Spoilers Aren’t Actually the End of the World After All

           With the rise and dominance of mega-franchises like Marvel and Star Wars, an increase in anti-spoiler paranoia has also taken place. In 2020, even knowing something as simple as a character’s name could be considered a spoiler that one is barred from sharing. In Houston, Texas, according to David K. Li, a Domino’s employee went so far as to punch their coworker in the chest after openly discussing the ending of Avengers: Endgame. This paranoia is, however, unwarranted, unnecessary, and over-the-top.

            It is widely accepted that if one is to intentionally spoil something for someone they will be labelled impolite. This belief doesn’t stem from nowhere; the literal definition of spoil is to “diminish or destroy the value or quality of.” Although this may be what is commonly believed, it was actually found by psychology professor Nicholas Christenfeld, that if you spoil a story, the audience will enjoy it even more. Christenfeld also claimed that by knowing the ending in advance, it leaves more room for one to focus on the other aspects of storytelling such as the characters and the style. Thomas Flight also backs up these findings by bringing up the fact that people continuously re-watch shows and movies they enjoy despite knowing the twists and ending in advance. With that in mind, is it still valid to claim that spoilers make a movie or television show worthless? Stories like Romeo and Juliet and Little Women have been able to endure centuries of retellings and still be hailed as valuable and worthwhile.

            The anti-spoiler hysterics have reached unbearable heights. To be blunt, it’s time for people to grow up. Johnny Oleksinski puts it succinctly by saying, “Pleasant conversations have turned into a game of Jenga.” It’s unfair to expect all of your friends to bubble wrap all of your conversations to protect you. All it does is create tension and fear about accidentally saying the wrong thing. Guy Lodge also articulates this sentiment well by stating, “Spoilerphobia has escalated into a kind of narcissistic mania: a belief that your own viewing experience is sacrosanct and that everyone else's exists in opposition to it.” Film and television are meant to be shared and discussed, not censored. Others viewing experience does not exist in opposition with your own. It exists in tandem. Liking the same movie or television show as someone else is supposed to bring us together, like a community, not tear us apart.

            It is, of course, socially acceptable and polite to be mindful of other people and their viewing experience, but anti-spoiler paranoia has simply gotten out of control. This mindset it not only selfishly individualistic but also egotistical. We must be willing to talk about the shows and films we love because they bring us together on common ground. It is pointless to tear each other part just because you overheard someone telling their friend that Kylo Ren died or Sansa Stark became Queen of the North. Spoilers aren’t actually the end of the world after all.

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Sources

Christenfeld, Nicholas. “Do Spoilers Actually Ruin Stories?” Fig 1. by University of California. YouTube, 24 May 2016, https://youtu.be/HH86XMZ8vn8.

Flight, Thomas. “What Does Science Say About Spoilers?” YouTube, 14 January 2019, https://youtu.be/fIb4Cvw93p8.

Li, David K. “Avengers: Endgame Spoiler Leads Fast-Food Employee to Punch Co-Worker, Get Charged.” NBC News, 30 April 2019, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/avengers-endgame-spoiler-leads-fast-food-employee-punch-co-worker-n1000051.

Oleksinski, Johnny, and Sara Stewart. “Is it Time to Stop Throwing Tantrums Over Spoilers at the Water Cooler?” New York Post, 16 November 2017, https://nypost.com/2017/11/16/are-spoilers-really-the-worst-thing-ever-or-are-you-just-being-a-baby/.

@GuyLodge (Guy Lodge). “This is obviously just one very stupid person, but this is…” Twitter, 25 April 2019, https://twitter.com/GuyLodge/status/1121537051306921985?s=20.