Social Media: love it or hate it, it is a fully ingrained part of function society today. Facebook had it’s own Oscar nominated movie (As well as one about one of Joe’s favourite pastimes), Twitter hashtags couple with every TV show currently in syndication and Reddit is bringing fandom and industry figureheads into discussion and debate. It’s a weird, wonderful, connected world we live in. What a time to be alive. Or so you’d think, right?
As my crazy dead uncle always used to say, ‘For every nice German you meet, one of them could probably be the next Hitler’. Apologies to the Germans and poor analogy aside, there’s a certain black sheep amongst the social media crowd. One that, in this humble writers opinion, not only poisons everything it touches, but also shows how fucking stupid we all still are in this supposed enlightened age. That beast’s name is Tumblr. I hate it and you should too.
What follows are a few reasons think this site is a breeding ground for the worst kind of people.
Special Snowflake Syndrome
The idea that everyone is special, unique and different is bullshit. It’s why we have words to describe large quantities of people. Like ‘morons’, for example, which is the word I’d use to describe people who use Tumblr. Despite what your parents might tell you, you're not special. You probably won't leave a lasting effect on this planet, save for your carbon footprint, unless you happen to be a religious figurehead for people to kill in your name. Yet, a good amount of people who use Tumblr believe they are the centre of the universe because they identify as weird shit.
Before I let loose on this subject, sexual identity is a completely removed debate. Fuck whatever you want to fuck, as long as it isn’t in my bed whilst drinking my bourbon. What I’m talking about here are people who want to be taken seriously whilst identifying as a wolf, or an interdimensional space being. You think I’m joking, don’t you? Click those links. I dare you. If you can visit those pages and take these people seriously, you have the patience of Jesus himself… and the intelligence of his worshippers.
Before I let loose on this subject, sexual identity is a completely removed debate. Fuck whatever you want to fuck, as long as it isn’t in my bed whilst drinking my bourbon. What I’m talking about here are people who want to be taken seriously whilst identifying as a wolf, or an interdimensional space being. You think I’m joking, don’t you? Click those links. I dare you. If you can visit those pages and take these people seriously, you have the patience of Jesus himself… and the intelligence of his worshippers.
I just can't fathom why people buy into this shit, but moreso why they think this gives them special rights over others. Tumblr hate normality, that much has been shown (Basically, if you're white, male, have a penis and are comfortable having said penis, you will be crucified), but this takes it to a new level. Wanting to have sex with wolves is one thing. Thinking you ARE a wolf and campaigning for wolf rights makes you look retarded. Actually, no, that would be offensive to actual retards. This makes you look worse.
Oh, and can we talking about fat shaming for a second? Anyone who says that fat shaming is a thing needs a fucking slap. People dissuade you from being overweight because it is medically bad for you. Like, heart attack, high cholesterol, repository problems bad. I am overweight, I’m not ashamed to admit that, but I don’t use that as leverage to demand special treatment. And I certainly don’t use my un-healthiness as a substitute for an identity. Being fat isn’t a statement, unless that statement is that you fucking love eating. Jesus, if you're going to have thick skin, at least make that carry over to your emotions too.
Oh, and can we talking about fat shaming for a second? Anyone who says that fat shaming is a thing needs a fucking slap. People dissuade you from being overweight because it is medically bad for you. Like, heart attack, high cholesterol, repository problems bad. I am overweight, I’m not ashamed to admit that, but I don’t use that as leverage to demand special treatment. And I certainly don’t use my un-healthiness as a substitute for an identity. Being fat isn’t a statement, unless that statement is that you fucking love eating. Jesus, if you're going to have thick skin, at least make that carry over to your emotions too.
Stopping Artistic Expression
Look, I’m a theatre graduate. I am all about artistic expression. I can’t defend everything, but inspiration and art can come from anywhere. The thing is, because of this retarded thing called ‘triggering’, people are allowed to throw bitch fits on Tumblr to stifle creativity and artistic expression and all together ruin peoples careers because they made something that a handful of people are too blind to appreciate.
The one that hits home for me is the Batgirl #41 Killing Joke Variant cover controversy. For those who don’t know, this cover depicted the events of the critically lauded graphic novel ‘The Killing Joke’. In context to the events of the comic, The Killing Joke involves a scene where The Joker bursts into Barbara Gordon’s (Batgirl) apartment and shoots her, before undressing her and taking vulnerable photographs of her in order to ‘break’ her father, Detective Jim Gordon, into an insane episode. The gunshots result in Barbara being paralysed from the neck down. In DC’s comic continuity, this becomes a major part of Barbara’s character; For years, she helped Batman as the intelligence agent Oracle, proving her worth as a crime fighter despite the harm the Joker bought to her. And in the newer, more lighthearted Batgirl run of the New 52, the events of The Killing Joke resonate to give Batgirl a nervous disposition toward gunshots. That is interesting. That is artistic.
The one that hits home for me is the Batgirl #41 Killing Joke Variant cover controversy. For those who don’t know, this cover depicted the events of the critically lauded graphic novel ‘The Killing Joke’. In context to the events of the comic, The Killing Joke involves a scene where The Joker bursts into Barbara Gordon’s (Batgirl) apartment and shoots her, before undressing her and taking vulnerable photographs of her in order to ‘break’ her father, Detective Jim Gordon, into an insane episode. The gunshots result in Barbara being paralysed from the neck down. In DC’s comic continuity, this becomes a major part of Barbara’s character; For years, she helped Batman as the intelligence agent Oracle, proving her worth as a crime fighter despite the harm the Joker bought to her. And in the newer, more lighthearted Batgirl run of the New 52, the events of The Killing Joke resonate to give Batgirl a nervous disposition toward gunshots. That is interesting. That is artistic.
Image Credit: DC Comics
Unless you were part of the #changethecover movement, and are therefore a fucking moron. From what I could tell, people who had never read a Batgirl, Joker or Batman comic in their life were the ones who swayed DC Comics to pull the variant cover because people felt ‘triggered’ by it. Triggered by what aspect you may ask? By the overarching themes of the patriarchy and sexual abuse. So, because someone else found it offensive, these asshats made it so that you couldn't have it.
Let me break into a little bit of a character study here. The Joker is supposed to be scary. But why is the Joker scary? Because he is unpredictable. The Killing Joke does not depict any form of sexual abuse or rape within it’s panels nor it’s subtext, and I do not for one minute think that Alan Moore was attempting to portray that. Because trust me, if he wants rape to be in a comic, he fucking puts it in (No pun intended). It would be a fully predictable thing for The Joker to rape Barbara were he a traditional villain, but the reason why he chose to undress the paralysed Barbara is the Joker’s real play here. It’s all to get at Jim Gordon. You want to break someone? Leave them guessing. The Joker doesn’t explain himself and neither should he ever do so. He is scary because at no point could you ever possibly fathom what his thought process is. Whatever it is that he is planning, though, it will be terrifying and unpredictable.
Let me break into a little bit of a character study here. The Joker is supposed to be scary. But why is the Joker scary? Because he is unpredictable. The Killing Joke does not depict any form of sexual abuse or rape within it’s panels nor it’s subtext, and I do not for one minute think that Alan Moore was attempting to portray that. Because trust me, if he wants rape to be in a comic, he fucking puts it in (No pun intended). It would be a fully predictable thing for The Joker to rape Barbara were he a traditional villain, but the reason why he chose to undress the paralysed Barbara is the Joker’s real play here. It’s all to get at Jim Gordon. You want to break someone? Leave them guessing. The Joker doesn’t explain himself and neither should he ever do so. He is scary because at no point could you ever possibly fathom what his thought process is. Whatever it is that he is planning, though, it will be terrifying and unpredictable.
Image Credit: DC Comics
For context, The Killing Joke came out in 1988. That’s 27 years ago. But riding off the back of a number of retarded new age, armchair feminist battles that take everything in negative light at face value, Tumblr decided that the time to be angry at DC for publishing a comic was 27 years after it came out, after critical praise and after elements of these relationships and character tropes had been borrowed and retold in fan favourite stories and movies.
Even if you take that out of the equation, you can’t deny that what happened was that people forced a drawing that they didn’t agree with to be removed from the public eye. You know who else did that? The fucking Nazis. I rest my case.
Even if you take that out of the equation, you can’t deny that what happened was that people forced a drawing that they didn’t agree with to be removed from the public eye. You know who else did that? The fucking Nazis. I rest my case.
Hate Speech Aplenty
Name something about yourself. Your sex, age, hair colour, weight, height, favourite colour, TV show preference, anything. You can bet your sweet ass that someone on Tumblr will find a way to hate you for it. Here are selection of my favourite blind hate speeches.
Welcome to Tumblr, the 'rational', 'inclusive' social network!
Fandom Gets Out Of Control
Who likes Supernatrual? Who likes killing children? On Tumblr, these people are one and the same. Fandom in general on Tumblr is a fucking mess, but I can’t think of a reason to hate on a lot of them other than I don’t get the attraction toward some of the shittier shows. I mean, Twilight is fucking awful, but if people like it, I have lost nothing and no-one has been harmed. The Supernatural fanbase, however, are something else.
These people get way too involved in what is a work of fiction. The typical character shipping (fantasising over two characters having sex) takes place, but it’s the fervent attitude people have toward pushing their own ideals over the cast that is alarming. The cast are continually harassed at conventions and public appearances by rabid fans who want some form of validation for the weird pairings they make porn out of, one of them literally being the main characters being in an incestuous relationship. Oh, and they tried to get one of them fired for said actor thinking that their harassment was a bad idea.
These people get way too involved in what is a work of fiction. The typical character shipping (fantasising over two characters having sex) takes place, but it’s the fervent attitude people have toward pushing their own ideals over the cast that is alarming. The cast are continually harassed at conventions and public appearances by rabid fans who want some form of validation for the weird pairings they make porn out of, one of them literally being the main characters being in an incestuous relationship. Oh, and they tried to get one of them fired for said actor thinking that their harassment was a bad idea.
Image Credit: dailydot.com
This came to a head of puerile vitriol when actor Jensen Ackles happily announced the pregnancy of his wife, Danneel Harris. The fandom responded by jumping from Tumblr to Twitter sending the poor woman death threats, telling her to abort the baby or trying to get a hashtag trending wishing her to have a miscarriage or an accident that would make her lose the child. This was because if this ACTOR in a FICTICIOUS SHOW was to have a love life or a family life outside of the weird incestuous relationship fans wanted them to have, it was totally unacceptable and it shouldn’t be allowed to happen.
I really hope that I am never so involved in something that I would hope that someone has to go through the pain of miscarrying a child. That is just fucking horrible, and this is coming from someone who allows The Cunt to be an author. But because this kind of mass thinking is allowed on Tumblr, these two actors had to read that people wanted them to abort their child, the pinnacle of their devotion, because some fat lezzers wouldn’t be able to get off to their fan fiction anymore. The Supernatural fanbase to this day hasn’t fucking grown up. The last I heard, at a convention held here in Britain, actor Misha Collins was assaulted by members of his fandom for a similar issue where the fanbase wasn’t allowed to dictate who he should or shouldn’t fuck. An insane asylum would struggle to diagnose these fuckers.
So that's Tumblr for you. If you were offended by anything I said, then good. That's fine. But don't expect me to be quiet about it. Whilst the rest of the world will bow down to the every little bitch fit that these people throw, I would rather let them throw a paddy and wear themselves out, getting all worked up because they're offended and I refuse to conform to thier uber-PC, hyper militant social justice mindset. Offence is part of the human experience. These fucking freaks should try living themselves before dictating how other should live.
So that's Tumblr for you. If you were offended by anything I said, then good. That's fine. But don't expect me to be quiet about it. Whilst the rest of the world will bow down to the every little bitch fit that these people throw, I would rather let them throw a paddy and wear themselves out, getting all worked up because they're offended and I refuse to conform to thier uber-PC, hyper militant social justice mindset. Offence is part of the human experience. These fucking freaks should try living themselves before dictating how other should live.
By Mike Owen
@ThatMikeOwen
The Editor in Chief of Foul Entertainment, Mike edits most of what you see on the site. He runs the production of our podcasts, and currently pens Pop Culture Club and The Death of Video Games.
@ThatMikeOwen
The Editor in Chief of Foul Entertainment, Mike edits most of what you see on the site. He runs the production of our podcasts, and currently pens Pop Culture Club and The Death of Video Games.