If You Don't Like it, Don't Read It: Why This Dismissive Attitude isn't Good Enough

True, the if-you-don't-like-it-etc. argument does hold water when there is a particular genre or medium that you know with a fair amount of confidence you don't like at all. Then I think it's safe to say that that's a road not worth venturing, unless you crave being let down. But it's often used as a hand-wave to dismiss possibly valid criticisms by making the critic, however fair they might be, seem petty and argumentative. Even worse, it can be used to excuse questionable or just offensive material by telling the offended party that they can just not look at it. The implications are pretty self-explanatory but, and not to put too fine a point on it, that's basically like telling a murder witness that it's their fault they're appalled by the crime and if they don't like it they shouldn't have watched.

The funny thing about media is that it's public. I know, mind-blowing. It's available to be seen by everyone, and therefore potentially criticised by everyone. If a person thinks that a piece of work is offensive, or potentially damaging, they have the right to speak up about it, and they shouldn't be patronised for it. I'm not saying their argument is inherently correct just because they are offended—in fact I pretty much consistently believe the opposite—instead I'm saying that their voice should be heard, and their views treated as a jumping-off point for discussion, not just a whinge and a moan which could have been avoided if they'd covered their eyes and stuck their fingers in their ears.

Now this isn't supposed to be some kind of warning against content creators, advising them to be careful not to offend anybody, because censoring media—or worse, I suppose pre-censoring it, if I can make up a term, by creating something 'safe' and 'harmless' in the hopes that it won't cause offence to anybody—is, at the risk of sounding ineloquent, absolute bullshit. Some of the best works are considered offensive by someone, because often in order to make something exceptional you need to take certain risks, like being called misogynist, or insensitive, or a colossal buffoon. All I'm really saying is that when people get offended, and they will, creators just have to have the balls to take the credit for it. I know I'll certainly try my best.