frelling_tralk | (no subject)

Apparently I've been living under a rock for the past few weeks. I've only just woken up to the underlying tension in Smallville fandom.

If people won't even use their lj to squee over Smallville trailers without first putting up a warning, than I think that's pretty fair. It's actually bordering on considerate of people to be thinking "oh maybe that's still something that so and so would prefer not to know", even when it's a trailer that is not designed to be a spoiler, but as a teaser for upcoming episodes.

People can interpret a spoiler as being whatever they like for them obviously. But is some of this info really something you're entitled to be shielded from? Cause that seems to be the attitude of some. I am not talking about detailed spoilers for the first 6 episodes that the spoiler people seek out and yes we should absolutely keep that info to ourselves.

But this certain casting spoiler people are only just finding out about now apparently. Well A&G weren't treating it as a spoiler. They were promoting it months ago, so actually haven't the spoiler people been showing restraint by keeping the info quiet for so long? Go us! :p

With the season finale of Buffy I was spoiled by the freaking tabloids! Yes I was sat on a train and someone was reading an article with the headline that Buffy dies *g* And when I got on-line I would have had to leave the fandom in order to watch Buffy episodes without spoilers. I was a little annoyed about it at the time, but I adjusted *shrug*

I can appreciate being annoyed if someone spoils you. I'm trying to go into the Farscape mini-series spoiler-free.

I just think if people look around at the system in place, you might find that people are actually very civilized about spoilers, and do make way more effort for the spoiler phobic than you will find elsewhere (like on the network itself).

Here's a link to fandom wank discussion on it

http://www.journalfen.net/community/fandom_wank/498946.html

That fandom wank needs a warning attached I guess as it has discussion of the Smallville promo, which I know some people consider a spoiler. And yes, in my lj, I will still cut tag discussions on the promo if that's what people want :)

Fandom wank has some funny comments. Someone mentions that one viewer watching Ats was actually infuriated at episode one of Ats season 5 having Spike in the opening credits which was OMG a total spoiler! Hee.

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I guess I was just surprised at how seriously some people take being spoiled and the apparent distress it causes them. It did become this whole big thing yesterday with people getting really angry about spoilers and attacking their friends over spoilers for a television show.

Tigress said she wouldn't mind people saying thanks occasionally for her spoiler warning system, and some people were all, "Why would I owe you a thank you for that. I can't believe you would expect a thank you!" As if lj cuts are theirs by right, for whatever they see fit to label a spoiler. And I don't necessarily agree when it comes down to things like a promo which is airing on the WB.

Just to be clear, I do think it's selfish and crappy to not use cut tags if you are discussing detailed info from the spoiler community.

But for some of the relatively minor spoilers from the WB and TPTB themselves, well I'd call warnings for them a favor being done for your friends list. Not a huge favor, but still not something they should feel entitled too. For example if someone makes a brief comment on a promo that's been on tv and whoops forget to hide it behind tags, well why should they be given a hard time over that? IMO the person who let that slip without meaning too and generally always has a warning system in place, well that person is not the inconsiderate one to me, the spoiler phobic is the one being unreasonable in that situation.

JMHO.

Well, I agree with you regarding accidents. But, if someone posts something spoilery, and someone comes along and says, "Psst. Some people might find that spoilery," (<--note the lack of hostility) and then they deliberately do not go back and cut tag it, well, I consider that to be rude, personally, and they shouldn't be upset if people remove them from their friends list for it. It goes both ways, as I said.

As for Tigress, the issue with her post about thanks was the timing of it, imo. She'd just spoiled a lot of people on her FL about a casting thing because she and her friends had determined it was no longer a spoiler. Okay, fine, whatever. But don't make a decision like that, spoil people, then expect them to be happy that you didn't spoil them more. I think when people were expecting an apology or an "Oops, that was an accident" and instead they get a post that's like, "You should thank me for not spoiling you more," well, they're gonna get pissed.

She'd have been wise to wait a week or so to make the post, because there is definitely nothing at all wrong with thanking people for using cut tags. I love people who use cut tags. They are wonderful people. I'd be happy to thank them.

I consider warning your friends list that you are discussing the trailer in this post, a favor for them, not something that should be automatically expected of you.

Now there is a code that applies to the spoiler community and what we should go by. I came in to Smallville spoiled, I know the rules about how to discuss spoilers without upsetting your unspoiled friends. Personally I do consider it expected and no thanks needed if we are going to use cut tags to share spoilers we specifically sought out. But there is confusion about whether squeeing over a TV trailer with your friends is going to count as a spoiler and offend some. That's the distinction I'm making, and that is when people are making an effort for those that say even a promo is too much information for them.

As far as I know it's not detailed spoiler info people are getting through friends lists. It's stuff like a casting spoiler that is up on billboards and buses so the spoiler free may be discussing it. Why should people bitch people out for forgetting a cut tag one time, when in fact using a warning system for that type of info is actually extending a courtesy to them in the first place? That is an instance where I don't see cut tags as something that should be automatically required of us. And yet people come over all hostile like the cut tag is theirs by rights.

FYI I wasn't thinking about your post. I thought you were perfectly polite in just mentioning some people might not want to be spoiled for that so cut tags couldn't hurt. But in the really long link from fandom wank, well some of the posts from the spoiler phobic were raising my eyebrows a little with the sense of entitlement coming across. Not getting a cut tag isn't something to be rude about, as far as I'm concerned.

Well, no doubt, it is always best to be polite.

Quick question, though, are you planning on personally using cut tags to discuss information aired on trailers for the following week, etc? I'd just like to know what to expect and make an informed decision.

And, should you choose to use cut tags, you will definitely have my enthusiastic thanks!

Oh sure, that's no problem. I linked to the trailer a while back and discussed it, keeping that entry behind a warning of spoilers for trailer. To be fair there were some big spoilers in the trailer so I can understand people not wanting to hear about them.

I never know what counts as a spoiler now, so if I'm not sure I'll always stick it behind tags with a warning of what is being discussed :)

Thank you!!

I really appreciate it. :) Yay!

You're welcome :)

And good luck in remaining spoiler free, I hope you make it!