Mary Grace von Thron, Campus Carrier deputy news editor

We’re in a pandemic. And a recession. And experiencing political turmoil. For many people, including myself, it can be hard to find joy in things when everything is so different and the future is unknown. Finding something that you get joy out of, whether it be watching a guilty pleasure TV show or trying a new hobby, is extremely important. So please, let people enjoy things. Now is not the time to be critical. 

I spend a good amount of time on Twitter and a trend that I’ve noticed is that people feel the need to be critical about everything and often simply do not let people enjoy things. I saw this in action on Inauguration Day. Many people took note of the outfit choices of former First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Kamala Harris and First Lady Jill Biden. While I saw a good amount of people expressing how much they loved their outfit choices and how it made them happy, several people took to Twitter to express their thought that simply enjoying politicians outfit choices means you support every political decision that they (or their husbands) have made, and “how dare you admire someone’s clothing choice when they or their husband did XYZ, because obviously when you admire someone’s clothing choice it automatically means that you agree with everything they believe”. Bit of a stretch, isn’t it? Yes, yes it is. Maybe I’m just an overly positive person who can be a little naïve, but I simply don’t think now is the time to be critical. While I don’t have a problem with people expressing their opinions about something they dislike, it can be said without dragging the people who do like it. Don’t get people’s obsession with a certain television show? Don’t find it funny? That’s fine. But don’t make people who enjoy the show feel stupid for liking it. Not a fan of that popular band? That’s fine. But don’t call people who like the band “basic” and accuse them of “having no culture.” It’s not funny, it’s hurtful. 

Recently I saw a Tweet that counterargued my point, that said some people enjoy being overly critical and a “hater,” so let them enjoy that. I’m not sure why someone would enjoy being a hater so I do not have anything to say about that, but I feel like you can channel your love of being critical into something more useful, instead of criticizing people for their love of Disney or a particular celebrity. 

In my opinion, hating on things that people enjoy does not make you cool or trendy or different it makes you come across as a negative person and honestly a little bit toxic. Why would you take time out of your day criticizing people for things that make them happy? Who hurt you? 

I know me writing this seems slightly (okay extremely) hypocritical, but I feel like this is something that needs to be said. In a time of so much turmoil, let people enjoy things. I promise you, you don’t need to have an opinion on everything.