There are people I just don't like no matter how much we agree on things, and there are some people that I have plenty of differences of opinion with but still think they themselves are very cool and likable. This seems like a fairly obvious division to me--being liked does not equal mindless agreement and, most importantly, disagreement does not equal being disliked.
So why do people jump to the conclusion they are not liked personally when someone disagrees with them on some trivial matter? And really, aren't all fandom topics rather trivial in the long run? Engaging, entertaining, maybe even educational, but not exactly earthshaking. And I don't believe I've ever seen a list discussion that didn't eventually involve some form of the statement "Everyone's entitled to their opinions, that's what makes this world/list/fandom/whatever great, blah blah". Shouldn't this be a given? And why is being disagreed with taken as not being allowed/encouraged to have opinions? Now obviously some discussions can get rather heated and emotional, but in a mild disagreement...? This baffles me.
I'm not a troublemaker who stirs people up just for the fun of it, but
I admit, it's more fun to take a particular stance when you know it's the
opposite of someone that you don't like. And I freely admit to not liking
some people--mostly I know why, but others just something about them bothers
me. That is a big heaping pile of human nature and I'm positive there are
people who hate me on sight for no reason or for some very good reasons.
Whichever, that's cool. Everyone wants to be liked, but no one over the
age of 12 (with the possible exception of Rose Nyland* ;-) can reasonably
*expect* to be liked by everyone they meet.
On a related but slightly different topic--
It was stated somewhat recently on one of my lists (but I've heard
the same sentiment a dozen times) that if you read something that you know
you're not going to like, you have no right to get angry. Well, I
agree with that, conditionally-- First, with stress on the *knowing*
part. If you hate death stories, and read one that is clearly marked,
then yes, you have only yourself to be angry with. Second, if you
read something you hate and don't agree with--I mean *strenuously*, as
in you're tempted to write, "You stupid bitch, the guys I know would never
act this way."--then you should keep that to yourself because flaming never
helped anyone.
HOWEVER, I think you have every right to feel angry when you're reading along and characterization takes a turn into territory that you don't agree with. I've read some stories that really pissed me off in a what-the-hell-was-she-thinking-this-person-obviously-knows-nothing-about-the-characters-and-that-is-just-GROSS-anyway-etc-etc kind of way, but I realize that's my baggage and don't tell the author. She (or he) obviously sees/knows the characters in a *different* way than I do, and neither of us is especially right or wrong. It's all interpretation anyway.
I just remember not to read anything by that person again, unless it is with the morbid gawking-at-the-train-wreck mentality that I can be prone to. Come on, you know there're writers out there you'll read just to see what crazy nonsense they come up with next. And you'll laugh at them and feel superior (even if you don't write in that fandom--or maybe *especially* if you don't write in that fandom so you can say "I could do better than that, but I *choose* not to"). And all is right with the world as long as you don't tell *them* that you nearly busted a gut over their *unique* characterizations and *interesting* take on drama.
Or maybe that's just me....
Hey, I never claimed to be a consistently nice person. And anyone who does is either lying her ass off or deluding herself big time. I guess some people are just more in touch with their Inner Werewolf than others.
Now I'm going outside to howl at the moon. Want to join me?
Arrrrooooooo!
* Rose was Betty White's character on The Golden Girls. There was an episode where she found out one of her co-workers didn't like her and she just couldn't deal with it. She did everything, practically driving the poor guy crazy, to make him like her, but it only made his dislike stronger.