maul-of-shame

"Ithil nîn"

She/Her. 26. 🇫🇷 🇮🇹- Reads/write: 🇫🇷 🇮🇹 🇬🇧 🇪🇸 🇷🇴Your mom's favorite. Short and salty.If I catch you reposting my stuff without permission I'll split you in half and send your kneecaps back to your weeping mother.!!!!!!!MINORS DNI!!!!!!

471 posts

THIS THIS THIS!! (rant Ahead Lmao Sorry)

THIS THIS THIS!! (rant ahead lmao sorry)

It's always freaking heartbreaking to encounter people who belittle others just to feel superior in fandoms.

These people seem to derive a strange sense of satisfaction from dismissing others' opinions, declaring "your take is wrong" as if they hold some ultimate authority on the subject. This behavior is not only unhelpful but downright toxic, and it says far more about their insecurities and need for validation than it does about the person they are trying to belittle.

Someone excitedly shares their thoughts on a new show, a book, or a hobby they love is amazing and should be celebrated instead of being mocked and belittled. Instead of engaging in a healthy discussion, the self-proclaimed expert swoops in to undermine their enthusiasm, declaring that their take is flawed, naive, or just plain wrong. This isn't even about fostering understanding or sharing perspectives, no, for them it's about asserting dominance and making the other person feel small. It's a power play, pure and simple.

These belittlers often cloak their condescension in a veneer of intellectualism, pretending they're just trying to "educate" or "correct" you, or that they just "know better than you" for God knows what reason.

"But I know the character better than you."

"They wouldn't do that, you're wrong."

"That couldn't be even further from the truth."

"This doesn't match."

"We knew that, are people this slow?" But let's call it what it is: arrogance.

They can't stand the idea that someone else might have a valid point or a fresh perspective that challenges their own. So, they resort to mockery, sarcasm, and outright dismissal, being absolutely rude to people coming in with fresh takes and perspectives about characters.

Examples of this behavior are sadly abundant in all fandoms. Maybe you've experienced sharing your interpretation of a film's ending, only to be told that you "just didn't get it". Or perhaps you’ve offered a critique of a popular book, and someone insisted that your opinion is invalid because you don't "understand literature".

It's the same old song: their way or the highway.

This need to tear others down to build themselves up is both petty and says more about them than it does about you or your passion/hobby and so on.

What's truly awful about this behavior is the impact it has on open dialogue and community. It stifles creativity, discourages new voices, and creates an environment where only the loudest and most self-assured can thrive.

This is the antithesis of what any healthy community should be, whether it's a fandom, a hobby group, or a workplace. When people are afraid to share their thoughts for fear of being belittled, everyone loses out on the rich diversity of ideas and perspectives that make discussions vibrant and meaningful.

Plus, this behavior exposes the insecurities of the belittlers themselves.

Confident individuals don't need to tear others down to feel good about themselves. They understand that different perspectives enrich their own understanding and are open to learning and growing. In contrast, those who constantly belittle others reveal their fragile egos and desperate need for validation. Their superiority complex is nothing more than a mask for deep-seated insecurities and they can't stand them so, they prey on other people, people they deem "wrong" and/or "weak".

If you find yourself on the receiving end of such behavior, remember this: their need to belittle says more about their deficiencies than your capabilities.

Your opinions, excitement, and insights are valid and valuable. Don’t let their arrogance dim your enthusiasm or silence your voice. Engage with those who respect and appreciate differing perspectives, and leave the self-important gatekeepers to stew in their own narrow-mindedness. If those people make you feel like utter sh*t for being excited about something, leave said group, look for mutuals online or irl.

You deserve better than being belittled for being passionate, talkative about your hobbies and more. You'll never be "too much" for the right persons. If the arrogant ones find you being "too much", they can go look for "less" somewhere else.

In the end, the best communities are built on mutual respect, open-mindedness, and a genuine appreciation for diverse viewpoints.

Keep being excited, keep sharing your thoughts, and keep challenging the status quo. Your voice matters, and no self-appointed expert can take that away from you.

Fandom is meant to be a fun place. If creating petty cliques or some select special few as "the right ones" is fun to you, please go outside.