Spoiled

Greetings, I am The Fractured Analyst. Please, allow me to tell you everything.

With the proliferation of social media sites, the danger of spoilers has increased to what some may feel are epidemic levels. The possibility of finding out how the season finale of a show like Game of Thrones ends before the credits have even finished rolling is a constant threat, and many a friendship looks to have been lost over spoilers. So you have to wonder, should there be an etiquette around the spoiler concept? What would be the grace period for talking about a show, not just online, but in public?

Well, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but no one owes you a grace period. There is no ’24 hour’ rule for not talking about a show. The show aired during its scheduled time, and millions were able to watch it when it was broadcast. Maybe you missed due to no fault of your own (work, surgery, etc.) but hopefully you were able to record it via DVR. If not, between watching the show demand or via a network app, you still have a couple of different ways to watch it later. But to expect everyone else to talk around you because you have not yet watched the show is unfair, and kind of selfish. This goes double for a movie, television show or a book that has been around for years. If you never saw The Empire Strikes Back and are in your 30’s, me telling you that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father is not a spoiler; I can’t spoil what you had no interest in.

Stop yelling at your Facebook friends for watching a show and updating their feed with quotes or jokes pertaining to the plot. This can’t be the first time they have done something like this, so either hide their feed temporarily or turn off the notifications you get every time they make a post. I know that many people live off of their social media and that just staying away from it for a few minutes or hours can kill some of you out there. But it won’t kill you. I know, I have done it. I have avoided spoilers for shows that are universally loved or movies that are highly anticipated because I knew I was not going to be able to get out and see them on release or the day they aired. And I have survived.

I do know that avoiding spoilers can be nigh impossible, no matter what you may try. I have been on the receiving end of the unwanted spoiler and while I was annoyed, I did not scream about it. People are allowed to have conversations about things, and there are times we are all going to be on the outside of that. As I learned the outcome of that show, my interest waned and I just have not watched that series past season 1 since I know the outcome (that show is Breaking Bad). But something that we are all going to have to deal with, wanted or not, is that spoilers are out there. Avoid them if you can, but don’t burn down the world because you find out that Jack dies at the end of Titanic.

Oh… ooops.