(no subject)

[skygiants]

This is something I wonder about a lot: what are people's favorite ways to watch things socially? If I sit down with friends and we're like 'let's watch a thing!' my inclination is always to suggest something that I've seen that other people in the group haven't, because I really enjoy watching people watch things for the first time while staring creepily at them out of the corner of my eye to make sure they're laughing at all the good parts. And the first time that I see anything that I super like, my IMMEDIATE next step is to scheme how I can get as many people to watch it with me, as soon as possible. (See: Princess Tutu, and the approximate TEN TIMES with TEN DIFFERENT PEOPLE I watched it all the way through in 2009.)

...then if I do that repeatedly I feel selfish because I assume that is other people's favorite way to watch things too, But perhaps it isn't! Obviously I enjoy socially watching things in many ways, but I'm curious about people's preferences. So I made a poll!

Poll #15811 Watching Stuff Socially

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 78

View Respondents

My favorite way to watch things socially is ....

View Answers

Showing something I've seen and like to somebody else who hasn't seen it
21 (26.9%)

Getting somebody else to show me something they've seen and liked
6 (7.7%)

Rewatching something that the whole group has seen and liked and shouting out all the best quotes in unison
6 (7.7%)

Watching something totally new to all of us. A voyage of discovery!
15 (19.2%)

You dingus, why should I pick a favorite, they're all great!
21 (26.9%)

You dingus, why should you assume that my favorite way to watch things socially involves stuff I LIKE?
3 (3.8%)

UGH, I HATE WATCHING THINGS SOCIALLY.
4 (5.1%)

UGH, I HATE WATCHING THINGS, PERIOD.
2 (2.6%)

Comments

[gramarye1971]

If it's just a random viewing of stuff, I'm generally in the camp of 'Ooh, show me that thing you liked!', because then I do not have to worry that I am imposing my (generally bizarre) media tastes* on someone else. I get weirdly anxious if I think that people aren't enjoying something that I've recommended to them and that we're watching together, because...I don't know, I feel like it reflects on my overall understanding of that person's likes and dislikes, and therefore I start hearing the YOU ARE A BAD FRIEND AND YOU SHOULD FEEL BAD echoes in my head.

However, if someone expresses a specific interest in seeing a movie or a series that I own, then the onus is on them to like it or not (because they were the ones who asked to see it), and I feel less pressured to have judged their tastes accurately. ^^;;


* Where my possible viewing choices frequently range from North Korean movies to satirical anime series about murderous magical girls to historical Swedish police procedurals.

[melannen]

>>However, if someone expresses a specific interest in seeing a movie or a series that I own, then the onus is on them to like it or not (because they were the ones who asked to see it), and I feel less pressured to have judged their tastes accurately. ^^;;

Oh, yeah, that usually works for me! If one person says "can I watch that thing you like" and other person says "sure but idk if it's something you'll like" and they both mean it, it's minimal pressure on either side.

[skygiants]

Ha, yeah, I too am ... maybe overinvested in my ability to accurately predict who's gonna like what. I think I'm pretty good at it, but with a lot of people I'm also just waiting for the day when I HORRIBLY FAIL.

(I don't always love everything you love, but I do totally love your completely bizarre taste, in general. :D)