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6 ways Twilight improved the world (for people who hate it)

Opinion by Asvini posted 4 months ago
4.6
 by 34 fans
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Some of these are intended to be jokey, some are intended to be serious, none are intended to offend :)

1. It helps focus 'recreational hate' into one convenient area. What I consider to be recreational hate is hate that has no real purpose, like an annoying unintentional hobby. Like it's useful hate to hate injustice or animal cruelty, it's recreational hate to hate Paris Hilton or the fact that Sienna Miller is considered a style icon despite the fact that I've never seen her in an outfit that didn't look like she was talked into wearing it by a stylist who secretly hates her guts. Thing is, I don't have half the energy to spread my recreation hate as I used to, I use a lot of it up on Twilight. When I've used my frivolous anger on talking about how Edward has about two expressions in the entire movie (1="I'm constipated" 2="I'm constipated but I think I like it") and still comes across as deeper than he does in the books I just don't have the energy to rant about my theory that Paris Hilton is a robot who runs on attention and would power down forever if we all turned our backs and ignored her.

2. It's brought issues of feminism to the attention of a younger generation. Despite glamorising the relationship in the books, and sadly convincing some young women that being controlled and having no life outside of your boyfriend's wishes is a good thing, it's also got women talking about the problems with the relationship and feminism in general in a big way. I've even come across some women who a few years ago would've said they didn't consider themselves feminists who now vehemently say they do. Ironically, the books re-ignited the feminist inside quite a few women, the outrage at the portrayal of women and their roles in relationships made them realise how important it is that we don't let the feminist movement be something we did, it should be something we're doing. Not past tense.

3. It led to some truly hilarious parodies. My favourite is probably 'the broodening'. In fact, even the book itself, if read as a parody, has some great accidental comedic value. In fact, part of me still suspects Stephanie Meyer did this whole thing to launch a stand up career and in a few years will come out and say "only kidding. Got ya. Can't believe you people fell for that!"

4. It's become a new way to meet friends. Seriously. Never has disliking something been so socially binding. Especially on something like Fanpop where usually you only socialise with people who have a specific thing in common with you (be it a band, a TV show, a religion) Thing is, you can disagree on all kinds of things like that and still have personalities that mesh well. It's an interesting way to realise you have things in common with people you may not have realised, and also a great icebreaker, because who can't fill at least five minutes of conversation with things they dislike about Twilight? Except people who like it. But it's also a good way to meet them. The fans of Twilight who can like the book but are also capable of not chasing you with torches and pitchforks if you admit you don't are also good potential friend material.

5. It got people reading again. No, not just the people who liked it and discovered other books they like through it. Book sales going up has helped people remember books actually exist ("oh, right, I remember. They're like magazines, only with DVD length stories. interesting") the book section in my local supermarket used to have only celebrity biographies (god, I hate my local stores) they now have a book section the almost as big as the DVD section. It's the first time I've been able to find Kathy Reichs books in my area instead of buying them online. Not to mention the people wanting to wash the Twilight taste out of their mouths by reading a well written book. You know how when you eat a food you hate you grab the nearest tasty food/drink as quick as possible? or when you see someone really grimy you might be icked into having an extra long shower that night? Twilight is my grimy hobo who inspired me to wash the ick away with all my favourite good books.

6. How the fans and anti-fans treat each other has become one big after school special on being judgmental. From the amount of times I've been called a b***h, moron, loser and even an 'udiot (I assume she slipped when attempting to type 'idiot' but who knows? maybe it's a cool new slang word I'm too much of an udiot to know) to the amount of people who will assume someone is stupid for liking the books, there's a lot to learn about being judgmental from the whole situation. Not that most of the people guilty of it will learn. They'll go on ranting at each other in what to them is a serious war, and to us is an interesting blend of funny and depressing. But hey, at least on this spot, whichever side of the debate you are on, we can sit here with popcorn in our neutral little online Switzerland (which is a war reference, not a Twilight reference) and watch.
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11 comments
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Cinders said:
I think that the fact that someone one-starred this two minutes after it was posted (meaning they couldn't have possibly read the whole thing) is a great example of number six.

Thanks for this, Asvini. And might I say, you are definitely not an udiot.
posted 4 months ago.
 
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fanfly said:
Hey! Now I'm jealous- I've never been called an udiot before. ;( It's got a nice ring to it. lol

Great article, Asvini. Way to see the bright side of ... er, hatred. LOL
Thanks for the laugh!
posted 4 months ago.
 
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Bravo. This is genuis
posted 4 months ago.
 
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big smile
(1="I'm constipated" 2="I'm constipated but I think I like it")

^ You nailed it on the head.

Brilliant article!
posted 4 months ago.
 
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katiecain said:
Stephanie Meyer did this whole thing to launch a stand up career and in a few years will come out and say "only kidding. Got ya. Can't believe you people fell for that!" LOL!

Good points!
posted 4 months ago.
 
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walker93 said:
This one of the first articles I've actually read all the way through (ADD). It's very entertaining. You make hating it the only logical decision. I guess this makes me an idiot (or should I say udiot) for still liking it. Oh well.
posted 4 months ago.
last edited 4 months ago
 
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laugh
"From the amount of times I've been called a b***h, moron, loser and even an 'udiot (I assume she slipped when attempting to type 'idiot' but who knows? maybe it's a cool new slang word I'm too much of an udiot to know)"

You made me crack up on this, great job!
posted 4 months ago.
 
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Vixela said:
You may have just now started a new slang word. Udiot!

Loved the article. I cracked up and I can't say I'm a member of Switzerland but I don't think I'm a petty debater either. I believe I put out valid points when being anti-twilight.
posted 4 months ago.
 
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(You know how when you eat a food you hate you grab the nearest tasty food/drink as quick as possible? or when you see someone really grimy you might be icked into having an extra long shower that night? Twilight is my grimy hobo who inspired me to wash the ick away with all my favourite good books)

So funny, yet so true. I read all four books (I',m anal that way) even though the first one made me cringe at how terrible it was, Glad to see I wasn't the only one who thought so.
posted 3 months ago.
 
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hmmm
I don't hate twilight, but I do fail to see WHY everyone obsesses over it. I read the series and it didn't seem all that special to me. Can someone explain what's so addictive about it??? Lol
posted 2 months ago.
 
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great article i was cracking up the whole time. And maybe the twilight race are coming up with they're own language. Udiot is the fist word we know lol. next we'll be seeing muron, and butch lol. But great article.
posted 2 months ago.
 
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