And we shall call this “Moff’s Law”
In the comments to Annalee Newitz excellent io9 post on racial fantasies in Avatar (and other works of sci-fi), Moff, another io9 contributor created one of the best rants I have ever read on the nature of critique:
Of all the varieties of irritating comment out there, the absolute most annoying has to be “Why can’t you just watch the movie for what it is??? Why can’t you just enjoy it? Why do you have to analyze it???”
If you have posted such a comment, or if you are about to post such a comment, here or anywhere else, let me just advise you: Shut up. Shut the fuck up. Shut your goddamn fucking mouth. SHUT. UP.
First of all, when we analyze art, when we look for deeper meaning in it, we are enjoying it for what it is. Because that is one of the things about art, be it highbrow, lowbrow, mainstream, or avant-garde: Some sort of thought went into its making — even if the thought was, “I’m going to do this as thoughtlessly as possible”! — and as a result, some sort of thought can be gotten from its reception. That is why, among other things, artists (including, for instance, James Cameron) really like to talk about their work.
Now, that doesn’t mean you have to think about a work of art. I don’t know anyone who thinks every work they encounter ought to only be enjoyed through conscious, active analysis — or if I do, they’re pretty annoying themselves. And I know many people who prefer not to think about much of what they consume, and with them I have no argument. I also have no argument with people who disagree with another person’s thoughts about a work of art. That should go without saying. Finally, this should also go without saying, but since it apparently doesn’t: Believe me, the person who is annoying you so much by thinking about the art? They have already considered your revolutionary “just enjoy it” strategy, because it is not actually revolutionary at all. It is the default state for most of humanity.
So when you go out of your way to suggest that people should be thinking less — that not using one’s capacity for reason is an admirable position to take, and one that should be actively advocated — you are not saying anything particularly intelligent. And unless you live on a parallel version of Earth where too many people are thinking too deeply and critically about the world around them and what’s going on in their own heads, you’re not helping anything; on the contrary, you’re acting as an advocate for entropy.
And most annoyingly of all, you’re contributing to the fucking conversation yourselves when you make your stupid, stupid comments. You are basically saying, “I think people shouldn’t think so much and share their thoughts, that’s my thought that I have to share.” If you really think people should just enjoy the movie without thinking about it, then why the fuck did you (1) click on the post in the first place, and (2) bother to leave a comment? If it bugs you so much, GO WATCH A GODDAMN FUNNY CAT VIDEO.
From now on, we will refer to this as “Moff’s law” and apply it alongside our comments policy here at Racialicious.
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
scribblescribblescribble.com/blog » My word is now law on 21 Dec 2009 at 3:25 pm
[...] This, in reference to this, is delightful and gratifying, in no small part because it led to this. [...]
Super Doomed Planet » Blog Archive » A New Law on 21 Dec 2009 at 8:59 pm
[...] Moff’s Law is the best new internet law in some considerable time. [...]
Threat Quality Press on 22 Dec 2009 at 12:21 am
[...] As many of you may know, Threat Quality commenter and contributor Moff (called, by some, “Josh Wimmer,” as is the custom of his people), after an epic rant at some idiots on the internet, became the proud father of a New Law. [...]
Jotting in the Margins: Writing Smart :Blue Ink Alchemy on 22 Dec 2009 at 1:10 pm
[...] was an excellent post made about “Moff’s Law” – which is, in essence, the notion that anybody [...]
More Thinking is Better « Taking It Too Seriously on 23 Dec 2009 at 4:56 pm
[...] More Thinking is Better 23 12 2009 Please join me in propagating Moff’s Law. [...]
Links: Avatar Racist? Anti-Imperialist? | Ernesto Aguilar on 24 Dec 2009 at 6:00 am
[...] reminds us of Newitz’s racial identity and past writing. But Racialicious goes in on the funniest (but most true) part of the comments out of the Newitz [...]
PSA « Femme Facetious on 27 Dec 2009 at 12:41 am
[...] This. Moff’s Law. Amen, amen, and amen. (Oh, profanity definitely included, so don’t say [...]
04 « Puppenhaus on 27 Dec 2009 at 12:41 pm
[...] Posted in wild conjecture by dolly on December 21, 2009 I could not have put this better myself. Plus, Racialicious have some cool ideas about mixedness that I [...]
Techsploitation » Blog Archive » A whole lot of Avatar and whiteness on 02 Jan 2010 at 9:01 pm
[...] (AKA Moff) wrote a great rejoinder to comments like this, which Racialicious picked up and dubbed Moff’s Law. Here’s an excerpt: First of all, when we analyze art, when we look for deeper meaning in [...]
Look what I found on the Internet! « Flying Low on 08 Jan 2010 at 2:11 am
[...] fact, it’s been made an Internet law! [...]
mimi smartypants - tawny and tessellated on 08 Jan 2010 at 3:27 pm
[...] Yes! Thank you! [...]
Moff’s Law « funny blog pageslap on 09 Jan 2010 at 3:47 am
[...] Moff’s Law On how critical thinking about art and pop culture is often stifled by idiots hollering “Caintchoo jus’ stop all this thinkin’ and jus’ ENJOY it??!!” (OMG HATE) Here comes an excellent rant by an io9 contributor named Mott, responding to some turd who tried to shut down a pretty interesting critical conversation about Avatar. The rant is reproduced under the jump here. It’s the best. I’m excited that this has been written. Via Racialicious. [...]
Athena Andreadis, Ph.D.: Lab Rat Cinema: Monetizing the Reptile Brain | Super Hot Topics on 12 Jan 2010 at 12:20 am
[...] You Ape for a individualist explanation). Them I module yield to the protective ministrations of Moff’s Law, with the additional notation that it’s actually impracticable to invoke a mentality off, [...]
Mocha Momma » Delurking. Poorly, I Might Add. on 18 Jan 2010 at 3:23 pm
[...] no one, and I mean NO ONE, should ever try to read it for him. Perhaps you could weigh in on the “Duh! I wanna be stoopid about art so please don’t make me think!” conversation going on at Racialicious. Maybe you could just ask a question. “Kelly, how do [...]