All these half-flaws

Every so often, I'll come across a post or an article that snarkily criticises some beloved book, film or TV series. If the text is sufficiently popular (I'm thinking pop-cultural behemoths such as Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings or the Twilight books), a group of aggrieved fans will often dogpile in the comments, shrilly protesting the awesomosity of their text of choice.

I really get where they're coming from. Texts, especially those of the 'life changing' variety, are sort of like a part of your identity, and it's incredibly difficult to look at them objectively. That being said, I find people who cannot look at things they love objectively really, really irritating. I've been guilty of it myself at some stages in my life, and it's one reason why I now tend not to leap to the defence of my favourite books when someone criticises them, because to be honest, it's pathetic.

With this in mind, I'm now going to point out the major flaw in all of my life-changing, beloved books, because I'm cool like that.

( See, I can be objective sometimes )

This kind of critical thinking about your favourite books is useful. It doesn't mean you love them any less, it doesn't mean you're a bad fan. In fact, if you can unsentimentally recognise your favourite books' flaws and still love these books, it means your love for them is, in some ways, more genuine, because it comes from conscious evaluation and a position of intellectual honesty.

All these half-flaws

Every so often, I'll come across a post or an article that snarkily criticises some beloved book, film or TV series. If the text is sufficiently popular (I'm thinking pop-cultural behemoths such as Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings or the Twilight books), a group of aggrieved fans will often dogpile in the comments, shrilly protesting the awesomosity of their text of choice.

I really get where they're coming from. Texts, especially those of the 'life changing' variety, are sort of like a part of your identity, and it's incredibly difficult to look at them objectively. That being said, I find people who cannot look at things they love objectively really, really irritating. I've been guilty of it myself at some stages in my life, and it's one reason why I now tend not to leap to the defence of my favourite books when someone criticises them, because to be honest, it's pathetic.

With this in mind, I'm now going to point out the major flaw in all of my life-changing, beloved books, because I'm cool like that.

( See, I can be objective sometimes )

This kind of critical thinking about your favourite books is useful. It doesn't mean you love them any less, it doesn't mean you're a bad fan. In fact, if you can unsentimentally recognise your favourite books' flaws and still love these books, it means your love for them is, in some ways, more genuine, because it comes from conscious evaluation and a position of intellectual honesty.