Attitude is everything

[Dexter]

I have a friend who hates everything entertainment related. Aside from a handful of games, shows and movies, he trashes everything in sight. It's to the point that I've come to believe he's more happy when he hates something that when he enjoys it. He'll pick up a new game or go see a movie with the express intent to dislike it, and he's rarely disappointed.

Me, on the other hand, I'm the polar opposite. I intentionally go out of my way to enjoy everything. For me to dislike something, it has to be unusually, grotesquely bad. My philosophy is, if I'm devoting the time to watch a tv show or movie, read a book, play a video game... if I'm investing it it, in other words, then I fully intend to get my money and my time's worth out of it. I'll find something to like about it if it kills me.

So I'm wondering where you guys fit into this spectrum? Are you like my friend who boldly dares anything to entertain him at its peril, are you somewhere in the middle and go into it cautiously optimistic hoping for the best, or are you like me and go into it doggedly determined to enjoy it no matter how badly it might suck?

 

[Razor]

I'm somewhere in the middle. Allow me to explain.

When it comes to food? Like, say I go to the local barbecue place. I'll rarely, if ever, say I absolutely hated something. If I ordered it, I'm going to like it. I grew up with my dad and step-mom visiting every few months, and I'd always be perplexed when they said "Shorty Smalls is rather bad" or "That Mexican place is really shitty." It was food to me, and it tasted like barbecue or Mexican is supposed to taste. Am I supposed to expect 4 star cuisine? I know my dad and step-mother do, because they have this weird phobia about people thinking they're poor even though they make upwards of $100,000 a year. I, however, was always excited to eat somewhere that didn't consist of home. Because when I was little, eating at home meant sandwiches. A whole fucking lot of sandwiches. So going out to McDonalds, Burger King, Applebees, whatever you may want, was a treat. I was excited.

The one addendum I would add is that now I hate McDonalds. But other than that, the paragraph stands.

When it comes to games, I can't really waver. There are some games that are outright atrocious. Final Fantasy X-2 comes to mind. You turn them on and you just can't take it. However, I would say that I am more often then not completely entertained by a game I buy. I don't often buy games though, so take that as you will.

And movies...I often like a movie as I'm watching it. I mean, what the fuck. I'm watching it, I'm going to get into it. As I was watching the movie 9, for instance. I loved it for the most part. Then, after I got out of the theater, I realized that the movie largely lacked a plot, and sucked outside of the score and John C. Reilly's acting. I suppose it's because I'm still largely intact with my inner child, whether that's good or bad, and can easily engross myself into whatever I'm doing. Same goes for wrestling.

 

[gd]

I have a pretty laid back approach on life in general. I don't see the point in getting all pissed off about things and going around crying about them. I don't really get too high or too low, I just take everything in stride.

Really, what do I have to get pissed off about? I live in a nice home with my family and life a comfortable life. There is no point in me bitching about not having this or that or about how much my TV sucks because it's not plasma or any of that. I am very happy with my life as it is.

Another example is one these very forums. People constantly get extremely pissed off at each other and things get out of control. First of all, it's an internet forum, second of all, what the hell are you really arguing about? My philosophy is to just go with the flow and accept things as they come, it could always be worse.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

I'd say I'm in the middle. I'm not pessimistic about everything, but, when shit's rough, I'm not the kind of person who likes to hear that I should be thankful for what I have, as it still doesn't change the fact that I don't have what I want (or what I feel I need). Now, as far as food goes, I'm pretty thrifty, so, even if it taste like shit, I'm still going to eat it and delude myself into thinking that it's good. In regards to film and entertainment, I'm pretty much open to anything. But, for example, if I see a movie and I think it sucks, I will be adamant about not seeing anything again by the person who directed it.

 

[HBK-aholic]

I'm on the "Let's enjoy everything" side, especially noticeable in regards to wrestling recently in comparison to a lot of other people on the forum. I don't see the point of watching something to dislike it, and especially not paying for it. If you go into something thinking "I'm not going to enjoy this" you probably won't. But if you go into something thinking you're going to have a good time and will enjoy it, you're more likely to.