The "feels" bazaar.

[WorldlyWiseman]

I use the 'feels' meme because I think it's funny in a cutesy way. It's about people being completely floored by something they didn't think would have any effect on them. What's not funny about that?

I've dropped my share of depressing stories on here, where appropriate, because that's what you do here; you tell your story, everyone says "hi Bob", and then you figure out how you're going to be a better person. It's like AA for depressed internet addicts. Some people run, I've started writing again. Maybe it'll stick this time.

So my question, OP, is why are you angry that a stranger on the internet ended a relationship that wasn't doing anything for him?

[encrypted12345]

I'll admit that the "feels" meme is annoying and used way too much. It's also unsettling how the KS community is being misused as a dump for depressing life stories that really need to be told to a psychiatrist.

The problem is that going to a therapist and getting legitimate treatment is socially awkward. Not as much as it used to be, but the social stigma is still there. While dumping a life story on an internet forum isn't the best way to deal with it, for some, it's the only thing they are brave enough to do. I actually want to become a therapist, so I know the large stigma against them.

This stigma combined with KS's strange ability to evoke repressed, painful memories naturally makes many KS related places into life story central.

My personal advice for KS fans? Read more visual novels. KS is well-made, but it isn't the paragon of excellent VNs, and by exploring the medium you'll be able to experience the great stories that inspired KS to be made in the first place. Heck, don't just stop with VNs, read some literature, too.

Definitely. I know that many KS fans have tried other visual novels, and that's a great thing. Sure, like any other fan base, they'll inevitably be people who blindly worship Katawa Shoujo. It's fine to keep Katawa Shoujo as your favorite visual novel (It's my favorite of the Slice of Life genre, anyways), but at least try more before proclaiming it to be the best thing ever.

[Nekken]

It is true that some people use the feels as a reason to further retreat into themselves, and that this is a Very Bad Thing. But I would argue that most media -and many other things- can cause this to happen, especially high-quality instances of their respective arts. The form this takes with VNs and anime is superficially creepier -you don't see bootleg Glee dakimakura hitting the market, for example- but it's another manifestation of the same phenomenon.

[dunkelfalke]

The dude in question "traded" his girlfriend for Emi because "she wasn't helping him anymore." Somehow, I suspect that he wasn't helping her much either.

So what exactly is the problem? Seems to me that it is all for the better. The dude in question gets what he wants, his girlfriend is now free for a better dude.Sounds like a win-win situation to me.
There is a russian saying: "if your fiancee has left you for another, who knows which one is the lucky guy?" It took me a while to accept exactly that and while it still hurts like hell, I am pretty sure that I was the lucky one after all.

[Murex]

I use the 'feels' meme because I think it's funny in a cutesy way. It's about people being completely floored by something they didn't think would have any effect on them. What's not funny about that?

The meme is funny, although it can be overused. I don't have a problem with the term "feels;" I have a problem with what it's sometimes used to represent.

So my question, OP, is why are you angry that a stranger on the internet ended a relationship that wasn't doing anything for him?

It wasn't just a case of someone ending a relationship that wasn't doing anything for him. What disgusts me about "I Love Emi Ibarazaki" is that the author ended said relationship with seemingly no consideration for his girlfriend. When he said "I don't want her any more, please, just let me trade her for Emi," it showed that he was thinking of her as a thing; with no more emotion than a fictional character. You don't "trade" a person. Your argument (if I'm interpreting it correctly) is that Emi's route spurred him to make a change in his life for the better, and if that were the case, I'd say awesome, more power to him. But the video's creator acted callously with no thought toward anyone but himself, and put the feelings of a fictional character over those of a human being.

[Murex]

The dude in question "traded" his girlfriend for Emi because "she wasn't helping him anymore." Somehow, I suspect that he wasn't helping her much either.

So what exactly is the problem? Seems to me that it is all for the better. The dude in question gets what he wants, his girlfriend is now free for a better dude.Sounds like a win-win situation to me.
There is a russian saying: "if your fiancee has left you for another, who knows which one is the lucky guy?" It took me a while to accept exactly that and while it still hurts like hell, I am pretty sure that I was the lucky one after all.

I can't argue with you there. The girl is lucky to be free of him. The problem is that people on the video were acting like what the guy did was a healthy, admirable decision when it really, really wasn't.

I get that there's no point in being mad about it, though. I hope both the guy and the girl find happiness, even if the guy is a total bonehead.

[Murex]

It is true that some people use the feels as a reason to further retreat into themselves, and that this is a Very Bad Thing. But I would argue that most media -and many other things- can cause this to happen, especially high-quality instances of their respective arts. The form this takes with VNs and anime is superficially creepier -you don't see bootleg Glee dakimakura hitting the market, for example- but it's another manifestation of the same phenomenon.

I'm sure there's bootleg Glee dakimakura out there somewhere.

[megiddo]

all right, so what do you want us to say, murex? that he's a bad man and we agree with you?

[Murex]

all right, so what do you want us to say, murex? that he's a bad man and we agree with you?

Regarding "Emi Ibarazaki" guy? Agree with me or don't; I just wanted to clarify exactly what what I found so wrong with his video and people's response to it. If you think what he did was okay, then okay.

[Daitengu]

Personally I think the guy missed the whole point of emi's determined traits. Dumb people will be dumb. To bad they breed like jack rabbits.

[Danze]

The dude in question "traded" his girlfriend for Emi because "she wasn't helping him anymore." Somehow, I suspect that he wasn't helping her much either.

So what exactly is the problem? Seems to me that it is all for the better. The dude in question gets what he wants, his girlfriend is now free for a better dude.Sounds like a win-win situation to me.
There is a russian saying: "if your fiancee has left you for another, who knows which one is the lucky guy?" It took me a while to accept exactly that and while it still hurts like hell, I am pretty sure that I was the lucky one after all.

I can't argue with you there. The girl is lucky to be free of him. The problem is that people on the video were acting like what the guy did was a healthy, admirable decision when it really, really wasn't.

I get that there's no point in being mad about it, though. I hope both the guy and the girl find happiness, even if the guy is a total bonehead.

Not only is she free to be with someone who'll be better for her, but regardless of how much of a bonehead this guy is, at least him being in love with a 2d character he's not causing any trouble. Maybe for his now ex-girlfriend at first but she's probably better off. Better that happened when they were just dating. What if they had been married and/or had kids and that happened? Much worse scenario.

[Snow_Storm]

Hey guys, how you you all ever wonder if all these "I Love You, so-and-so" videos are just troll videos?

[encrypted12345]

Hey guys, how you you all ever wonder if all these "I Love You, so-and-so" videos are just troll videos?

The I Love You Rin Tezuka video, probably not.

Emi, perhaps.

Kenji, I hope so.

[Sethkowns]

I agree that, people shouldnt get defensive over fictional characters and people should'nt end real relationships to be with a fictional character. But i totally can agree with and see how this game gives "feels" and can change your life, as it did mine. But don't let this game run your life.

[WorldlyWiseman]

I use the 'feels' meme because I think it's funny in a cutesy way. It's about people being completely floored by something they didn't think would have any effect on them. What's not funny about that?

The meme is funny, although it can be overused. I don't have a problem with the term "feels;" I have a problem with what it's sometimes used to represent.

Overused? Fair enough. If you've been following this longer than I have, the joke is old to you. It's still fresh for me, so I find its odd mix of humility and overstatement funny, even if some of it is just trolling. In any case, it's by far a better thing than the usual randomLOL/black humor that's all over the place online.
Lord knows I roll my eyes at the mention of zombies and ninjas, but I just open a new tab and move on.
Maybe you just need to take a break from the internet and read a book.

So my question, OP, is why are you angry that a stranger on the internet ended a relationship that wasn't doing anything for him?

It wasn't just a case of someone ending a relationship that wasn't doing anything for him. What disgusts me about "I Love Emi Ibarazaki" is that the author ended said relationship with seemingly no consideration for his girlfriend. When he said "I don't want her any more, please, just let me trade her for Emi," it showed that he was thinking of her as a thing; with no more emotion than a fictional character. You don't "trade" a person. Your argument (if I'm interpreting it correctly) is that Emi's route spurred him to make a change in his life for the better, and if that were the case, I'd say awesome, more power to him. But the video's creator acted callously with no thought toward anyone but himself, and put the feelings of a fictional character over those of a human being.

As for the guy's relationship, if it ended over this, it was only a matter of time before something else ended it, and in this scenario he demonstrated that he could assert himself in the face of someone who made him abandon something he had really invested himself in. In all likelyhood, he's going to immerse himself in anime and manga again, get depressed, and then maybe pull his head out of that hole and look at himself. The girl gets to play the field elsewhere and he might just learn something.

all right, so what do you want us to say, murex? that he's a bad man and we agree with you?

That seems to be the goal here.



WAIT WAIT WAIT


Murex, are you the exgirlfriend?