistic, I LOVED his video on Atlas Shrugged where he tore objectivist philosophy a new asshole though. And I've always found Jim Sterling to be terribly condescending, I thought it was just me but I'm glad to see others feel the same way. Thought I was going crazy.

Yeah that video of Renegade Cut's is great, but after a while their videos just turned into an endless series of 'this is why capitalism is bad' rants. Not that I disagree ofc, I just don't feel the need to be told every 20 seconds. And I used to like Jim but their videos have gotten way worse recently, they don't make as many jokes and they're more often than not just preachy rants nowadays. I should be clear my issue isn't really their politics (well, a little bit their dismissal of everyone who doesn’t agree with them on everything as 'liberals' and 'bootlickers'), but mostly the way their channels form total echo chambers and they can hardly talk about anything without sounding preachy. Compare with the people I mentioned I liked where they don't feel the need to go on and on about those issues (take hbomberguy's Woke Brands video where he takes as read that his audience knows and distrusts companies making those gestures for their injustices towards their staff and the third world, and focuses on why they do it and how angry it makes reactionary idiots- it's way more interesting and funny as a result).

[sheshallfromtimetotime]

2020 is undoubtedly the most important election of our lifetimes. And for me, there’s no question: We must remove Donald Trump from office. In fact, I’ve never felt a more visceral, deep-seated hatred for a political figure in my entire life. And that’s why I’m voting for Joe Biden – because once he’s in the White House, I will have the privilege and honor of hating the President of the United States a normal, standard amount.

I don’t agree with Joe Biden on everything. In fact, from his hardline criminal justice record to his wishy-washy stance on fracking to his condescending dismissal of Medicare for All, I kind of don’t agree with Joe Biden on anything. But I disagree with him on everything in a way that doesn’t constantly make my blood boil, shave years off of my lifespan, and compel me to write self-righteous 500-word Facebook posts that change exactly zero minds. And for me? That’s the bar right now.

Currently, my political identity, my mental health, and even my sense of cosmic stability are predicated on the actions of a withering 74-year-old whose administration is always actively attempting to oppress marginalized people. All I want is the chance to elect a withering 77-year old whose administration oppresses marginalized people a typical American amount!

I’ve done the math: Joe Biden was my 17th choice in the primary. Right above Bloomberg and right below that sweaty bald guy with the disturbingly hot body. If Biden is president, I imagine feeling purely numb at best. And numb is a high I haven’t felt for as long as I can remember!

Look, hating the president is an American pastime. If I’m being totally real, they probably all deserve a military tribunal for their crimes against humanity, maybe excepting Jimmy Carter (who did like 40 years of community service to make up for whatever damage he did) and William Henry Harrison (who had the good sense to catch the bad vibes and dip early, babe!).

But there’s crimes against humanity, and then there’s, y’know, crimes against humanity. It’s one thing to quietly build the cages at the border — it’s another thing to lean into using the cages as your whole brand. You can say the quiet part loud, but, Jesus Christ, do you have to say the quiet part exclusively?

I have enough regular problems. My career is spiraling. My nutrition is terrible. The Harry Styles concert I bought tickets for in July 2019 keeps getting delayed. I don’t need “hyperventilating about the latest depravity of the moronic fascist ex-NBC mascot president” on top of it all.

But I can definitely fit in “calling my senator to insist the Climate Action Now Act doesn’t go far enough.” And that’s why Joe Biden is my candidate.