Insensitivity

Waltzy

I had a pretty crummy Thanksgiving. It was supposed to be a nice day together with my mom and her husband, though I was a bit worried since he got Skyrim already and a change of circumstances made me unable to buy it right away too, so I've been avoiding spoilers like the plague, because the Elder Scrolls series means a lot to me. I mean, Morrowind basically taught me how to read. Anyway, he and mom pester me on facebook about it and are like "ohhh it's so cool", "ohhh I just killed a dragon", etc., and it sounds awesome, but just this once, I kinda don't wanna hear about it, you know? He's all like, "get it, hurrhurdurr" and I told him I had other expenses that were needs vs. wants and to PLEASE NOT TELL ME ANYTHING.

So of course today, what does he do instead of playing games with me and mom? Plays Skyrim with the volume amped, telling me every fucking little detail.This after a car ride where I had to plug my ears half the way because he wouldn't shut up about it. I tried my best to avoid looking and was doing fine, and he just can't stop trying to show off! "Emily look I'm fighting a dragon" and I kept saying no, no, no, and he asks again and I finally shout, "No, I'm not freaking looking, okay?!" and went to help mom set the table. I just want him to leave me the fuck alone about awesome-fucking-Skyrim. ;////;

And we sit at the dinner table finally and I'm feeling really glad since Skyrim is turned off. What does he say? "Oh man I don't know what I'm gonna do next on SKYRIM. Because I " and at this point even my mom is telling him to lay off a little, since he knows damn well it upsets me. We both ask him to knock it off, and then he blurts:

"One of your favorite characters makes a cameo appearance!"

And I know fuck well who it probably is, since there were only two characters I really especially cared for and one of them DIED at the end of his questline.

We go and visit grandma for dessert and then they're driving me home, and it's looking fine, except then you know what he does?

Fucking puts on Skyrim music the entire way home.

I can't believe it at this point so I was NOT shy about pulling out my headphones and closing myself off from them the rest of the way.

And it's not exactly like mom and him and I have always been on awesome terms or anything like it before, not like I HAD to spend Thanksgiving with them, I just decided to out of a nice gesture for a get-together in the hopes of some nice feel-good energy and stuff but he just couldn't fucking keep one little thing to himself. Just had to fucking show off at every damn opportunity when he knew how much it hurt me. I feel so unbelievably pissed that I can't believe it, not because he has Skyrim and I don't, but because he had to be a fucking douchebag about it. It's compounded by the fact that he hasn't even been a fan as long as I have, having only gotten into Elder Scrolls as a series like last year, and now he's acting all holier-than-thou about it when he doesn't even enjoy the games as they are, instead opting to download a bunch of nudie/prostitution side-quest mods and slutty "armor" and shit like that, which is fine but one feels kinda bad about everything else being glossed over for it. At least he bought Skyrim at the expense of immediate necessities so I suppose I should get the last laugh, but it pisses me off to no end.

Sorry for sounding utterly ranty and bitchy, I know I do, but I really had to get it off my chest. After prolonged spoiler-avoidance and ensuing failure despite best efforts I'm just freaking exhausted and full of hate and I just wanna cry my soul out. ~/////~;;

As a warning, and not that I'm saying I'd expect this of any of you, if you think it'd be cute or funny to leak spoilers on Skyrim or brag about how you have it, even as a joke, I guarantee I will not take it well and whatever inevitably nasty things I say to you you've brought on yourself. Just please don't go there. I usually can take a joke and dole out my own but not now.

Legionnaire

Sounds like a right wanker. My condolences. I know that feel all too well.

MadassAlex

I understand that you're upset and stuff right now, Waltzy, and I'd be annoyed too. But your disclaimer's a little too much. As dumb as those jokes would be, it's ultimately just a game. And while I understand your desire to preserve as much emotional impact from it as possible via avoiding spoilers (or really just anything to do with the game), I doubt it's worth getting quite that upset over.

In any case, I think you should fix yourself a hot drink and stop thinking about it.

Also, have something only tangentially related:

AnneBeeche

It isn't the fact that it's just a game, it's  the fact that the guy had to be such an obnoxious jerk about it.

α: Hey man, Skyrim's cool and all, but can we talk about something else.
β:  Sure thing, friend! -puts Skyrim away- What do you want to talk about?

Is that so hard?

^ I see I'm not the only person who has been mesmerized by that song.

Waltzy

It's less the game and more the fact that now is just a really bad time, yeah. I figured I should at least warn people. I try hard not to overreact most times but after all of today I'm just blaarghargh uguu.

Maybe I will get something to drink though.

MadassAlex

I know, I understand that this is more a response to poor behaviour enabled by a game moreso than the game itself. And I wouldn't begrudge anyone being annoyed or angry to some degree at this. At the same time, I doubt it warrants the better part of ten pargraphs and getting to an emotional boiling point.

Waltzy

Sorry. I just am feeling really bad. If it's a bother I guess it can be locked.

MadassAlex

-guilt trip-

Goddamnit, Waltzy.

You've got every right to be annoyed and angry, as I pointed out, and to post your feelings on it. But you shouldn't place so much internal stock in a video game, I think.

Waltzy

I know I shouldn't, and I made a huge effort today not to be, but for obvious reasons, it didn't work out. I'm just sort of tired and out of sorts and honestly kinda just ashamed about even posting my feelings because of how overwhelming they are and I kinda know I'm not thinking clearly and it's just hard because I don't know how to explain that it's a buildup of lots of things mashing together and not just the game.

I'm at something of a loss as to how to proceed now.

MadassAlex

Let it go, chill, and commit some time to something else. I bet you'll forget most of the spoilers in short order. Just relax and stuff.

Waltzy

Too bad my memory's so good. :<

I'll probably be okay but god I wanna cuddle someone. DX I mostly just feel bad because like it felt good to get something out and tell people how I feel but it's just embarrassing and I'm too sensitive anyway and ughh

Maybe I just need sleep. And a hug. ;/////;

MadassAlex

-hug, for what it's worth-

I didn't want you to feel self-conscious or anything, so I do apologise for that, and it's not like I'm going to think of you differently because of this. Relax.

Waltzy

I'm sowwee too. I was probably way way over-sensitive and difficult to approach and those are things I try really hard to not be, so I got frustrated with myself and it exploded. ;//////; I get worse when I let things fester and not talk to someone about it. DX And when this stuff happens it's so strange for me to deal with because I don't get this way very often, at least I like to think so. >////>;;

Thank you for being so kind to me even in a very bad moment. TT///////TT

InsanityAddict

Wow, he sure knows how to run a flimsy joke into the ground.

TheConductor

-hugs his Waltzy- 

Your stepdad sounds like a right See You Next Tuesday.

MillerCross

-hugs his Waltzy- 

what is this /Big Bro act

vandro

Honestly, the concept of "spoilers" should go away. A good story can be enjoyed in any order besides the one meant to be.

MillerCross

By you.

Not everyone does. It bothers me to know what's up ahead. Like, "Enough to not watch/play/read something" bothers me.

vandro

Spoilers for you, I won't spoil you for fun, I will just feel that your investment in the story is more melodramatic than it should.

MillerCross

Well, I don't think it's particularly melodramatic to care about emotional impact.

As an example: It's far easier to not care about walking corpses.

vandro

I see it from another angle: 

if I know a mid-point of the story, then it just means I want to find out how things get there. It does not discourage me or hinder me, but in the end of the day, it is still a story that's being told, not something of real importance. It is like a math problem that's very complex: taking a peek at the answer on the back of the book will not tell you how to reach it. And the way to get there is the whole point for me.

TheConductor

Juan, you are my friend, my compañero, but I will fight you for her! :P

@Spoilers: The journey is just as, if not more, important than the destination but I still want to experience them both on my on. If I have the map, the journey stops being exciting, for me.

vandro

Yup, it stops being exciting for you, because you are no longer lost in the woods and no longer possibly bear food. Next analogy, please.

MadassAlex

Subjectivity, ect.

Let's respect it, in this case.

TheConductor

Yes, but it's the thrill of possibly being bear food that drives me on, without it, I may as well turn back and go home.

InsanityAddict

And now we're running analogies into the ground.

Anyhow, mystery can add to excitement just as it can detract from it. In some works slow revelations are the foundations of the story's effect, in some they are predictabo from a mile away and the strength of story rests on other aspects(manner of writing, humour, action, drama, etcetera) that are still effective even if you know the plotline.

 

MillerCross

if I know a mid-point of the story, then it just means I want to find out how things get there. It does not discourage me or hinder me, but in the end of the day, it is still a story that's being told, not something of real importance. It is like a math problem that's very complex: taking a peek at the answer on the back of the book will not tell you how to reach it. And the way to get there is the whole point for me.

Well, yeah, knowing that Tyler Durden and the Narrator are one and the same doesn't make you automatically understandd everything about Fight Club or anything, if you haven't watched it.

But it takes you away from the character involvement that the work is building up to.

Most of the time, anagnorisis is built around the idea of a character, who the audience is involved with, both in an emotional and mental level, as you're already familiar with the fact before them. You're not just another spectator hearing a story now, you're an spectator who doesn't have a reason to hear the ending as you know what it is. Whether you're fascinated with the middle and beginning points is a different matter, but the point is, you can't feel just as invested, surprised, amused, scared, etc by things you already know.

It is only by the unknown that we react emotionally. Routine does nothing but numb us.

That's my take on it, of corse. I can see how people like spoilers, as it means that you get to catch on foreshaodwing and stuff and analyse a work without letting emotions get on the way, but I think they matter just as much when it comes to weighing a work's actual quality as much as what it does and doesn't do right.

vandro

MadassAlex: Who said subjectivity makes okay not to discuss things? I understand why are people bothered by spoilers, I just find it silly and unnecessary to get worked up on something so trivial.

TheConductor: The breaking point of your analogy is not that being lost on the woods is bad but that you have the whole map, that's like having read the whole synopsis. having a chunk of it would fit the case better, unless the person who spoiled you is so dickish they told you the whole movie in one "sitting", so to speak.

JuanCarlos: Hmmm...I dunno, I tend to feel the same emotion every time I watch something, no matter which time.

MillerCross

MadassAlex: Who said subjectivity makes okay not to discuss things? I understand why are people bothered by spoilers, I just find it silly and unnecessary to get worked up on something so trivial.

Oh well, I think in this particular case, it wasn't just the spoilers.

As for me, I just like to approach things in a tabula rasa-like fashion. Don't let other people's comments, knowledge of the plot, etc ruin it and just let it speak for itself.

glennmagusharvey

Quoth @Juan_Carlos wrote:

It is only by the unknown that we react emotionally.

Icalasari

I wish I knew that feeling Waltzy. But I'm the type where once I learn one thing I have to learn everything (it was hell keeping myself from completely spoiling Pokemon Black and White for myself)