Oh yeah, tons of people are projecting heavily onto characters and taking it personally, especially if they have not much else going for them. If liking a certain work is the one bright spot in your life, and the protagonist is just like you, then any criticism of the protagonist is a criticism of you. And if you've had a dysfunctional upbringing where criticism feels like an attack, well. "This character is not very smart" feels like someone calling YOU a dumbass.
I can relate to it too; when I was a teenager I remember getting really upset when my friends didn't like my OCs, because my characters have pieces of ME in them, and what does it mean if my friend don't like pieces of me?
I mean, that is how some people express dislike, and I'm not going to pretend I haven't done that, but also that's... a crappy way to do it? Not that educating strangers on the internet about "subjective vs objective statements" and "people have different life experiences" is a fruitful endeavor.
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Date: 10/6/23 14:26 (UTC)I can relate to it too; when I was a teenager I remember getting really upset when my friends didn't like my OCs, because my characters have pieces of ME in them, and what does it mean if my friend don't like pieces of me?
I mean, that is how some people express dislike, and I'm not going to pretend I haven't done that, but also that's... a crappy way to do it? Not that educating strangers on the internet about "subjective vs objective statements" and "people have different life experiences" is a fruitful endeavor.