Boy, am I ever tired of seeing statements like the following:
- "Predator fans despise the Yautja."
- "Everyone knows Alien is the best film in the series."
- "Only an idiot could enjoy Alien Resurrection."
- "It's obvious to true fans that Predators are superior to Aliens."
These are just a few simple examples. In the interest of making a better forum with fewer jackholes in it, I invite everyone to always remember:
- You do not speak for anyone but yourself.
- You do not speak for "true fans" or "people who really care." Everybody here is a true fan, or else they wouldn't be here. Everyone cares, or else they wouldn't be here.
- As soon as you're starting to say "We all know" or "everyone knows that this movie/creature/idea rocked/sucked," stop yourself. Who is WE? You don't know EVERYONE, do you? Stop. Don't disagree, because I promise you absolutely do not. There is only YOU. "We all" don't know anything of the kind. Not everyone believes that Predator 2/AVP/Alien Resurrection were pieces of shit. Not everyone hates the directors responsible. Not everyone thinks that the Strauses are automatically superior to, say, Stephen Hopkins just because they're not Stephen Hopkins. We haven't seen their movie yet. We don't know how their movie will be. We can only hope.
- If you start to mockingly say that you know what the "vast majority" thinks, consider this: You can't. You can't know what the wider public thinks. You can know what this board thinks. That's it. You MIGHT know what many Internet sites think. Maybe. If you're really visiting that many. You DO NOT know what humanity as a whole thinks about anything. The Internet is not a valid random sample of the majority. Case in point: Star Wars Episode I. That movie made so much money that people obviously went back to see it again and again and again and again, or else it's just impossible. It also got a standing freaking ovation at my midnight premiere. And yet most of the Internet hates it. Does that mean most of the WORLD hates it? Based on the repeat business and the huge DVD sales... well, apparently not.
Remember these simple instructions, and you'll be a friendlier board member and much less of a dick to people around you. Don't condescend, and remember: Your opinions are YOUR opinions.
Now go have fun discussing the things that WE ALL love. And don't turn into a bastard if someone disagrees.
