I've come to realize that being around "friends" who want to constantly put down the media others enjoy, even "as a joke," is ultimately harmful in a lot of ways, mostly because it makes you feel deeply ashamed and afraid to be enthusiastic about what you love.
I really don't get what motivates people to act like that -- do they think that by denigrating things you like that they will be able to lead you to the "superior" media they like? Or is it just a feeling of smug superiority? I suspect it's a little of column A and a little of column B. Ultimately it comes off as shitty and controlling.
Getting away from people like that has done me wonders. Fuck you, I will gleefully enjoy my trash.
