Disturbing trend

[greatbear]

Okay, I just dont understand some people.

It's been a trend that I have been seeing more and more, but it really became widespread with the latest Harry Potter book. For lack of a better name, I will call it "spoiling". In other words, people are in some way or another deliberately making public the outcomes or 'secrets' or other info in the latest popular book or movie or what have you in an attempt to ruin it for others who haven't seen/read/heard yet.

Assholes.

Sometimes it's unintentional, like those on the east coast seeing a television show then posting it on the internet not thinking that west coasters have yet to see the show. With others, it's purely intentional, as if to say "I got mine, screw you people". It's a kind of vandalism in some ways.

I've seen it in some LJ post but mostly in more 'juvenile' web forums such as Genmay and SA. People get their jollies at the expense of others. And it's becoming more prevalent, to the point of not knowing where it will show up next.

Comments

[qbear.livejournal.com]

I agree. I just defriended someone who did just that. If you must publish spoilers, the considerate thing to do is place them behind cuts, warning people. One person's triviality (Ha ha!! Who cares about the big secrets in this book/movie/play/opera/reality show? I don't, I'm far above it all, so I'll spoil it for everyone else!!!) is another person's enjoyment. I don't really consider people who get off on ruining other people's pleasure as friend material.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Granted, almost all of those on my friend's list will use a cut or other warning to tell of potential spoilers, and that's cool. I've also seen some posts that basically state "THE BUTLER DID IT!!11!!1" strictly to wreck any element of surprise for other audiences.

[baeritone.livejournal.com]

I have only once spoiled something for someone in an online forum. My lj cut was improperly coded, and I didn't notice that it hadn't been. I fixed it, but not fast enough.

The book in question had been out for about six months by that point, and I was vague about details, but still, I felt bad about it.

All this is only to prove your point that often, it's not intentional.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

I'm not talking about cases like yours, which are relatively rare and purely unintentional (and forgiveable). What I am complaining about is those who deliberately go out of their way to intentionally post or say whatever it is that's needed to be a spoiler. I'm seeing it more and more, centering around popular books, Survivor-style game shows, American Idol-like contests and whodunit/cliffhanger television shows. It's mainly centered around the internet and it's instant reach to areas that might not have had a chance to read/watch/experience that something 'unmolested'. And it's likeliness to occur is in direct proportion to how unexpected the 'secret' happens to be.

[aadroma.livejournal.com]

Hell, I'm related to someone who does that. Even in person -- which is why I can't watch movies or anything with that bitch. ^^;;;

I don't quite get it, and the reasoning about why they did it seems ... understandable, alien. You know what I'm getting at?

[bigfundrew.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU!!
I thought I was being a whiny bitch...so much so that I deleted my post ranting about people spoiling Harry Potter..I don't think that they got that I didn't care that they spoiled part of the book for me...what I cared about was that they posted something with the sole purpose of being an asshole....

[teddyb.livejournal.com]

I saw some dickhead do this a day or so ago in one of the communities I belong to here on LJ, and at first, I didn't realize what was going on.

The post had absolutely NOTHING to do with the community.

I guess this is the LJ equivalent of spraying graffiti on a wall.

LOL I guess in my case, the joke is on the dickhead who posted the spoiler. By the time I get around to reading the book, I will have completely forgotten what he wrote. In fact, I can't remember it now.

Sometimes having a totally useless short-term memory is a blessing in disguise. *grin*

[barak.livejournal.com]

I can't stand people who purposely spoil the ending. Its one thing if I WANT to know, but rarely thats the case. I would much rather experience it myself. I got so mad at someone who gave away the ending to the Sixth Sense that I couldn't bring myself to address him for a week.

Anybody on my friends list who would purposely spoil the ending of something would get dropped real quick.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Case in point. There is a 'stickied' (pinned to the top of the list) thread at General Mayhem boasting about how a bunch of their members went around to various Harry Potter forums and posting spoilers all over, as well as posting them in other fan sites, news sites, etc. Some people are pissed, and some people love what they have done. It's sad, really, seeing how they are so proud that they 'pwned' so many sites.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

This time a few groups were making a concerted effort to go into Harry Potter- or book-related communities and even non-book sites and 'spoiling' the book for everyone. It's people with nothing better to do.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

You arent the only one complaining. And, like you it's not for the actual spoiler in this case (I've never read HP) rather than for the idiot purposely ruining it for others.

[greatbearmd.livejournal.com]

Some people like to think they are in control or are know-it-alls. Others do it for the schadenfreude aspects. Those types have mental problems in many cases.

don't tell!

[jackal.livejournal.com]

Albus Dumbledore is Harry Potter's father!

[teddyb.livejournal.com]

That really sucks.

I think Hagrid needs to give a few people some new tails...

[heartcry.livejournal.com]

OMG! Some of my lj friends posted some events that occur later in the book and it really pissed me off. I'm only on page 73!!! I'm going to have to go underground for a day so I can finish the book before some moron decides to spoil the entire thing.