A Laissez-Faire Approach to Media Discourse
It’s fun to talk about movies, tv shows, games, etc. that we like, dislike, or maybe have more complex feelings for. By doing so, we pick up on things we might not have noticed by ourselves, and we get a better idea of how we actually feel. A good debate or exchange of ideas keeps things fresh and saves us from ending up dull in mind and spirit.
Sadly, just because discourse is essential doesn’t mean it always goes smoothly. It could be because someone raised their voice or the conversation took a mean-spirited direction, or maybe you all’ve just exhausted your talking points and now everybody’s just talking in circles and getting grouchier by the lap. With neither side wanting to give an inch in their arguments, it’s almost inevitable that you end up caps-locked in verbal warfare. That’s the point where it stops being about the opinions we share and instead becomes us just trying to vindicate them for our own satisfaction.
Despite offering new and better ways to connect and communicate with others all across the globe, the Internet seems to have only worsened how we treat each other. The anonymity of usernames means it’s much easier to get away with vitriol, and it’ll always be easier to tear into people whom you’ll likely never get to meet in person. Even if you’re not looking for trouble, scroll far enough virtually anywhere and you’re guaranteed to find at least two random people at each other’s throats.
I don’t want to give the impression that this kind of attitude happens exclusively with or because of all those let-down fans of IPs that have been declared “ruined” in recent years. If anything, I’m also making this for people who try to be positive and end up turning just as toxic as the other side can get, which could potentially lead to unneeded tension with folks who can’t help but be rationally critical. It’s a gateway to a vicious cycle and both sides are complicit in keeping the coals well stoked.
In my personal opinion, the biggest source of this widespread toxicity issue comes from the fact that the things we enjoy have become inexorably fused to our identity. It’s not enough to just enjoy something; we have to live it, breath it, and let it consume us the same way we’d consume it. If someone or something threatens our feelings about these things, then they’re threatening us, too. To that end, it’s almost entirely a matter of pride.
The best way to deal with this problem, then, would be to cut that pride out of the equation. Just because someone is being inflammatory (whether they intend to be or not) doesn’t mean we need to get enflamed in return. Instead of turning every conversation as a confrontation, how about we try something a little more laissez-faire?
By its basic, non-economic definition, laissez-faire is a philosophy/policy of living and letting live, allowing yourself and others the freedom to live, act, and think as they so please. When I talk about laissez-faire in the context of media discourse, I want to help encourage others not to be swept away by others’ thoughts and words.
I speak from both personal experience and observation that you won’t get much fulfillment from getting overly invested in other people’s opinions on certain things or people. Instead, you’ll just get saltier and saltier until you’re on a hair-trigger about literally everything and you’ve pretty much ruined what should be a source of enjoyment for yourself.
The things on this little list are probably obvious, but I still live by them when I find myself on the verge of letting those feelings get the better of me, and maybe they might help you, too:
KEEP AN OPEN MIND: There are all sorts of people out there in the world, each with their own varied assortments of opinions and reasonings for them. If it doesn’t make sense on the surface, there’s no harm in asking or trying to figure out why.
DISAGREE KINDLY: It doesn’t matter how ridiculous the hot take that just scraped your ears was. If somebody comes at you with full-on blasphemy, you just got to make it clear how you feel without setting off any bombs. Don’t resort to tirades or hyperbole and avoid just calling people names. It’s up to you to either find common ground or just agree to disagree.
DON’T GET BAITED: It’s sometimes inevitable that you’ll run into trolls and firebrands looking for trouble, but the last thing you should do is bother indulging them. Try being a keyboard hero and you’re giving them exactly what they want, and you may just end up on the front page the wrong subreddit.
KNOW WHEN TO STOP: Just as inevitable is the fact that sometimes we just can’t help but act on impulse and start slipping up. When in doubt, disengage. There’s nothing wrong with going on about your day and letting them go about theirs.
If there’s something you enjoy and other people are putting you down for it, don’t let them keep you from enjoying it or sharing that positivity with others (so long as that positivity is healthy, obviously). Just be sure not to meet toxicity with venom of your own, or else you’ll end up your own worst enemy.
In turn, if there’s something that you genuinely dislike, then by all means, voice your criticisms and don’t be afraid to explain why. Just be careful about how far you take it, because it’s too easy to just start hating for hatred’s sake.
The point I’m trying to make here isn’t that you should keep your opinions to yourself or not care about other people’s opinions. As I said before, opinions deserve to be shared and put to the test. However, how we present ourselves and react is critical to keeping conversations above the belt.
There’s enough sourness in the world already. No need to make it worse.