There will be NO spoilers of any kind in this post. But are spoilers ever a good thing? To Spoil or Not to Spoil, that is the question!
I was reading an article recently (which may be behind a paywall) about a guy in Spain who has been posting Game of Thrones spoilers. His predictions (or leaks?) were so accurate that HBO flew a representative to meet with him and try to convince him to sign an agreement to stop posting them.
This got me thinking about spoilers. Obviously you should never spoil someone else’s surprise without their consent. But when it comes to seeking out spoilers myself, I am of two minds. I acknowledge that being surprised is fun. I recently watched the last two episodes of Riverdale, a show I enjoy but am not deeply invested in, and I loved the reveals in those episodes.
I am also a rather anxious person, though, and being anxious is not fun. So I have realized that I like surprises about things that don’t make me worried, like a baby’s gender or who is the Goblin King. But I prefer (and actually seek out) spoilers about things that make me anxious, like the fate of a favorite character. Or whether a book I’m about to read is going to just be a little sad or completely depressing.
The GoT article I referenced above cited a 2016 study done at the University of California San Diego which found that having spoilers can enhance the viewing or reading experience. The study’s author argued that predictability is enjoyable, but also that knowing where the story is going helps you appreciate and understand it better.
I agree with this – I often think that books that rely on a huge twist spend so much time hiding the twist or setting it up that other parts of the story can suffer. I think that sometimes these surprise reveals can leave you confused and befuddled. And I’d also argue that sometimes, if you know what is coming, the waiting for it is even better. I often post spoilers (hidden, of course!) in my Goodreads reviews so that people like me can seek them out.
How do you feel about spoilers? To spoil or not to spoil? Tell me in comments!
It depends on the book/movie/show for me. I find I’m more likely to seek out spoilers if I know I’m not going to read/watch something. If it’s something I know I’m 100% going to read/watch (eventually), I tend to stay away from spoilers. If I’m on the fence, I like limited spoilers that’ll push me one way or the other.
That’s a great point – if I am not going to read/watch then I really want the spoilers!
I hate*hate*hate when a book blurb gives away the entire plot in the two/three paragraphs on the back cover. Because of that, I usually won’t read past the first couple of sentences on the blurb! However, when I’m really into an intense book, sometimes I skip to the last chapter to see what happens. Then I can calm down a little bit and enjoy the rest of the book. As for TV shows and movies, I don’t really care if there are spoilers as long as I don’t know too many details about it.
Yes, that’s exactly me. I get too nervous and I need to peek to prepare myself!