Liking Things Ironically

[woodwardiocom]

Why would someone waste their time liking something "ironically"?

(I mean, I like Godzilla movies, because I actually like Godzilla movies. I can see the bad, but I can also see the good.)

Life's too short, man.

Comments

[trowa-barton.livejournal.com]

Was this after a conversation about Jersey Shore?

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

I've been noodling about it for some time, but it's in immediate response to thinking about Pete Seeger and Xmas music.

[trowa-barton.livejournal.com]

Stick to Billy Mack and X-Mas songs :)

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

Is this the sort of thing that leads people to MST3K things—watching badly made films and taking pleasure in them as targets for sarcastic commentary? I don't have much appetite for that, either. Taking pleasure in cleverly expressed contempt requires taking pleasure in contempt, and that's kind of an unpleasant taste if you linger over it.

[trowa-barton.livejournal.com]

But it makes great internet reviews.
(That Guy With the Glasses and SF Debris, for example)

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

Once in a while I can enjoy a really scathing comment or review. But I really prefer to be pointed at things that are honestly, unironically good and enjoyable.

[42itous.livejournal.com]

I think it's a hipster thing. Like Instagram.

[fadethecat.livejournal.com]

I think it's because their actual pleasure comes from the sense of superiority that they experience while liking that thing "ironically". They go watch/read/experience whatever it is, and get an emotional high from the ego lift that comes of believing oneself to be higher in the social hierarchy than other, disliked people, who like whatever it is honestly. So the actual content of what's being liked is irrelevant, and it's still a satisfying use of one's time.

...or at least, that's my best guess.

[ectropy.livejournal.com]

That's pretty close to the theory I've come up with.

[fadethecat.livejournal.com]

And I even mean it in a relatively non-judgy way. I go read websites like Etiquette Hell so that I can see trainwreck stories of either 1) people doing bizarrely rude things, or 2) people getting wildly upset about perceived breaches of nitpicky etiquette. And in both cases I can feel good about not experiencing #1 and not being as uptight as #2. Deliberately seeking out a small reassurance that I'd doing well where I am and am a decent person is...fairly human, I think. Some people just take it to odd extremes.

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

I think some people claim to like things ironically, because they are ashamed to like them for realz. So if I'm a Williamsburg hipster and I happen to really enjoy, say, tuna salad on wonder bread sandwiches. I can either eat them hidden away in shame, or I can claim that my devouring of said sandwiches is an ironic act, in which case I can do it in front of my friends without fear of censure, because I've taken the pre-emptive step of mocking my own taste.

Man, hipsters are fucked up....

ETA: As usual The Onion says it better.

[be-well-lowell.livejournal.com]

Well, whoever this is would not be welcome to share my Muppet Show DVDs...