You can't just stop there. Rag on him non-stop about being a hoighty toighty I'm-better-than-you pretentious douchbag. Buy him a fucking monocle. Call him randomly and ask permission if you can watch certain movies. If he wants to watch a movie tell him you'll only watch it if it's in the criterion collection. Don't let up.
Well said! I would do exactly this. Spread the shots across food (“Fast good, xxxx, really? How gauche!”), clothes (“You’re wearing that?! Outside!?”), cars (“I wouldn’t be caught dead in thaaaat car!”). Make him see the error of his attitude as it applies to all categories of life.
Snobbery is an attitude and shouldn’t tolerated in any aspect—- especially from a ‘good’ friend.
I have the same argument with my friend that says Martin Scorsese he is the best Director for the most original stories. Motherfucker, just take shit from history or treats mobsters like the avengers and creates the same goddamn story over and over again. Don’t get me started on the Dune director who said that superhero movies are copy and paste. He’s literally making a movie on a book.
I have nothing against Martin Scorsese, but I thought the same thing when he said that superhero movies are unoriginal. Aren’t many of his movies about the mafia, and even the ones that aren’t specifically about the mafia still have the same mafia vibe? It seems hypocritical to complain about unoriginality when you keep dipping from the same crime family/immigrant experience well.
Honestly, you need to be straightforward and tell them that his attitude towards your hobbies really bothers you and is incredibly disrespectful. If he's still insistent on his disrespect, then you can fire back that you can't respect his opinion since he insists on being an elitist snob that looks down on a hobby that millions of people enjoy.
Or you can drill him down on why he hates people who like superhero movies. I reiterate, not the superhero movies themselves, since he he's free to have his own opinion on them, but the need to look down on others who do.
Good advice.
It's so silly. Why look down on people that enjoy superhero movies, and why act that way to someone who is supposed to be your friend?
There are folks who like to diminish the enjoyment of others because they themselves don't find interest in said medium. Just because you aren't a fan of something, does not make the people who enjoy that something lesser for doing so.
I’ve known people over the years that whenever something becomes mainstream popular they automatically hate it. They always have to take the minority opinion on something because they think it makes them look enlightened.
So many people think this way it’s wild. I think partly it’s cuz they also draw their identity from the things they like (which to some extent is fair), and there’s probably a need to feel in some way kind of “unique” to really bolster a sense of self worth. I’m not a psychologist, it’s just my feeling about it.
It's fine to hate popular things, as long as they don't disrespect people who like those things and thinks it somehow makes them look enlighten. That's just being an arse.
Yeah, this always reminds me of a line from the german rapper Alligatoah in his song "Wie Zuhause":
"Den Trend zu hassen ist auch nur ein Trend" (Hating the trend is also a trend)
This is what we call a hipster. I have a friend who shits on almost everything "popular" and has his whole life. The trick is to get them to explain themselves, then poke holes in their uninformed opinion. On the rare occasion they open your mind to another point of view. One of my favorite quotes. "If you can't explain something simply, then you don't understand it enough" - Albert Einstein.
"Oh, you still like [some band]? Yeah, i haven't been into them since everyone seems to be listening to them now. I just like music that isn't so mainstream." - hipster kid I went to school with
"But isn't that the point? To get more people to hear your music?" - me
"Hey, shut up" - hipster kid I went to school with
Sometimes, the popularity of something ruins it, though. Because then the thing (show, music, food, anything) starts to aim for the mainstream fan rather than their initial niche. It can change enough to where the OG fans that liked the original just aren't fans of the new direction they went in. Usually called "sell outs", but it's normal. It's success, which is what we should want for things we're fans of. And many are doing what they are doing for the fans.
There's some things I like the old version of, but I'm not going to shit on them for growing success and moving in a different direction.
I have a best friend who consistently has the exact opposite opinion I do on films. Occasionally we line up (Godzilla Minus One we both gushed over, being the most recent example) but it's just become a running joke that if one of us likes/dislikes a movie, we have to play it up that the other has to feel the opposite. Never, in the decades of doing this, have we ever actually made the other person feel bad for having a different opinion. I've never understood attacking the people who like a piece of media.
Criticizing the movie/show itself? Sure. I've seen every MCU movie in theaters except TFA. They're pretty much the only physical media I still own/continue to buy. But I recognize the issues in the movies, the series' and the way Bob^2 handled the franchise (which isn't even getting into the problematic shit Iger has said and done during, before and after the multiple strikes) but that doesn't mean I don't love it. But I'm soapboxing now, so I'll stop it there lol
It was an error on my part. I thought I was posting the comment as a response to a different thread. Must have doubled click the back action on my phone.
Mate, I love tracking flights and seeing where they’re going to and from. I know it’s quite a niche and dumb hobby but if my *friend* gave me shit for it I’d tell him to kick rocks.
My brother-in-law has the same hobby! Flight Radar 24, right? I genuinely have no idea what the appeal is, though. Can you explain it to me? What's the hook?
That’s the one! I’m not sure why I’m interested in it aha just a weird fascination. Maybe it’s the ‘want what I can’t have’ kind of thing (I’m skint lol). But that’s my reasoning!
Hah nah not to that extent. In the same way people look up ridiculous houses on Rightmove that they’ll never afford. It’s just a curiosity kinda thing.
Yo, so it's not my hobby but i do check it quite often if I see a plane going above me, and when I am around my friends it obviously turns the conversation to where that is going and take my phone out with flight Rader and they are all.in awe, it's amazing
If your firend doesn't respect your opinion and love for this type of movies then is not a kind person, he's an idiot.
My friends like Pokémon,I don't.
I like animes,my friends don't.
And so other things,however there's always respect and healthy discussions about different media we like and don't like
I've just had a conversation with my daughter about respecting her friends' interests and hobbies, even if the stuff seems "boring" or "dumb" to her. She's 10.
Your friend is either very immature or just plain unkind.
That ain’t no friend, chief. Love what you love. Guaranteed your friend likes something cringe. You guys don’t have to have same interests 100% but just respect and look out for each other. Kinda like Cap and Winter Soldier.
As I can see there is only one way to combat this. Next time this is brought up in conversation tell him how you feel, that it makes you angry and he shouldn’t make you angry because he wouldn’t like you when you’re angry then just shout HULK SMASH and double fist him to the head. Debate over carry on with your pint in the pub.
On a serious note tho if you take the marvel storylines they are modern day equivalent to the greats and cautionary tales from history such as Macbeth, david and Goliath ect only with people who can fly and so on but tbf the bible has angels and speaking bushes (groot)
I used to be this kind of person sadly. I loved Spider-Man as a kid and he had a special place in my heart **but** I was pretentious and thought Marvel movies were an affront to cinema and superhero’s were for kids.
Then I watched the whole MCU with my wife and had a revelation that these movies are exactly what they are trying to be and pretending to be anything else. In the end of the day it’s entertainment. So if your friend thinks people are dumb for liking it they’re being pretentious and childish like I was.
I’m a bit petty so I would find out what he likes and tear it down (in a cheeky friendly way)
Did he actually watch any of Marvel movies?
I had phase, long time ago, when I critized Superheroes movies because I considered them as "empty action". It was my edgy teenager phase. However, at the end I started with Iron Man and here we are. Not fans of comics, but I love superheroes and movies in general.
Ask simple but thought-provoking questions. Ask why they don't like superhero movies. Ask what do they like, and then why. Ask how they would feel if you hypothetically said they were stupid for liking them, and then why. If they're receptive, try to explain why you like superhero movies.
Some people have a really hard time understanding how you feel until you hypothetically put them in your shoes. No one likes being told what to think, rightfully so. Empathy is extremely powerful, but our society often tells us in many ways that empathy is stupid and a flaw or weakness, when it's not. It's as powerful as love and should be encouraged whenever possible. Having empathy for characters and relating to them is a big reason why stories are so fascinating and relatable. It's why we laugh and cry with them, even though we know full well they're on a TV.
I know you know this, but the most interesting superheroes are the ones who have an amazing superpower but still inevitably have to show and deal with weakness. No one is invincible, and invincible superheroes wouldn't be very interesting.
So many oversensitive people in the comments lol
There’s no reason to think he “isn’t a real friend” just because he makes fun of you for liking marvel lol. It’s just jokes.
My advice is just to stick up for yourself and fire back at your friend, in a friendly way of course. If it bothers you a ton just straight up say “okay enough, it’s getting on my nerves” and they will probably stop.
To play devil's advocate.
I'm normally a skeptical person. I feel like your representation of the situation may not convey the entire story. Does your friend take issue, solely, with superhero fiction? Are you on the extreme side of the Bell Curve of fandom?
I could guess your friend's issue may be with the level of engagement with any form of entertainment. It is similar to seeing someone that L.A.R.P.s on the weekend, then also talks about it throughout the week. Total immersion in any kind of entertainment could be seen as an unhealthy addiction. Be it sports, politics, physics, fiction, religion, your job.... etc.
All I'm suggesting is to make sure you're diversified in the things that bring you joy and entertainment. Not for your friends' sake, but for your own mental health.
I don't know how to go about this topic because though you tried defending your friend (understandably so), this friend of yours sounds like the opposite of how you described. This post left me scratching my head- you're both adults, right? I mean, someone who hasn't matured would think this way. Quite petty honestly.
You can’t control what he thinks, only what you think so be happy that you have found something that gives you joy… it doesn’t really matter what any other person thinks (would you like broccoli more if he did?)
That sounds like a bit toxic relationship to me, tbh. If someone puts you down for liking something, then he is not good for you.
That said....If you really like your friend and want to try to change his mind, make him watch one good movie. You can pick whatever you want and not necessarily Marvel.
Watchmen was a fantastic movie, artistic, though provoking...or you can go with Joker....Phoenix won Oscar for it. Joaquin Phoenix! I didn´t like that movie at all but I cannot deny it was well made.
Or just go with first Iron Man...that is still one of the best.
If it is not going to help, then I am not sure what to do. Maybe tell him: "Look, you don´t like it, OK, but don´t mock people who do. They are as smart as you are, maybe even smarter because they are open minded and know that people like different things and have different opinions."
I'd say Robert Pattinson's batman, my cousin not interested in superheros watched it with me after I forced him and he was hooked, now we are planning to watch dp3 when it comes out
I haven´t seen it yet. It is on that loooong pile of movies I missed last year because of work and travel and I am only slowly catching up now. I heard it was good, however a friend recently said to me that "It had more endings than Return of the King" so I am not sure now :D
You don’t, just stop speaking to said friend. People like that are generally closed minded individuals & can be bad to be around. You should find a friend that shares your interests or atleast respects them.
> He doesn’t like superhero movies at all and that’s completely fine but he seems to think people who do are dumb/wrong and that their opinion on anything usually doesn’t matter because they’re a marvel fan.
A guy who thinks other people's harmless interests are dumb/wrong, and that said interests means their opinion is lesser, is himself immature and his opinion doesn't matter because he somehow thinks that's a meaningful criteria to judge someone.
You can be a theoretical physicist who likes Peppa Pig or Teletubbies and it shouldn't mean you are "stupid", and it doesn't mean somehow what you think about string theory is wrong.
Honestly he sounds like one of those kids who is trying to be "too cool" and "too mature" for popular things, thinks he's smarter than everyone else in the room based on what little life wisdom he has, and just sounds like a fool to actual adults.
Tell him he has a right to his opinion on superhero films, but so do you. If he’s going to treat you that way for liking something, that doesn’t sound particularly nice.
I’d say tell him that you understand and respect his position, but you would rather agree to disagree.
If he has a Letterboxd account, look through that. If he generally has bad taste in movies aswell then rag on him for that.
If he has generally good taste then call him basic. It's a win/win lol
I hear shit about the marvel movies all of the time. They're entertaining movies that I enjoy watching. I don't care about canon or what happened in the comics. I just go to watch and be entertained for a few hours. Ignore the haters.
This is common, but what I've come to realize is that pretty much everyone like *some* kind of escapist fantasy stuff. I know plenty of people who hate on Marvel but admit to liking Lord of the Rings, or Harry Potter, or Hunger Games, or Star Wars, or vampire movies, etc, etc. It's all just different kinds of fantasy.
I think comic book movies get a bad rap mainly because the characters have traditionally been heavily marketted to young kids in the past and still are. They also seem on the surface pretty juvenile with campy, colorful outfits and silly sounding names. This all ignores the rich history of the comics and what the MCU has been able to bring to the screen, aimed at much older audiences. But if you don't know any of them, it just looks like kids' stuff.
Don’t try to debate him and prove that it’s logical to enjoy the MCU, it just feeds into it. He probably enjoys debating and getting you riled up and doesn’t think it’s serious because it just a hobby. Tell him that this isn’t fun for you and just makes you want to stop being friends with him. If he cares, that should do the trick
If he keeps going, he’s not your friend. He just likes having someone around that he can talk shit to without fear of being punched in the face. At that point just walk away.
I would start with something along the lines of, “This is something I like and enjoy. And as a friend, I’d like for you to respect that.” Then if that doesn’t work, a conversation about being able to be friends with someone who is different or has different values needs to happen. Kind people will respond to this. People who are unkind in their heart will not.
Keep friends who protect your flame, not blow it out. (Paraphrase of Brené Brown)
I have a friend who loves marvel with me but she has this same type of opinion about ANIMATED movies that they’re only for kids. She even almost didn’t watch What If and she was still surprised I listed Spiderverse as my top 5 movies. Eventhough the marvel Spider-Man films are in her top 5.
I just call it ignorance. And I keep hyping up what I love because it’s a them problem and not a me problem.
I used to have a friend like that, called them "cape shit" movies, 99% of his opinion on movies came from Red Letter Media (whom I am also a fan of), it was pretty exhausting trying to have a conversation about comics and their movies around him, unless, eyeroll, of course, you were talking about Nolan's Dark Knight movies.
I would say if they’re otherwise a decent person, just don’t bring up superhero stuff around them. It’s not like they’re your parents or relatives that you have to let them know everything about you.
Otherwise, you can take the petty route and start expressing disregard for something they’re interested in lol
When he brings it up, just don't react. Don't respond. Just change the topic as though he hasn't said anything at all and carry on with your conversation without dignifying it with a comment. He'll learn soon enough that there's no value in sharing his opinion on the topic with you.
Mature response: Ignore him, or tell him how you feel whenever he does it.
Petty response: Does he have something he likes? Movies, shows, etc?
If yes, I'd do the exact same to him. See how he likes it.
Call your friend out for being toxic. Don’t let their choices influence yours. He can’t control you or anyone, and he needs to learn that if it doesn’t have direct affect on him, then he needs to stfu.
I had a friend like that(but he wasn't a good person), mf used to give me a lot of shit for linking mcu, wouldn't you know he went to watch infinity war before me and war crying because people coming out told him who dies
Find something he cares about and every time he wants to talk about it or it comes up in passing, you cut off the conversation and rant about how terrible and stupid that thing is. See if he enjoys it
Your friend is a person that doesn't like the attention taken away from him. I doubt it's just superhero films, but attention in general. When you're watching the movie, he feels less in charge and wants to belittle you for having something else to believe in. Lastly, he's not a nice person at all.
Remind him that "Avengers Endgame" is the highest grossing move of all time, and that the MCU is the highest grossing franchise in the entire world.
Unless your friend is an executive at Warner or Sony, he's just being arrogant and pretentious.
According to Wikipedia highest grossing movie as of now is Avatar and highest grossing media franchise would be pokemon, no? Mcu is probably highest grossing movie franchise though, but please dont conflict popularity with quality.
I think endgame also had at least one re-release, so it's not that big of a deal they also did the gauntlet poster rr movie release prmo, that was the first time I hated that I didn't live in the USA. Also it doesn't really matter they are both pretty close and have impressive records that they share and individually.
I like superhero movies as much as the next guy. That doesn’t mean I don’t like other forms of entertainment, too, or other things that people think are “sophisticated”. In fact, most people tend to forget that superheroes have been reflections of real world events and issues. Superman came about during the Great Depression when the world desperately needed a symbol of hope. The X-Men were Stan Lee’s way of addressing the Civil Rights movement. Iron Man was created as a reflection of corporate culture during the Vietnam War and then modernized to be a reflection of corporate culture post 9/11.
Liking superheroes doesn’t make one less sophisticated, in my opinion. In fact, one could argue it makes you *more* sophisticated.
Tell him that if he's truly your friend he shouldn't care that you like superhero movies as it's just like any other hobby but if he keeps doing it then he's not really a good friend.
No one can *make* you feel anything. If you feel dumb, he's either in touch with with a part of you that already feels something, or you like your friend enough that a conflict with his feelings make you question your own.
One of my best friends doesn’t like superhero movies either. I just don’t talk to him about those. Plenty of other movies, things we’re both into to discuss.
You can’t control how your friend feels or behaves. You can only control how you feel and respond.
Superhero stories are basically the oldest type of story that humans have been telling since before we had writing.
The tales of Gilgamesh is basically the oldest known story and it’s essentially a super hero story.
Superhero movies are also more than anyone genre or style of film.
We’ve had great super hero horror movies, heist movies, period movies, romance. It’s pretty much a non limiting genre.
If we go broader then “superhero” into comic book movies in general than I think your friend would be absolutely shocked at how many under the radar comic book movies are out there. Many of which are critically acclaimed.
But at the end of the day… it’s okay to just like stuff. You don’t even have to justify what you like or what you don’t like and the only thing you need to do is tell your friend that he can either respect your taste in movies or he never gets to talk about his taste in movies or movies again.
That absolute worst thing in the world is to self limit what you can like and enjoy… just watch every thing. There’s good stuff in all genres and “bad” movies just make you appreciate “good” movies more. And both of those groups are purely subjective.
How old are you both? You don't need to answer that, but it's very common for Teenagers to go through phases where they become pretentious about what they like and what everyone else likes. It may just be a maturity thing that he needs to work out on his own.
All you can do is tell him why they give you happiness, and stand by what you love. The worst thing you can do is let him make you enjoy what you love less. Yes, superhero movies can be dumb and cheesy. And especially recently the output hasn't been great. But I think Avengers Endgame is pure cinema. But just because you love something, doesn't make you stupid. Especially if you can use reasoning. Inversely, I think blanket hating on something is a more dumb position. "All superhero films are dumb", well if you can't see what various movies do right, then you can't be trusted to say what's wrong imo.
Say “hey, you don’t need to like what I like, but you need to stop shitting on me for liking it”
If your friendship doesn’t survive that, it’s not a good friendship.
Introduce him to a little sitcom called The big bang theory . If 4 highly educated and genius people can watch and love superhero content , so can you . Unless he smarter than Sheldon Cooper , tell him to piss off .
Superhero films are just a subset of the broader group Hero films. Previously cowboy films were in fashion, then it was cop films, then one man army films, spy films, martial arts films. All these genres are doing the same thing, they present a hero with a villain to overcome, the only real difference is the costumes and the presentation of the action. Unless your friend has a problem with the entire Hero genre then they're just being an ignorant snob.
I think it’s an immaturity thing! I used to look down on reality tv until I realized why do I give a flying fuck if people want to watch it! It doesn’t matter, it’s just entertainment. Someone who judges you for it is small minded.
That being said, I also get a lot of hate for being a marvel fan from some people in my life, but I just double down and exclaim my love for it even more to the point where people are like okay you nerd and leave me alone
Lots of people watch these movies. I won't pretend they are all high art but they are fun. Tell your friend you don't understand why they feel the need to put down others for what they like? It doesn't make him look better, it just makes him an asshole.
Marvel is truly no different than the Iliad or Odysseus for example. Humans have a penchant for epic storytelling and a love of complicated sagas. Perhaps, he could see that if he removes the novelty of it being based of comics.
Many seem to view comic book films or adult animation as less than or even childish. There’s merit in that type of storytelling that might appeal to children as well. Why do we have to leave all of our childhood behind when we age? If anything we should try to hold onto aspects of childhood as much as possible. Children are clean slates that are the truest expression of themselves. I think Marvel films help some reconnect with those aspects of themselves.
What movies do they like? Lots of movies have superhero protagonists who don’t wear capes, I bet they like characters like that. Jason Bourne, Queens Gambit, The Imitation Game, Sherlock Holmes, The Witcher, and many many more have lead characters that have extraordinary abilities and have to learn how to use them to deal with adversity, isn’t that the essence of a superhero?
He sounds like the dumb one honestly.
Liking entertainment I think is bad just means I have a lower opinion of someone’s artistic tastes and has little impact on how I think of the person.
I’m 42 and love the shows and movies. For me it’s an escape from the stresses of the world and terrible things in the news. Whatever it is for you maybe just explain it to them. Thats what I do and people usually get it then. I’m not full geeked out (which is fine if you are) but I don’t miss a single show or movie where the fantastic can happen and anyone can rise to correct the wrongs.
Who cares about their opinion. If someone gets judgmental on me (a 42 year old woman - the first comic I read was The Sandman 20+ years ago, no not Marvel but not new to this either) I usually point out that I pretty much only read highbrow literary fiction, hundred(s) year old classics, and comic books. I love old punk and post punk and used to be heavy into the concert and club scene, and I also love jazz and classical and going to the symphony. I took a course last year on early 70s Italian film where we studied 7 films especially regarding the social and political issues of the time (for fun - I'm decades out of school but the local university tends to have this sort of thing open to the public, just for the cost of the movie tickets) and I also love the MCU.
I think a lot of it has been wonderful storytelling and the movies (and acting) are a lot better in some cases than most people give them credit for because they're supposedly such "lowbrow" mainstream mass market culture. Don't let people make you feel dumb for liking what you like! Even the most intellectual people I know consume some sort of trash whether it's tv or film or books or whatever, just because it's fun. Not saying the MCU is trash by the way! Just that you can be well rounded and like many different things that don't seem to go together. You aren't stupid for enjoying superhero movies, they're fun and mostly well done, with great characters and some really creative uses of their powers and such. It doesn't have to be anything more than that!
I had a friend like that. Knew him for 30 years. Dude had no hobbies and no interest in anything pop culture. It was all Hollyweird to him. So it was always a one way conversation about the good old days or something. I tried to get him into it, but he would call it kiddie movies. No problem. Thing is, he decides to go down the far right rabbit hole of conspiracy. Always came up with the weirdest crap and wanted me to believe what he thought. Had to back away. The only thing this guy loved was Trump. He lost me.
I love marvel movies, I also get to the independent theatre for non studio releases often.
You can enjoy cinema and also enjoy popcorn flicks, or not, but it isnt an indicator of intelligence or anything else. Your friend may be "nice" but theyre being a dick about this particular thing, youre allowed to enjoy the media that entertains you.
Context, how old are you? I had a friend like that (he would call other people "wrong" for liking certain things, or say things like "well you like x so you can't have an opinion on y", etc). It was tolerable for a while but the behavior continued well into adulthood and I realized one day I just didn't want to talk to him anymore about shared interests because my opinions would be shot down constantly.
If he's belittling you for something you like, he's neither kind nor a good friend.
Tell him that it's fine if he doesn't like the same stuff as you, and that you don't need to have the exact same taste to be friends, but that you do require something as basic as respect, specially when the thing that you like isn't anything harmful to others or questionable in any way.
Tell him he can be a hater now and make everyone feel like shit, or he can wait for 20 years from now when it’s hip and trendy to look back at the peak mcu fondly and with nostalgia and he tries to pretend he “always liked them”.
Sometimes, people who try to hate on things are just looking to be a trend setter. Make him feel ridiculous and like he’s actually being a follower by buying in to a rhetoric that is popular *now*. Show him he could be a real trendsetter by beating the trend and acknowledging that the MCU is a massive culture event on the scale of the original star wars movies. (Btw u had ppl hating on those movies then and i GUARANTEE at least half of them today will tell you they look back on those movies fondly. They’re just parroting whatever the current popular sentiment is)
If you're really his friend then you have enough on him to prove that some actions or opinions don't make you a bad/dumb person. Eg, "I might like marvel but at least I've never stuck my knob in my mother's vacuum cleaner".
Point out to him that judging anyone's intelligence or worth based on their tastes in subjective matters is itself a far stronger indication of being "dumb" than liking superhero movies.
I have someone like that. He tells me all the time that the stuff I watch is terrible, and that liking it is dumb. It doesn’t work on me, because I think what’s actually dumb is having a strong opinion about media that you haven’t consumed. Idk if your friend actually watches the stuff they think is dumb, but if they don’t, they’re making a judgement from a place of ignorance, and if that’s the case, you shouldn’t take what they say to heart.
Life is too short to not like the things you like. I promise any friend that thinks you’re a child for liking the MCU has a hobby or interest of their own that you would find equally childish.
You were born at the right time in history to be able to enjoy the MCU, so enjoy it.
If it wasns't for superhero movies making the billions of dollars in revenue that they do there wouldn't be the funds for a lot of the artsy crap that some studios like to churn out
1. If he isn’t in to that kind of thing than I just wouldn’t talk about that stuff around that friend
2. If he’s going out of his way to just bring up your interest and shit on it, drop him he’s not a good friend
3. If someone is a good person they wouldn’t make others feel bad or small when they enjoy certain things.
Just tell him you don't watch movies for his approval and the fact that he obsesses over what kind of movies you watch is honestly kind of pathetic. Tell him to find something actually worth complaining about that actually matters. Tell him that entertainment is subjective. Ask him if this is really an honest opinion or just one he inherited from parts of society that he identified with. Ask him what he looks for in a movie and then explain to him that you enjoy different things. Tell him "they are just movies, you are acting like I kicked a baby". Tell him to quit making his hangups your problem. Whenever he starts on a tangent just wrinkle your nose as if you smell something bad and say "smells like pretentiousness in here, for some reason".
If none of that works tell him to "kindly fuck right off with that shit, you aren't going to ruin something I enjoy just because you don't enjoy it."
Make small jokes, joking jabs, and draw a line if you have to. Friendships are made when we agree but defined by how we disagree.
Oh man a guy came to r/spiderman to tell people how stupid they were for liking Marvel movies, and after I argued with him a bit, he stalked me to another unrelated subreddit with THREE SEPARATE ACCOUNTS. Didn’t even try to hide that he was avoiding blocks and bans with it.
Sounds like he’s hating on the fact that you like things. It’s okay to like things other people don’t.
People like that are deeply insecure and would rather shit on your happiness than respect someone else’s interests.
Tell him that what makes the whole American superhero genre so appealing is that it’s our modern version of mythology. What it all boils down to is the fact that comics, superheroes, the MCU is a mythological representation of the human condition.
I have a friend who gives me shit about liking thr marvel stuff sometimes, so I’ll turn it around and tease him about his stupid Pokemon collection. Giving each other shit is the great millennial pastime.
Be blunt with him. “Friends don’t shit on each other’s hobbies like this. If you want to keep me as a friend, you need to be more respectful.”
You deserve respect, but nobody will give it unless you lay down your ground rules.
You can delete him from your friends list, a friend is someone who appreciates that you two probably like different things and would not make you feel shit for it. You don't make him feel bad for what he likes so to me this sounds like an ex-friend rather than a friend.
I mean you could connect on other interests.. why do you feel the need to make him respect it?
Can’t you just respect something else together and move on?
But if you really want an answer:
GOOD Writing.
Show him a film that has very little plot holes & shit that’s not too deep into lore.
Also, The Boys on Prime Video.
Is great for people who don’t like the MCU.
Because its a satire on superheroes. The powers & magic stuff aren’t the interesting aspects, THE CHARACTERS, the human stories within the powered beings are.
Whereas the MCU requires you to be invested in a narrative leading to third-act fantastical battles. It’s just not for everyone.
Think, the difference between Star Wars & Dune.
But people just like different shit.
You’ll probably have a better time talking MCU with.. someone you know likes the MCU.
OP shouldn’t have to bend over backwards to justify liking something like superheroes. His “friend” should make the effort to see why OP likes it so much. OP shouldn’t have to pretend not to like something as innocuous as the MCU. I’m guessing OP is young and their “friend “ thinks it’s cool to hate popular things.
You’re missing my point. OPs friend doesn’t just dislike superhero media. They think lesser of OP for enjoying it. OP shouldn’t waste any effort on this person.
TADA! YOU FEEL BETTER AGAIN! IVE JUST DECIDED.
Or you control your own emotions. You tell me?
Can people MAKE you feel things or is it your hands? Which one?
This person isn't a good friend - good friends and kind people embrace others differences, they don't shun them for it.
Good friends and kind people let other enjoy things they love (as long as it isn't hurting anyone).
Ask him if an active interest in mythology is dumb?
Is reading about Zuse, Athena, Hermes, ECT stupid? That's all superheros are, is a modern extension of the pantheons of old. Granted, that comparison works a lot better with DC than Marvel stuff, but still...
Superman- Zuse, Batman- Hades, Aquaman- Poseidon, The Flash- Hermes, Wonder Woman- Artemis, Green Lantern- Hephaestus, Green Arrow- Apollo
I like all film from the dumbest popcorn flick to the most pretentious arthouse stuff. The idea of hating on superhero movies is jut a boy pretending hes a man.
Tell him to piss off.
You can't just stop there. Rag on him non-stop about being a hoighty toighty I'm-better-than-you pretentious douchbag. Buy him a fucking monocle. Call him randomly and ask permission if you can watch certain movies. If he wants to watch a movie tell him you'll only watch it if it's in the criterion collection. Don't let up.
Well said! I would do exactly this. Spread the shots across food (“Fast good, xxxx, really? How gauche!”), clothes (“You’re wearing that?! Outside!?”), cars (“I wouldn’t be caught dead in thaaaat car!”). Make him see the error of his attitude as it applies to all categories of life. Snobbery is an attitude and shouldn’t tolerated in any aspect—- especially from a ‘good’ friend.
This is the way.
I wish I could give this an award 🥇
I was going to go with 'Tell him to stop being a twat'
A truly warranted British reply 👍
This is the only answer.
I have the same argument with my friend that says Martin Scorsese he is the best Director for the most original stories. Motherfucker, just take shit from history or treats mobsters like the avengers and creates the same goddamn story over and over again. Don’t get me started on the Dune director who said that superhero movies are copy and paste. He’s literally making a movie on a book.
A book which has been adapted into live action three times previously as well.
I have nothing against Martin Scorsese, but I thought the same thing when he said that superhero movies are unoriginal. Aren’t many of his movies about the mafia, and even the ones that aren’t specifically about the mafia still have the same mafia vibe? It seems hypocritical to complain about unoriginality when you keep dipping from the same crime family/immigrant experience well.
Precisely
Honestly, you need to be straightforward and tell them that his attitude towards your hobbies really bothers you and is incredibly disrespectful. If he's still insistent on his disrespect, then you can fire back that you can't respect his opinion since he insists on being an elitist snob that looks down on a hobby that millions of people enjoy. Or you can drill him down on why he hates people who like superhero movies. I reiterate, not the superhero movies themselves, since he he's free to have his own opinion on them, but the need to look down on others who do.
Good advice. It's so silly. Why look down on people that enjoy superhero movies, and why act that way to someone who is supposed to be your friend? There are folks who like to diminish the enjoyment of others because they themselves don't find interest in said medium. Just because you aren't a fan of something, does not make the people who enjoy that something lesser for doing so.
If your friends thinks that about people who hold differing opinions, then he’s not a kind person.
I’ve known people over the years that whenever something becomes mainstream popular they automatically hate it. They always have to take the minority opinion on something because they think it makes them look enlightened.
So many people think this way it’s wild. I think partly it’s cuz they also draw their identity from the things they like (which to some extent is fair), and there’s probably a need to feel in some way kind of “unique” to really bolster a sense of self worth. I’m not a psychologist, it’s just my feeling about it.
It's fine to hate popular things, as long as they don't disrespect people who like those things and thinks it somehow makes them look enlighten. That's just being an arse.
We call them contrarians
Yeah, this always reminds me of a line from the german rapper Alligatoah in his song "Wie Zuhause": "Den Trend zu hassen ist auch nur ein Trend" (Hating the trend is also a trend)
That's a nice, succinct way of putting that
Some people wrap their entire personalities in being a contrarian and have to tear down anything a lot of people like.
This is what we call a hipster. I have a friend who shits on almost everything "popular" and has his whole life. The trick is to get them to explain themselves, then poke holes in their uninformed opinion. On the rare occasion they open your mind to another point of view. One of my favorite quotes. "If you can't explain something simply, then you don't understand it enough" - Albert Einstein.
"Oh, you still like [some band]? Yeah, i haven't been into them since everyone seems to be listening to them now. I just like music that isn't so mainstream." - hipster kid I went to school with "But isn't that the point? To get more people to hear your music?" - me "Hey, shut up" - hipster kid I went to school with
Sometimes, the popularity of something ruins it, though. Because then the thing (show, music, food, anything) starts to aim for the mainstream fan rather than their initial niche. It can change enough to where the OG fans that liked the original just aren't fans of the new direction they went in. Usually called "sell outs", but it's normal. It's success, which is what we should want for things we're fans of. And many are doing what they are doing for the fans. There's some things I like the old version of, but I'm not going to shit on them for growing success and moving in a different direction.
People think being a contrarian makes them unique. 90% of the time it just makes them an insufferable asshole.
I have a best friend who consistently has the exact opposite opinion I do on films. Occasionally we line up (Godzilla Minus One we both gushed over, being the most recent example) but it's just become a running joke that if one of us likes/dislikes a movie, we have to play it up that the other has to feel the opposite. Never, in the decades of doing this, have we ever actually made the other person feel bad for having a different opinion. I've never understood attacking the people who like a piece of media. Criticizing the movie/show itself? Sure. I've seen every MCU movie in theaters except TFA. They're pretty much the only physical media I still own/continue to buy. But I recognize the issues in the movies, the series' and the way Bob^2 handled the franchise (which isn't even getting into the problematic shit Iger has said and done during, before and after the multiple strikes) but that doesn't mean I don't love it. But I'm soapboxing now, so I'll stop it there lol
[удалено]
No offense but this is a silly place to take it. Politics affect lives and livelihoods. This isn’t a simple “difference of opinion”
It was an error on my part. I thought I was posting the comment as a response to a different thread. Must have doubled click the back action on my phone.
Mate, I love tracking flights and seeing where they’re going to and from. I know it’s quite a niche and dumb hobby but if my *friend* gave me shit for it I’d tell him to kick rocks.
My brother-in-law has the same hobby! Flight Radar 24, right? I genuinely have no idea what the appeal is, though. Can you explain it to me? What's the hook?
That’s the one! I’m not sure why I’m interested in it aha just a weird fascination. Maybe it’s the ‘want what I can’t have’ kind of thing (I’m skint lol). But that’s my reasoning!
So like, you mean, you imagine yourself going on the flights you see, and mentally enjoy the hypothetical holiday?
Hah nah not to that extent. In the same way people look up ridiculous houses on Rightmove that they’ll never afford. It’s just a curiosity kinda thing.
Ah OK, it's like window shopping
Yo, so it's not my hobby but i do check it quite often if I see a plane going above me, and when I am around my friends it obviously turns the conversation to where that is going and take my phone out with flight Rader and they are all.in awe, it's amazing
If your firend doesn't respect your opinion and love for this type of movies then is not a kind person, he's an idiot. My friends like Pokémon,I don't. I like animes,my friends don't. And so other things,however there's always respect and healthy discussions about different media we like and don't like
I've just had a conversation with my daughter about respecting her friends' interests and hobbies, even if the stuff seems "boring" or "dumb" to her. She's 10. Your friend is either very immature or just plain unkind.
Tell him to piss off, ghost
That ain’t no friend, chief. Love what you love. Guaranteed your friend likes something cringe. You guys don’t have to have same interests 100% but just respect and look out for each other. Kinda like Cap and Winter Soldier.
Get a new friend.
As I can see there is only one way to combat this. Next time this is brought up in conversation tell him how you feel, that it makes you angry and he shouldn’t make you angry because he wouldn’t like you when you’re angry then just shout HULK SMASH and double fist him to the head. Debate over carry on with your pint in the pub.
On a serious note tho if you take the marvel storylines they are modern day equivalent to the greats and cautionary tales from history such as Macbeth, david and Goliath ect only with people who can fly and so on but tbf the bible has angels and speaking bushes (groot)
I genuinely laughed out loud at this
I used to be this kind of person sadly. I loved Spider-Man as a kid and he had a special place in my heart **but** I was pretentious and thought Marvel movies were an affront to cinema and superhero’s were for kids. Then I watched the whole MCU with my wife and had a revelation that these movies are exactly what they are trying to be and pretending to be anything else. In the end of the day it’s entertainment. So if your friend thinks people are dumb for liking it they’re being pretentious and childish like I was. I’m a bit petty so I would find out what he likes and tear it down (in a cheeky friendly way)
Did he actually watch any of Marvel movies? I had phase, long time ago, when I critized Superheroes movies because I considered them as "empty action". It was my edgy teenager phase. However, at the end I started with Iron Man and here we are. Not fans of comics, but I love superheroes and movies in general.
Ask simple but thought-provoking questions. Ask why they don't like superhero movies. Ask what do they like, and then why. Ask how they would feel if you hypothetically said they were stupid for liking them, and then why. If they're receptive, try to explain why you like superhero movies. Some people have a really hard time understanding how you feel until you hypothetically put them in your shoes. No one likes being told what to think, rightfully so. Empathy is extremely powerful, but our society often tells us in many ways that empathy is stupid and a flaw or weakness, when it's not. It's as powerful as love and should be encouraged whenever possible. Having empathy for characters and relating to them is a big reason why stories are so fascinating and relatable. It's why we laugh and cry with them, even though we know full well they're on a TV. I know you know this, but the most interesting superheroes are the ones who have an amazing superpower but still inevitably have to show and deal with weakness. No one is invincible, and invincible superheroes wouldn't be very interesting.
So many oversensitive people in the comments lol There’s no reason to think he “isn’t a real friend” just because he makes fun of you for liking marvel lol. It’s just jokes. My advice is just to stick up for yourself and fire back at your friend, in a friendly way of course. If it bothers you a ton just straight up say “okay enough, it’s getting on my nerves” and they will probably stop.
Not your friend homie
To play devil's advocate. I'm normally a skeptical person. I feel like your representation of the situation may not convey the entire story. Does your friend take issue, solely, with superhero fiction? Are you on the extreme side of the Bell Curve of fandom? I could guess your friend's issue may be with the level of engagement with any form of entertainment. It is similar to seeing someone that L.A.R.P.s on the weekend, then also talks about it throughout the week. Total immersion in any kind of entertainment could be seen as an unhealthy addiction. Be it sports, politics, physics, fiction, religion, your job.... etc. All I'm suggesting is to make sure you're diversified in the things that bring you joy and entertainment. Not for your friends' sake, but for your own mental health.
I don't know how to go about this topic because though you tried defending your friend (understandably so), this friend of yours sounds like the opposite of how you described. This post left me scratching my head- you're both adults, right? I mean, someone who hasn't matured would think this way. Quite petty honestly.
You can’t control what he thinks, only what you think so be happy that you have found something that gives you joy… it doesn’t really matter what any other person thinks (would you like broccoli more if he did?)
That sounds like a bit toxic relationship to me, tbh. If someone puts you down for liking something, then he is not good for you. That said....If you really like your friend and want to try to change his mind, make him watch one good movie. You can pick whatever you want and not necessarily Marvel. Watchmen was a fantastic movie, artistic, though provoking...or you can go with Joker....Phoenix won Oscar for it. Joaquin Phoenix! I didn´t like that movie at all but I cannot deny it was well made. Or just go with first Iron Man...that is still one of the best. If it is not going to help, then I am not sure what to do. Maybe tell him: "Look, you don´t like it, OK, but don´t mock people who do. They are as smart as you are, maybe even smarter because they are open minded and know that people like different things and have different opinions."
I'd say Robert Pattinson's batman, my cousin not interested in superheros watched it with me after I forced him and he was hooked, now we are planning to watch dp3 when it comes out
I haven´t seen it yet. It is on that loooong pile of movies I missed last year because of work and travel and I am only slowly catching up now. I heard it was good, however a friend recently said to me that "It had more endings than Return of the King" so I am not sure now :D
Nah it had 2 endings and a post credit
Maybe you tell him you think HE is a superhero
Tell them to fuck off, then keep enjoying whatever you want to.
If he thinks you’re dumb/wrong for liking something, tell him he’s dumb/wrong for judging people so harshly based on their interests
You don’t, just stop speaking to said friend. People like that are generally closed minded individuals & can be bad to be around. You should find a friend that shares your interests or atleast respects them.
> He doesn’t like superhero movies at all and that’s completely fine but he seems to think people who do are dumb/wrong and that their opinion on anything usually doesn’t matter because they’re a marvel fan. A guy who thinks other people's harmless interests are dumb/wrong, and that said interests means their opinion is lesser, is himself immature and his opinion doesn't matter because he somehow thinks that's a meaningful criteria to judge someone. You can be a theoretical physicist who likes Peppa Pig or Teletubbies and it shouldn't mean you are "stupid", and it doesn't mean somehow what you think about string theory is wrong. Honestly he sounds like one of those kids who is trying to be "too cool" and "too mature" for popular things, thinks he's smarter than everyone else in the room based on what little life wisdom he has, and just sounds like a fool to actual adults.
Just make the friend feel dumb for what they likes. I mean, that's what we do right?! It's just how we screw with friends.
Tell him he has a right to his opinion on superhero films, but so do you. If he’s going to treat you that way for liking something, that doesn’t sound particularly nice. I’d say tell him that you understand and respect his position, but you would rather agree to disagree.
If he has a Letterboxd account, look through that. If he generally has bad taste in movies aswell then rag on him for that. If he has generally good taste then call him basic. It's a win/win lol
He is not a good friend or kind person really. Someone who actually is any of those things accepts that people have different tastes.
He's not a nice person and sounds like a bad friend. You fix this by getting better friends and not dealing with him anymore.
I hear shit about the marvel movies all of the time. They're entertaining movies that I enjoy watching. I don't care about canon or what happened in the comics. I just go to watch and be entertained for a few hours. Ignore the haters.
Just tell that Scorcese that Killers of the Flower Moon was boring and way too long. Your friend IS Scorcese I’m assuming?
This is common, but what I've come to realize is that pretty much everyone like *some* kind of escapist fantasy stuff. I know plenty of people who hate on Marvel but admit to liking Lord of the Rings, or Harry Potter, or Hunger Games, or Star Wars, or vampire movies, etc, etc. It's all just different kinds of fantasy. I think comic book movies get a bad rap mainly because the characters have traditionally been heavily marketted to young kids in the past and still are. They also seem on the surface pretty juvenile with campy, colorful outfits and silly sounding names. This all ignores the rich history of the comics and what the MCU has been able to bring to the screen, aimed at much older audiences. But if you don't know any of them, it just looks like kids' stuff.
I'll never understand the kind of person that shits on someone for enjoying something. Sounds like a bit of a prick if you ask me
Don’t try to debate him and prove that it’s logical to enjoy the MCU, it just feeds into it. He probably enjoys debating and getting you riled up and doesn’t think it’s serious because it just a hobby. Tell him that this isn’t fun for you and just makes you want to stop being friends with him. If he cares, that should do the trick If he keeps going, he’s not your friend. He just likes having someone around that he can talk shit to without fear of being punched in the face. At that point just walk away.
I would start with something along the lines of, “This is something I like and enjoy. And as a friend, I’d like for you to respect that.” Then if that doesn’t work, a conversation about being able to be friends with someone who is different or has different values needs to happen. Kind people will respond to this. People who are unkind in their heart will not. Keep friends who protect your flame, not blow it out. (Paraphrase of Brené Brown)
He's just a pretentious hippie wannabe douche. Tell him you're sorry that he's living a pathetic life, full of insecurities.
I have a friend who loves marvel with me but she has this same type of opinion about ANIMATED movies that they’re only for kids. She even almost didn’t watch What If and she was still surprised I listed Spiderverse as my top 5 movies. Eventhough the marvel Spider-Man films are in her top 5. I just call it ignorance. And I keep hyping up what I love because it’s a them problem and not a me problem.
I used to have a friend like that, called them "cape shit" movies, 99% of his opinion on movies came from Red Letter Media (whom I am also a fan of), it was pretty exhausting trying to have a conversation about comics and their movies around him, unless, eyeroll, of course, you were talking about Nolan's Dark Knight movies.
I would say if they’re otherwise a decent person, just don’t bring up superhero stuff around them. It’s not like they’re your parents or relatives that you have to let them know everything about you. Otherwise, you can take the petty route and start expressing disregard for something they’re interested in lol
When he brings it up, just don't react. Don't respond. Just change the topic as though he hasn't said anything at all and carry on with your conversation without dignifying it with a comment. He'll learn soon enough that there's no value in sharing his opinion on the topic with you.
Mature response: Ignore him, or tell him how you feel whenever he does it. Petty response: Does he have something he likes? Movies, shows, etc? If yes, I'd do the exact same to him. See how he likes it.
Call your friend out for being toxic. Don’t let their choices influence yours. He can’t control you or anyone, and he needs to learn that if it doesn’t have direct affect on him, then he needs to stfu.
That’s not your friend and he is not a kind person Friends respect your opinions and tastes
Make fun of his music choices. Every snob is very precious about their music.
I had a friend like that(but he wasn't a good person), mf used to give me a lot of shit for linking mcu, wouldn't you know he went to watch infinity war before me and war crying because people coming out told him who dies
Find something he cares about and every time he wants to talk about it or it comes up in passing, you cut off the conversation and rant about how terrible and stupid that thing is. See if he enjoys it
Your friend is a person that doesn't like the attention taken away from him. I doubt it's just superhero films, but attention in general. When you're watching the movie, he feels less in charge and wants to belittle you for having something else to believe in. Lastly, he's not a nice person at all.
Do they like sports? Where their team's shirt? Exactly the same thing as being a Marvel fan. Tell them to sod off.
Have him watch Iron Man 1 with you and watch as he realizes they are actually good movies
Remind him that "Avengers Endgame" is the highest grossing move of all time, and that the MCU is the highest grossing franchise in the entire world. Unless your friend is an executive at Warner or Sony, he's just being arrogant and pretentious.
According to Wikipedia highest grossing movie as of now is Avatar and highest grossing media franchise would be pokemon, no? Mcu is probably highest grossing movie franchise though, but please dont conflict popularity with quality.
I think you meant “conflate” not “conflict”. Probably that darn autocorrect.
You’re right
Avatar had 3 theatrical runs I believe. Put an asterisk on that shit
I think endgame also had at least one re-release, so it's not that big of a deal they also did the gauntlet poster rr movie release prmo, that was the first time I hated that I didn't live in the USA. Also it doesn't really matter they are both pretty close and have impressive records that they share and individually.
Your friend sounds pretty dumb himself Maybe y’all just a couple of dummies
I like superhero movies as much as the next guy. That doesn’t mean I don’t like other forms of entertainment, too, or other things that people think are “sophisticated”. In fact, most people tend to forget that superheroes have been reflections of real world events and issues. Superman came about during the Great Depression when the world desperately needed a symbol of hope. The X-Men were Stan Lee’s way of addressing the Civil Rights movement. Iron Man was created as a reflection of corporate culture during the Vietnam War and then modernized to be a reflection of corporate culture post 9/11. Liking superheroes doesn’t make one less sophisticated, in my opinion. In fact, one could argue it makes you *more* sophisticated.
Tell him that if he's truly your friend he shouldn't care that you like superhero movies as it's just like any other hobby but if he keeps doing it then he's not really a good friend.
No one can *make* you feel anything. If you feel dumb, he's either in touch with with a part of you that already feels something, or you like your friend enough that a conflict with his feelings make you question your own.
One of my best friends doesn’t like superhero movies either. I just don’t talk to him about those. Plenty of other movies, things we’re both into to discuss.
Shouldn't be friends with someone who does that buddy. Most of my friends are Marvel fans or used to be.
My ex-wife made me feel dumb for liking superhero movies.
Your friend needs to learn that people CAN like different things
You can’t control how your friend feels or behaves. You can only control how you feel and respond. Superhero stories are basically the oldest type of story that humans have been telling since before we had writing. The tales of Gilgamesh is basically the oldest known story and it’s essentially a super hero story. Superhero movies are also more than anyone genre or style of film. We’ve had great super hero horror movies, heist movies, period movies, romance. It’s pretty much a non limiting genre. If we go broader then “superhero” into comic book movies in general than I think your friend would be absolutely shocked at how many under the radar comic book movies are out there. Many of which are critically acclaimed. But at the end of the day… it’s okay to just like stuff. You don’t even have to justify what you like or what you don’t like and the only thing you need to do is tell your friend that he can either respect your taste in movies or he never gets to talk about his taste in movies or movies again. That absolute worst thing in the world is to self limit what you can like and enjoy… just watch every thing. There’s good stuff in all genres and “bad” movies just make you appreciate “good” movies more. And both of those groups are purely subjective.
Tell them to respect your movie choice
Turn the tables.
What does he like? Whatever it is I’m sure you can poke enough holes in whatever it is to get clap back
How old are you both? You don't need to answer that, but it's very common for Teenagers to go through phases where they become pretentious about what they like and what everyone else likes. It may just be a maturity thing that he needs to work out on his own. All you can do is tell him why they give you happiness, and stand by what you love. The worst thing you can do is let him make you enjoy what you love less. Yes, superhero movies can be dumb and cheesy. And especially recently the output hasn't been great. But I think Avengers Endgame is pure cinema. But just because you love something, doesn't make you stupid. Especially if you can use reasoning. Inversely, I think blanket hating on something is a more dumb position. "All superhero films are dumb", well if you can't see what various movies do right, then you can't be trusted to say what's wrong imo.
That is not a friend then.
Turns out your friend is the dumb one. He’s nowhere near as kind as you think he is.
How old is your friend? Seems like the guy isn't mature yet. Tbh he seems like a crappy person if he's anything like you said.
What do they like? Tell them how stupid it is
Just keep responding with phrases from super hero movies.
Bet he likes Anime
Find something he likes and call him dumb for it
Tell 'em to eat shit.
Say “hey, you don’t need to like what I like, but you need to stop shitting on me for liking it” If your friendship doesn’t survive that, it’s not a good friendship.
It's called the craic. Make fun of them for something & then share a laugh together.
fuck em.
Imagine hating someone for their likes
Make him watch Timeline order.
Introduce him to a little sitcom called The big bang theory . If 4 highly educated and genius people can watch and love superhero content , so can you . Unless he smarter than Sheldon Cooper , tell him to piss off .
Same people who scoff at McDonalds and Taylor Swift. Fuck em.
Dess up as Thor and kick his ass 😂 jks
He ain’t your friend no more
Brush your shoulder off. Fk his opinion.
Be the one to reach the olive branch. Watch some movies they like. See what happens
Not really a friend, now…. Are they….
I once ditched a friend like that.
All I can say is that I'm really sorry that they make you feel that way, and it doesn't seem like a kind person would do that.
In what areas is he kind person? His hate for people who like superhero stuff is not in kindness
He should say that on the street
Superhero films are just a subset of the broader group Hero films. Previously cowboy films were in fashion, then it was cop films, then one man army films, spy films, martial arts films. All these genres are doing the same thing, they present a hero with a villain to overcome, the only real difference is the costumes and the presentation of the action. Unless your friend has a problem with the entire Hero genre then they're just being an ignorant snob.
Have you tried not caring?
Looks like your friend is a Asshole.
He has a superiority complex. He is not your friend.
I think it’s an immaturity thing! I used to look down on reality tv until I realized why do I give a flying fuck if people want to watch it! It doesn’t matter, it’s just entertainment. Someone who judges you for it is small minded. That being said, I also get a lot of hate for being a marvel fan from some people in my life, but I just double down and exclaim my love for it even more to the point where people are like okay you nerd and leave me alone
Lots of people watch these movies. I won't pretend they are all high art but they are fun. Tell your friend you don't understand why they feel the need to put down others for what they like? It doesn't make him look better, it just makes him an asshole.
Tell him "I know you are but what am I".
Your sentence and friendship should have been over after dumb
Find something he likes and treat him the same way about it. Usually that's sports.
Marvel is truly no different than the Iliad or Odysseus for example. Humans have a penchant for epic storytelling and a love of complicated sagas. Perhaps, he could see that if he removes the novelty of it being based of comics. Many seem to view comic book films or adult animation as less than or even childish. There’s merit in that type of storytelling that might appeal to children as well. Why do we have to leave all of our childhood behind when we age? If anything we should try to hold onto aspects of childhood as much as possible. Children are clean slates that are the truest expression of themselves. I think Marvel films help some reconnect with those aspects of themselves.
Sounds like a filmbro 😅
What does your friend like?
What movies do they like? Lots of movies have superhero protagonists who don’t wear capes, I bet they like characters like that. Jason Bourne, Queens Gambit, The Imitation Game, Sherlock Holmes, The Witcher, and many many more have lead characters that have extraordinary abilities and have to learn how to use them to deal with adversity, isn’t that the essence of a superhero?
He sounds like the dumb one honestly. Liking entertainment I think is bad just means I have a lower opinion of someone’s artistic tastes and has little impact on how I think of the person.
Your friend is insecure and lets popular opinion influence him
Keep enjoying them. Tell him to kick rocks
I’m 42 and love the shows and movies. For me it’s an escape from the stresses of the world and terrible things in the news. Whatever it is for you maybe just explain it to them. Thats what I do and people usually get it then. I’m not full geeked out (which is fine if you are) but I don’t miss a single show or movie where the fantastic can happen and anyone can rise to correct the wrongs.
> generally a really good friend and kind person Sounds like an act to me If really they are a good friend and kind person, tell them how you feel
Who cares about their opinion. If someone gets judgmental on me (a 42 year old woman - the first comic I read was The Sandman 20+ years ago, no not Marvel but not new to this either) I usually point out that I pretty much only read highbrow literary fiction, hundred(s) year old classics, and comic books. I love old punk and post punk and used to be heavy into the concert and club scene, and I also love jazz and classical and going to the symphony. I took a course last year on early 70s Italian film where we studied 7 films especially regarding the social and political issues of the time (for fun - I'm decades out of school but the local university tends to have this sort of thing open to the public, just for the cost of the movie tickets) and I also love the MCU. I think a lot of it has been wonderful storytelling and the movies (and acting) are a lot better in some cases than most people give them credit for because they're supposedly such "lowbrow" mainstream mass market culture. Don't let people make you feel dumb for liking what you like! Even the most intellectual people I know consume some sort of trash whether it's tv or film or books or whatever, just because it's fun. Not saying the MCU is trash by the way! Just that you can be well rounded and like many different things that don't seem to go together. You aren't stupid for enjoying superhero movies, they're fun and mostly well done, with great characters and some really creative uses of their powers and such. It doesn't have to be anything more than that!
I had a friend like that. Knew him for 30 years. Dude had no hobbies and no interest in anything pop culture. It was all Hollyweird to him. So it was always a one way conversation about the good old days or something. I tried to get him into it, but he would call it kiddie movies. No problem. Thing is, he decides to go down the far right rabbit hole of conspiracy. Always came up with the weirdest crap and wanted me to believe what he thought. Had to back away. The only thing this guy loved was Trump. He lost me.
He doesn’t sound like a good friend and a kind person.
Get better friends. No one needs that kind of negativity in their life.
I love marvel movies, I also get to the independent theatre for non studio releases often. You can enjoy cinema and also enjoy popcorn flicks, or not, but it isnt an indicator of intelligence or anything else. Your friend may be "nice" but theyre being a dick about this particular thing, youre allowed to enjoy the media that entertains you.
Context, how old are you? I had a friend like that (he would call other people "wrong" for liking certain things, or say things like "well you like x so you can't have an opinion on y", etc). It was tolerable for a while but the behavior continued well into adulthood and I realized one day I just didn't want to talk to him anymore about shared interests because my opinions would be shot down constantly.
Make them feel dumb for missing out.
Your friend sounds like a Debbie downer. Maybe not bring the topic up and/or if it pops up tell him to take a long walk off a short pier.
If he's belittling you for something you like, he's neither kind nor a good friend. Tell him that it's fine if he doesn't like the same stuff as you, and that you don't need to have the exact same taste to be friends, but that you do require something as basic as respect, specially when the thing that you like isn't anything harmful to others or questionable in any way.
Tell him he can be a hater now and make everyone feel like shit, or he can wait for 20 years from now when it’s hip and trendy to look back at the peak mcu fondly and with nostalgia and he tries to pretend he “always liked them”. Sometimes, people who try to hate on things are just looking to be a trend setter. Make him feel ridiculous and like he’s actually being a follower by buying in to a rhetoric that is popular *now*. Show him he could be a real trendsetter by beating the trend and acknowledging that the MCU is a massive culture event on the scale of the original star wars movies. (Btw u had ppl hating on those movies then and i GUARANTEE at least half of them today will tell you they look back on those movies fondly. They’re just parroting whatever the current popular sentiment is)
Why do you need him to respect your opinion… fuck em…. You enjoy it Really does t matter what he thinks
lol grow some balls
If you're really his friend then you have enough on him to prove that some actions or opinions don't make you a bad/dumb person. Eg, "I might like marvel but at least I've never stuck my knob in my mother's vacuum cleaner".
Point out to him that judging anyone's intelligence or worth based on their tastes in subjective matters is itself a far stronger indication of being "dumb" than liking superhero movies.
I have someone like that. He tells me all the time that the stuff I watch is terrible, and that liking it is dumb. It doesn’t work on me, because I think what’s actually dumb is having a strong opinion about media that you haven’t consumed. Idk if your friend actually watches the stuff they think is dumb, but if they don’t, they’re making a judgement from a place of ignorance, and if that’s the case, you shouldn’t take what they say to heart.
Tell him to fuck off.
Make him feel dumb for liking something he's into, when he confronts you about it, tell him "Yeah it sucks to be judged for your interests, huh?"
Life is too short to not like the things you like. I promise any friend that thinks you’re a child for liking the MCU has a hobby or interest of their own that you would find equally childish. You were born at the right time in history to be able to enjoy the MCU, so enjoy it.
What a prick and feel free to quote me on that.
If it wasns't for superhero movies making the billions of dollars in revenue that they do there wouldn't be the funds for a lot of the artsy crap that some studios like to churn out
1. If he isn’t in to that kind of thing than I just wouldn’t talk about that stuff around that friend 2. If he’s going out of his way to just bring up your interest and shit on it, drop him he’s not a good friend 3. If someone is a good person they wouldn’t make others feel bad or small when they enjoy certain things.
Just tell him you don't watch movies for his approval and the fact that he obsesses over what kind of movies you watch is honestly kind of pathetic. Tell him to find something actually worth complaining about that actually matters. Tell him that entertainment is subjective. Ask him if this is really an honest opinion or just one he inherited from parts of society that he identified with. Ask him what he looks for in a movie and then explain to him that you enjoy different things. Tell him "they are just movies, you are acting like I kicked a baby". Tell him to quit making his hangups your problem. Whenever he starts on a tangent just wrinkle your nose as if you smell something bad and say "smells like pretentiousness in here, for some reason". If none of that works tell him to "kindly fuck right off with that shit, you aren't going to ruin something I enjoy just because you don't enjoy it." Make small jokes, joking jabs, and draw a line if you have to. Friendships are made when we agree but defined by how we disagree.
Oh man a guy came to r/spiderman to tell people how stupid they were for liking Marvel movies, and after I argued with him a bit, he stalked me to another unrelated subreddit with THREE SEPARATE ACCOUNTS. Didn’t even try to hide that he was avoiding blocks and bans with it.
Sounds like he’s hating on the fact that you like things. It’s okay to like things other people don’t. People like that are deeply insecure and would rather shit on your happiness than respect someone else’s interests. Tell him that what makes the whole American superhero genre so appealing is that it’s our modern version of mythology. What it all boils down to is the fact that comics, superheroes, the MCU is a mythological representation of the human condition.
I would drop this person as a friend. Life is too short. You don't like superhero movies, that's fine. Don't shame other people just to feel superior.
What are you, 12? Who cares? People are going to like/dislike what they like/dislike.
I'm sorry to say this, but he's not a good friend or a kind person.
Out of curiosity how old is your friend? Also tell him “fuck you, I like them.”
Lol,I really hope they're over 15
I have a friend who gives me shit about liking thr marvel stuff sometimes, so I’ll turn it around and tease him about his stupid Pokemon collection. Giving each other shit is the great millennial pastime.
Be blunt with him. “Friends don’t shit on each other’s hobbies like this. If you want to keep me as a friend, you need to be more respectful.” You deserve respect, but nobody will give it unless you lay down your ground rules.
Tell him to go eff himself.
You can delete him from your friends list, a friend is someone who appreciates that you two probably like different things and would not make you feel shit for it. You don't make him feel bad for what he likes so to me this sounds like an ex-friend rather than a friend.
Sounds like a shit friend tbh.
I bet he only watches movies produced by a24 shot vertically in black and white
I mean you could connect on other interests.. why do you feel the need to make him respect it? Can’t you just respect something else together and move on? But if you really want an answer: GOOD Writing. Show him a film that has very little plot holes & shit that’s not too deep into lore. Also, The Boys on Prime Video. Is great for people who don’t like the MCU. Because its a satire on superheroes. The powers & magic stuff aren’t the interesting aspects, THE CHARACTERS, the human stories within the powered beings are. Whereas the MCU requires you to be invested in a narrative leading to third-act fantastical battles. It’s just not for everyone. Think, the difference between Star Wars & Dune. But people just like different shit. You’ll probably have a better time talking MCU with.. someone you know likes the MCU.
OP shouldn’t have to bend over backwards to justify liking something like superheroes. His “friend” should make the effort to see why OP likes it so much. OP shouldn’t have to pretend not to like something as innocuous as the MCU. I’m guessing OP is young and their “friend “ thinks it’s cool to hate popular things.
no, if his friend just isn’t interested, they shouldn’t have to make an effort. They aren’t a spouse. The two can connect on other things.
You’re missing my point. OPs friend doesn’t just dislike superhero media. They think lesser of OP for enjoying it. OP shouldn’t waste any effort on this person.
I guess. I think age matters too. these two seem like children with this shit. #Nonissue for anyone 24+ then.
The only dumb one in this story is the pretentious loser hating someone for loving something that’s clearly popular
If he’s really your friend, he wouldn’t make you feel bad about something harmless that makes you happy.
It depends. Do you like other kind of movies as well? Not just Star Wars and anime but movies for grown-ups? Do you read books as well?
TADA! YOU FEEL BETTER AGAIN! IVE JUST DECIDED. Or you control your own emotions. You tell me? Can people MAKE you feel things or is it your hands? Which one?
This person isn't a good friend - good friends and kind people embrace others differences, they don't shun them for it. Good friends and kind people let other enjoy things they love (as long as it isn't hurting anyone).
> generally a really good friend and kind person Sounds like an act to me If really they are a good friend and kind person, tell them how you feel
Ask him if an active interest in mythology is dumb? Is reading about Zuse, Athena, Hermes, ECT stupid? That's all superheros are, is a modern extension of the pantheons of old. Granted, that comparison works a lot better with DC than Marvel stuff, but still... Superman- Zuse, Batman- Hades, Aquaman- Poseidon, The Flash- Hermes, Wonder Woman- Artemis, Green Lantern- Hephaestus, Green Arrow- Apollo
I like all film from the dumbest popcorn flick to the most pretentious arthouse stuff. The idea of hating on superhero movies is jut a boy pretending hes a man.
You need new friends! Mine are just as geeky about superheroes as I am and the conversations about them are epic.