Other Unpopular Opinions

[Illusory]

YAAAAAS. I DESPISE small talk. I'm so glad somebody else agrees.

It's awkward for the most part. It's just better to start off with something interesting. Because the answer to most small talk questions/line of query is mostly predictable, if you're good at picking up social cues and body language. It's not a meaningful conversation, if that makes sense.

 

[Jannah]

It's awkward for the most part. It's just better to start off with something interesting. Because the answer to most small talk questions/line of query is mostly predictable, if you're good at picking up social cues and body language. It's not a meaningful conversation, if that makes sense.

If people try to make small talk with me then I generally ignore them. If they think I'm rude for it then I don't really care lol. Some cultures don't even do the small talk thing really so I hate that we do in the West.

 

[Illusory]

If people try to make small talk with me then I generally ignore them. If they think I'm rude for it then I don't really care lol. Some cultures don't even do the small talk thing really so I hate that we do in the West.

You're right. It's really bothersome when you know that the other individual doesn't really care and is doing it for politeness. I've always just shrugged and walked away. I don't really care to answer back either. It's just better to leave people to their own business. It doesn't make any sense to me why you'd need to interrupt them when you have no genuine interest in their response.

Small talk is like automatic, robotic responses. "How are you?" "I'm good." "I'm okay." "I'm fine." I don't think there's anything to learn from there, tbh.

 

[Phantom Phoenix]

That's interesting. Silence is peaceful. I agree. The awkward kind of silence usually follows unsuccessful small talk. I feel like it's just forced social obligation and not really useful in general.

I'll keep it awkwardly silent. I think they really just want to hear themselves talk or go into their whole life history.

 

[Rabbit.]

I actually don’t mind eating veggies. Spinach taste like salad to me. I don’t see the big deal in fussing over eating them.

 

[Reid]

Do not make me get up a second time to get something for you. Seriously, I don't like it ;__; especially once I just got settled down comfortably....

 

[SandraDeelightful]

1. Small talk is really boring.
2. Memes are unoriginal, not that funny, and overrated.

The first one is a popular opinion. You’re just brave enough to say it out loud.

 

[Illusory]

The first one is a popular opinion. You’re just brave enough to say it out loud.

Just calling them how I see them. The truth isn’t always pleasant.

 

[Syntra]

Okay, this is going to be real unpopular: smalltalk doesn't need to be boring by default, and if it is, it's usually because at least one of the parties involved cannot carry a conversation that well. It's not hard to jump off of one of those banal topics into something that is actually interesting. Also, the social function of language is important We are not Deeply Rational Robots who only exchange relevant information.

 

[Illusory]

Okay, this is going to be real unpopular: smalltalk doesn't need to be boring by default, and if it is, it's usually because at least one of the parties involved cannot carry a conversation that well. It's not hard to jump off of one of those banal topics into something that is actually interesting. Also, the social function of language is important We are not Deeply Rational Robots who only exchange relevant information.

Maybe in an idealistic sense? But in reality, it’s the small talk itself that’s robotic and an automatic response. I just don’t think it’s necessary human interaction.

You are entitled to your opinion though.

 

[Illusory]

Just to elaborate, on what I’ve already said. “How are you doing?”, “I’m fine”, “I’m good”, “I’m okay”. What does that really accomplish? Instead of asking, make the effort and observe body language, you can make a better inference. “What’s wrong? I can see that you’re upset.” That’s more useful than “How are you doing?” And if you’re inference is wrong, at least it generates a conversation with direction off the bat instead of being aimless small talk.

Small talk just seems like a cop out to me, for people who don’t have any intention of actually having an engaging conversation, that’s all.

 

[Syntra]

Maybe in an idealistic sense? But in reality, it’s the small talk itself that’s robotic and an automatic response. I just don’t think it’s necessary human interaction.

You are entitled to your opinion though.

You are obviously entitled to your opinion, too, but speaking factually (ie. from the POV of the branch of linguistics I studied), smalltalk is basically a form of social script. The automated part is largely intentional, and by following the rules, you basically say to the other person "yes, I will conform to these standards-- that means you can expect me to cooperate in other ways as well." It's a verbal form of handshake, if you wanna get metaphorical. You may not like it, but that's the function. Group cohesion, etc. etc. Why do we greet people? Same reason, roughly speaking. Rules are there to prove you will play fair (tangentially related but not the same, maxims of cooperation by Grice.)

Anyway, few people (unless you know them well) will be willing to explore deeper topics without some form of smalltalk first-- and with friends, you don't really need to do smalltalk because they know you and believe you will follow certain rules by default.

Well, kinda OT, but I wanted to answer. If you wanna talk linguistics, tho, my PMs are open

 

[Illusory]

Actually, I’m a little more curious about what you mean by smalltalk as a social handshake. I’ve never heard of this analogy and I’m inclined to learning about a topic more broadly.

I’ll definitely PM because I think this is a good topic to discuss and learn from.

 

[RayneIlStorm]

Can I say my unpopular opinion?

I think all chocolate is disgusting no matter what you do to it. White chocolate is just fat, milk chocolate is too sweet, dark chocolate is too bitter, and sometimes just it tastes weird.

 

[rowie]

this one's probably super unpopular, but not everything is a gay ship. don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with them! but i think that if two dudes (or girls) are just friends, i feel like it should be left at that. if there is evidence that there is blossoming or romantic feelings for each other, sure, ship away. but if it was a platonic ship purely, i don't think they need to be shipped together. i think a lot of anime fandoms are the biggest offenders of this. for example, i'll take todoroki and midoriya. i see them as two good friends, nothing more. after all, i'd hate to be randomly shipped with my best buddy just for the fact that we hang out. on that note, this applies to het ships as well, but in my opinion, lgbt+ ships have been quite prevalent. i'm not saying shipping should be stopped in any way - in fact, if it makes you happy, go for it. just my own two cents on the matter. ​

 

[Rustic]

this one's probably super unpopular, but not everything is a gay ship. don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with them! but i think that if two dudes (or girls) are just friends, i feel like it should be left at that. if there is evidence that there is blossoming or romantic feelings for each other, sure, ship away. but if it was a platonic ship purely, i don't think they need to be shipped together. i think a lot of anime fandoms are the biggest offenders of this. for example, i'll take todoroki and midoriya. i see them as two good friends, nothing more. after all, i'd hate to be randomly shipped with my best buddy just for the fact that we hang out. on that note, this applies to het ships as well, but in my opinion, lgbt+ ships have been quite prevalent. i'm not saying shipping should be stopped in any way - in fact, if it makes you happy, go for it. just my own two cents on the matter.

i actually see this opinion really often, and i hope you don't mind me using your points as a jumping off point to express an opinion of my own: i don't really understand this line of thought.

whether or not a ship is popular doesn't change what's there in the original media. if you like to think of two characters as friends, that's fine, but that's often also the case for a lot of the people who ship characters as well; writing romantic fiction of them doesn't erase what's already there, nor does it make it impossible to imagine the same two characters platonically later on if that's what you're in the mood for. people tend to write romance for the same reason they write alternate universe scenarios: it's interesting, or even cathartic, to imagine.

using your example: if a ship like todoroki/midoriya didn't exist, i don't think it'd make people write more platonic fanwork between them; there would just be less fanwork overall. when people portray romance, that's usually explicitly what they want to see. without todoroki/midoriya as an outlet, they'd likely just channel their creative energy into portraying characters with a similar dynamic, if they decided to make anything else at all. so it's not like romantic ships being popular takes away from content you'd prefer to see. if anything, i'd argue people probably become more interested in the source material because of ships and probably make more platonic work as an indirect result.

after all, i'd hate to be randomly shipped with my best buddy just for the fact that we hang out.

i'd like to drive my point home with this quote because it particularly stuck out to me: all fan work is transformative. fan artists draw characters in different styles and fan writers write different scenarios because people like to imagine and see characters in different ways. what's so fundamentally different about imagining them in different relationships?

 

[SandraDeelightful]

Dark Academia is an overrated and boring aesthetic.

 

[candygore]

this one's probably super unpopular, but not everything is a gay ship. don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with them! but i think that if two dudes (or girls) are just friends, i feel like it should be left at that.

This ^ and

Spoiler: this

have the same energy.

 

[Wadlet]

this one's probably super unpopular, but not everything is a gay ship. don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with them! but i think that if two dudes (or girls) are just friends, i feel like it should be left at that. if there is evidence that there is blossoming or romantic feelings for each other, sure, ship away. but if it was a platonic ship purely, i don't think they need to be shipped together. i think a lot of anime fandoms are the biggest offenders of this. for example, i'll take todoroki and midoriya. i see them as two good friends, nothing more. after all, i'd hate to be randomly shipped with my best buddy just for the fact that we hang out. on that note, this applies to het ships as well, but in my opinion, lgbt+ ships have been quite prevalent. i'm not saying shipping should be stopped in any way - in fact, if it makes you happy, go for it. just my own two cents on the matter. ​

This is homophobic, very bland white bread homophobic but homophobic. This is the equivalent of "open minded christians" telling me, a gay, that "they're ""not homophobic"" and they're okay with me being gay, there is nothing wrong with being gay, they """SUPPORT""" the gays, but could you not like do gay stuff near me because I just don't want to see it . . . but like I'm not homophobic or anything."

Like you don't get to police the Queer community because you prefer platonic friendships over intimate relationships, because the canon media portrays these characters in a perceived platonic relationship. Most "friendships" mirror how Queer people have to navigate the real world, you would never know I was gay because I have to pretend my gay relationships are friendships. I have spent my entire life being told my "girlfriend" and I are such good friends. I have to introduce my brothers boyfriend as his "friend".

Just because a show doesn't show those friends being boyfriends doesn't mean that a gay person doesn't see it, read into it our experience of being a gay in love with your friend and pretending you're just friends, and then desiring to portray the side of the friendship that is the relationship they can see. Even if you can't.

You are entailed to your opinion, but it's homophobic and I want you to know that.

 

[raindrop]

this one's probably super unpopular, but not everything is a gay ship. don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with them! but i think that if two dudes (or girls) are just friends, i feel like it should be left at that. if there is evidence that there is blossoming or romantic feelings for each other, sure, ship away. but if it was a platonic ship purely, i don't think they need to be shipped together. i think a lot of anime fandoms are the biggest offenders of this. for example, i'll take todoroki and midoriya. i see them as two good friends, nothing more. after all, i'd hate to be randomly shipped with my best buddy just for the fact that we hang out. on that note, this applies to het ships as well, but in my opinion, lgbt+ ships have been quite prevalent. i'm not saying shipping should be stopped in any way - in fact, if it makes you happy, go for it. just my own two cents on the matter. ​

I don't normally bite on opinions like these, but I'll go ahead and do so anyway. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say you're coming from a good place. You, of course, have the right to believe whatever you want to. I don't think this was homophobic, nor offensive in any way. But I feel like this needs to be worded a bit more carefully. It gives off the vibe that you disaprove of everyone making gay ships. I'll take it that wasn't your intent, of course.

But yeah. I agree that because fiction is far removed from reality- It's not a fair comparison to your relationships, since it's for entertainment. Entertainment is transformative, and people will do whatever they want with entertainment. Like, it's like me saying since a media isn't intentionally lewd means that r34 artists shouldn't be able to draw it. Ultimately, that's what they'll do though. No the best comparison, but that's another way to look at it. I'm not saying your opinion is wrong, however. I'm just pointing out what I think about it as well.


Phew. I think I'll put an opinion in of my own, anyway.

I think people who eat oatmeal raisin cookies deserve to be prosecuted.

 

[Wadlet]

I don't think this was homophobic, nor offensive in any way.

Yeah homophobia doesn't have to look like Karen hate speech. It can be a misguided sentiment that queer people should tone it down with the romantic shipping because canon portrayal is platonic. Homophobic statements can be innocuous!

 

[MasterJuann]

So let us try this one more time, feel free to post below opinions that you think are unpopular, whether they are related to video games, anime, tv shows, whatever. Discussions must be kept civil. People that can't handle themselves will be warned for the appropriate rule broken and not allowed to continue to post in this thread.

I will start:

• I think root beer is disgusting, but a lot of people I know drink it. Particularly the AW root beer brand. I did learn I liked their cream soda though.

OMG ANOTHER ROOT BEER HATER. THANK YOU. IT TASTES DISGUSTING.

 

[rowie]

apologies everyone. the main point of my opinion was on ships themselves. i see why one might see that i was picking on lgbt+ ships exclusively, but raindrop said, that was not my intent. i do think better wording would have driven my point across better - had i said "not everything has to be a ship" instead of the phrase "gay ship." i do not intend to create any excuses for myself, because that one was on me. again, i apologize for any misunderstanding that could arise from my poorly worded statement, and i'll take care in the future.

i still do think not everything has to be shipped. romance is nice, but platonic relationships are too. anyway, i would like to thank everyone for respectfully disagreeing, and it was nice to see how other people see it. ​

 

[MasterJuann]

Victims (the word sounds heavy, but it doesn't have to be heavy stuff. it can be little petty things too) shouldn't have to "take the upper hand" in order to be above whoever is being shitty to them. Victims shouldn't have to restrain themselves or their anger, and if they choose not to, it is not "stooping to their level". It's defense and not taking shit for themselves. As a society we should put that energy on the people starting the problems rather than making victims feel like they're less than if they want to defend themselves

idk how unpopular this is but it's not too often talked about sooo

 

[Zer0]

Pajamas being not acceptable as an everyday wear. I would love to just wear loose airy pajama pants everywhere.