Is it ok to like sonic?

[dwitefry666]

*steps down from the mountain with pearls of wisdom"

It's easy to say 'yeah like what you like" "don't worry about what others think" whatever Katie Perry/Mariah Carey standard pearls of wisdom (true as they may be) but I totally get the OP having a 'crisis of faith', I'd think most people have them about something. Especially as they're seemingly basing the on what the internet says and the internet is an exceptionally judgmental place and frankly far more specific with it. 

I rarely talk about what I like outside of my group of close friends (and the internet) because I learnt at school, basically "Don't tell 'em nuffin' - the more they know they more they'll have to take the piss out of you with, and they will.

I see the internet as kind of the same as school - it doesn't actually represent the majority of the world, hell it doesn't often represent the majority of the internet and it can easily warp your view on how the majority view...well...everything. I was just going on about this in another thread - Sonic's stigmas on the internet is very different to Sonic's stigma in real life. Most people don't care what video games you play it seems unless you're actually having a conversation about them - geekdom may be more acceptable than ever but we're still a pretty small percentage and video games might be more acceptable as a form of entertainment than ever but only for a percentage of a few generations worth of people - in my experience most people only care that you do play video games, read comics, watch anime, whatever and will judge you on that, and if that's the case then why should I care what I prefer, I enjoy it and to two thirds of my town it's all the same and i'm weird/childish/pervy/whatever for still being into it.

My Katie Perry/Mariah Carey standard pearls of wisdom is this: you can like whatever you want but keep perspective, know that something isn't objectively high quality or that most people might not see why you like it, however when you're enjoying it perspective can go fuck itself, enjoy it while you're experiencing it regardless of whether it's objectively good or what popular opinion of it is. It's how I manage watch whole seasons of He-Man & The Masters of the Universe, so it works in practice . 

[Diesel]

Not to speak for any of the members here, but I think the reason why a lot of people hate Call of Duty is because it's popular. They don't have much in common with the people who do like it, and since there are a lot of people who like Call of Duty, they don't have much in common with a lot of people. So, they criticize Call of Duty as compensation. I'm not saying the people here are like that, though.

[NoirSuede]

Not to speak for any of the members here, but I think the reason why a lot of people hate Call of Duty is because it's popular. They don't have much in common with the people who do like it, and since there are a lot of people who like Call of Duty, they don't have much in common with a lot of people. So, they criticize Call of Duty as compensation. I'm not saying the people here are like that, though.

Also everyone hates Call Of Duty because of the fact that it made every FPS have regenerating health and 2-weapon limit.

[Tornado]

That trend came from Halo. 

[TailsTellsTales]

I think it is okay like Sonic however though nobody knows that I like Sonic except my mom and that is it. I will admit though I could not tell anybody else and I not sure why. Truthfully though I am unable to tell anybody what I really like. I always be scared and worried they will make fun of me for liking this or that than.

[NoirSuede]

That trend came from Halo. 

Well before Modern Warfare 1 FPSes still had health-packs like FEAR.

[LindseyWalker]

Call of Duty is disliked more because of the trends that it started and what it represents more than the game itself. Too many games to mention have tried to become more like Call of Duty to try to soak in the extraordinary success it has made. Games end up losing their identity and become more generic to try to become like Call of Duty. It's funny you guys are mentioning Halo, because Halo is one of the games that is becoming more 'CODified'. It's monopoly on the industry is responsible for the strong feelings against it.

It's sad because Call of Duty isn't a bad game franchise usually and sometimes the games have actually been excellent, such as Call of Duty 2 and Modern Warefare. It's usually disliked for how much the industry wants to play catch up with it.

Edited August 31, 2015 by LindseyWalker

[Shade Vortex]

One thing I'd like to point out, is that regardless of what something is, a question you should never ask is "It is okay to like [this thing I like]?" unless it is explicitly actually harmful or offensive (In a legitimate way, like racism or sexism- and not in a "I'm offended you have a different opinion to mine!" way.) to yourself or other people, as ultimately, personal preference on anything is ultimately subjective, and there will never be a 100% shared world view on any given subject matter.

The fact that this has become a question at all is pretty concerning though, if people are finding it to be "humiliating" or "disgraceful" to be a Sonic fan, mainstream opinion weighs too much on one's mind. My rule of thumb has pretty much always been "do not care about what people think, do for yourself what you think is fun or right as long as it is legal, does no harm to or cause offense to anyone in a legitimately morally-wrong way".

I will say though, it is frustrating to like a franchise that cannot maintain a sense of identity or a consistency of quality, seemingly lacking quality assurance across the board- because you want it to be better, as a fan of it that's sensible, to want more good out of the thing you like. But that is not the same as it being something that is inherently wrong to like in the first place- there are much worse things that you could like, such as hardcore drugs, harming people/yourself, etc.

[Baraksha]

I think it is okay like Sonic however though nobody knows that I like Sonic except my mom and that is it. I will admit though I could not tell anybody else and I not sure why. Truthfully though I am unable to tell anybody what I really like. I always be scared and worried they will make fun of me for liking this or that than.

I tell you what, every person I met knows that I love sonic the hedgehog, and not a single one of them hated me for it or got creeped out or what ever you're thinking, at best all they say is that they don't get why I love sonic, but they all accapt me right away, i'm not sure if it will work the same way wear you are, but you don't have to hide your feeling towards something you like because you're afraid people will judge you, and if that person does judge you for some reason and can't accapt that, then he can go fuck himself for all you care, why would you want he's atention anyways?

Edited August 31, 2015 by Baraksha

[CottonCandy]

Nothing wrong to like what you like. It's who you are after all. If people have such a big issue over your likes/dislikes then that's their issue not yours. 

[Sweet Melody]

It isn't wrong to like Sonic at all! I know what you mean, tons of people bash the Sonic franchise and it's fans so much, it's quite sad really. I haven't got made fun of yet since I don't talk about it to people who don't like it and don't set a Sonic profile picture on certain sites.

I think what happens is that people see the worst of the fanbase and games and use that to hate on the rest of us and the games. There are tons of good people I've met in the fandom and tons of good games too.  People tend to look at the bad more then the good and it's annoying. ?

 

[Hoppimike]

Aw my silly meme post got deleted lol

What I was trying to say is don't listen to the (rather miserable) haters! You know what they're like!

They attack everything because it makes them feel better I think - Sonic fans, bronies, Nintendo fans, Twitch streamers, furries and so on!

Some people are just like that. But I think that finding something you truly enjoy especially with a community around it is tricky. Maybe they're just jealous because they don't have that and they see the above groups as targets o.O

Who knows!

[LadyBrightcynder]

I know exactly how this feels, buddy. It really hurts to see something you love so much constantly being hated. I've struggled a lot with my love for Sonic games because I had so much difficulty finding people to relate to with it - I grew up thinking "Sonic is the best thing ever and I can't wait til I get Internet so I can meet more Sonic fans!"
 And then I got internet access and found out the majority of people hated the thing I loved. I've gotten bitter and resentful at the fanbase, often. I've gotten to the point where I've thought, "Screw this, I'm done with this franchise." But I realised I'd be giving up the thing that helped me find my best friends.

Making friends with the same interests and visiting places like this is wonderfully refreshing, and I came to terms with the fact that not everyone's gonna like what I like. I still roll my eyes when I see the "hurr hurr Sonic sucks" crowds, but I mostly ignore it now and just focus on the positive aspects of the fanbase.

It's like how me and my brother have completely different tastes in video games, and even if he nitpicks and mocks things I like, like Pokémon, it doesn't mean he likes me any less and we just have a laugh.

[removed-profile]

I get why they might insult us all the time. We are one of the weirdest fanbases on the internet. The whole your name here The Hedgehog into google isn't exactly far off true!

[Lord-Dreamerz]

Personally I find it often irrelevant if others agree or disagree with what you personally like or dislike, especially when it comes to hobbies. Everybody is different. Yeah sure it’s very nice when others like some of the same things as you… But are you only into something because other people are? As nice as it is to have friends with similar interests… I don’t find it completely necessary. At the end of the day when you may find yourself alone… you just gotta be yourself, not worry about others and enjoy what you want, even if you are unlucky and don‘t got a single friend who‘s into the same things that you are.

Even within a fandom you will find that many people will have completely different opinions then yourself, and they may not like what you personally like from it… So yet again you should just enjoy whatever for yourself, because otherwise you‘ll drive yourself nutty if ya get extremely concerned over what others think much.

[Haalyle]

At the moment, I have Sonic as my primary favourite franchise and I'm loving it.

I ignore the haters and just have fun. It's your own interest, don't let anyone else make you think otherwise. (That pretty much goes for anything).

[Rondineviola]

I think it's not the problem that people like Sonic, but the people who represent the fandom makes it so.
How many times people outside of this fandom sees Sonic fans as social rejects?
Excluding this, liking this franchise is not a problem. (and if people critique you for being "too old" then they didn't understand what Sonic really is).