Enjoying It Wrong

Some days, it’s hard to like things.

I’m super excited about this latte! I say, and the internet laughs back at me, a stupid (white, thirtyish) lady with my cliched Starbucks drink. Dumb for enjoying the foam patterns and the seasonal flavors, and double-dumb for even thinking about Instagramming that, a silly sheep who just blindly enjoys the things that are marketed to my white-thirtyish-lady demographic. Starbucks coffee is burnt (Apparently? This is a thing?), I’m clearly enjoying it wrong.

I’m super excited about this game! I say, and the world shouts back that games are for guys, that girls don’t really play games, or don’t play real games, because I am a girl and once a girl enjoys a game it becomes a casual game and not a real game anymore. I’m reminded over and over that gaming is a subculture not meant for me, that I must correctly recount obscure games trivia to prove that I legitimately enjoy a pastime not expressly designed for me, and I’m clearly enjoying games all wrong.

The internet points out, again and again, those who are missing the Real Point(™) by snapping selfies or using their phones. Two pieces titled, in typical BuzzFeed hyperbole, 23 Pictures That Prove Society is Doomed and 28 People the Deserve The Own Special Place In Hell (Actual titles. No, I am not linking them.) are collections of pictures, including people snapping photos of dinners out, museum exhibits or sunsets. Society is doomed and you’re going to hell for snapping a photo, you frivolous social media user, the posts say. And also, click to share this listicle with your Facebook friends!

This attitude, that Instagramming an entree or snapping a selfie, is somehow the wrong way to enjoy a nice time, is weird, and it’s particularly hilarious when social media is mocked on BuzzFeed. Don’t use your phone to CREATE content, just consume Buzzfeed’s content! Don’t share your own content, share Buzzfeed links instead!

Presumably, someone had to take the snarky photo of someone taking a photo of a sunset, the Mona Lisa, or their favorite entree, and if given the choice, I’d rather be snapping the picture of something I love.

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you all that I plan take more photos, blog more books, review more games, and share more of the stuff I like, in whatever ways I feel like.