History Main / HypeAversion

There's a number of reasons for why this happens: Maybe it's a genre you're not so keen on. Maybe you're [[ItsPopularNowItSucks afraid that it's popular]] because it appeals to the LowestCommonDenominator. Maybe you're afraid that you won't enjoy it, and will have to deal with the fact that people you thought you knew don't really share your tastes, or that you felt lied to because they thought you would like it. Maybe you dismiss the recommendation because it came from an individual or group you personally distrust. Maybe it's how, as more people and the HollywoodHypeMachine recommend something, the probability of meeting someone disconcertingly obsessed with it approaches one. Maybe the fandom in general has a certain level of {{squick}} to it that makes you a little uncomfortable. Maybe you just are sick of hearing about it because you accepted it wasn't your cup of tea in the first place, but it's ''very'' hard to ignore it because you keep hearing it everywhere.

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->''"Hey! Let me tell you something. I just got this show/movie/book, and it's'' '''''awesome'''!'' ''You'll totally love it! It's got action and adventure and comedy and romance and it's really mature without ever losing its sense of fun. It's like it was made for you! I can't believe you haven't seen it yet! ...hey, where are you going?"''

This is what we call HypeAversion: the specific avoidance of a work mainly because of how much you're told you'll like it.

There's a number of reasons for why this happens: Maybe it's a genre you're not so keen on. Maybe you're [[ItsPopularNowItSucks afraid that it's popular]] because it appeals to the LowestCommonDenominator. Maybe you're afraid that you won't enjoy it, and will have to deal with the fact that people you thought you knew don't really share your tastes, or that you felt lied to because they thought you would like it. Maybe it's how, as more people and the HollywoodHypeMachine recommend something, the probability of meeting someone disconcertingly obsessed with it approaches one. Maybe the fandom in general has a certain level of {{squick}} to it that makes you a little uncomfortable. Maybe you just are sick of hearing about it because you accepted it wasn't your cup of tea in the first place, but it's ''very'' hard to ignore it because you keep hearing it everywhere.

In any case, you might realize that yep, it's as great as everyone says... or at least not so bad that you'd be offended that people thought you would like it. On the other hand, you might end up a little [[HypeBacklash let down]] -- given all the hype, shouldn't ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' and ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'' really be able to cure [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking cancer, impotence or chronic bedwetting]], give a determined, suicidal-averting reason to go on living, and guarantee one an automatic gate pass for Heaven?

[[caption-width-right:300:http://www.whompcomic.com/comic/quite-contronnie]]

In any case, you might realize that yep, it's as great as everyone says... or at least not so bad that you'd be offended that people thought you would like it. On the other hand, you might end up a little [[HypeBacklash let down]] -- given all the hype, shouldn't ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' and ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'' really be able to cure cancer, impotence or chronic bedwetting, give a determined, suicidal-averting reason to go on living, and guarantee one an automatic gate pass for Heaven?

->''Hey! Let me tell you something. I just got this show/movie/book, and it's'' '''''awesome'''!'' ''You'll totally love it! It's got action and adventure and comedy and romance and it's really mature without ever losing its sense of fun. It's like it was made for you! I can't believe you haven't seen it yet! ...hey, where are you going?''

Can lead to [[ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontWatch Complaining About Shows You Don't Watch]] if the aversion goes far enough. Of course, if one is able to get over such aversion, it can result in IDoNotLikeGreenEggsAndHam.