U2 related confessions

[scatteroflight]

1) I am a major U2 fan. I have only known one person in my life personally who I considered to be a bigger fan.

2) Despite being the resident U2 expert in my little corner of the world, I don't own two of their albums: Zooropa and Pop.

3) I don't own these two albums because I don't like them very much. I have, however, listened to both of them many times and I owned one of them for a while.

4) I think some people on this board hate me now because I have expressed my dislike of one of the albums (oddly enough, the one I like better) a few too many times. I never thought I was doing it in a particularly offensive way, more of a

way, but apparently I didn't make that clear.

5) It bugs the heck out of me when people suggest that if you don't like this album, you are a) not a "true" U2 fan, b) stupid, c) shallow, d) musically unknowledgeable (is that a word?), and a few other such things.

6) I also hate it when such people think that you can't be a "true" U2 fan unless you worship these particular albums, but if you dislike the earlier stuff or don't much care for it--particularly a certain album with four guys looking very young and a little foolish on the cover--that's just fine.

7) I started a thread related to the album I've already received flak about for criticizing. This thread sprang from a somewhat serious thought but which was mainly intended to be humorous, and some people took it way too seriously.

8) When some people took it way too seriously, I freaked out--at least for me that was freaking out.

9) I feel bad about freaking out and I don't know if I should even bother. I also feel very annoyed and it bugs me that something that happens on this board can affect me to that extent.

10) I also feel bad about starting the thread in the first place. It actually was not intended as criticism of the album it was related to--but I should have known by now that if you say anything about this album that resembles criticism, someone is going to figuratively attack and beat you.

------------------
You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
Your story to remain untold
Your love not to grow cold

 

[Krasno The Great]

This is a bit weird.

CK

 

[scatteroflight]

Originally posted by Krasno The Great:
This is a bit weird.

What, exactly?



------------------
You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
Your story to remain untold
Your love not to grow cold

 

[travu2]

Yay! Someone who obsesses as much as me!

I'm only kidding! Please don't hurt me!

Actually, I completely understand what you said in number 9. It is a bit frightening how much things in a forum can affect us.

Eh... don't let it get to you. There are many different personalities represented here, and we all have our unique ways of expressing ourselves. This inevitably causes friction, but it's not worth getting stressed about, which is something that I have done too much of myself. I have found that simply interacting with people and sharing your feelings about certain things, even though you may think they are trivial things, really does help.

If you ever want to talk about anything at all, please don't hesitate to drop me a line.

 

[brettig]

I love Zooropa, i love POP (

) and i do just happen to love October...i also enjoy yer writing scattero, but your determination to fight against instead accepting these portions of U2's career does seem a little scatterbrained to me.
Sure they dont have to be your favourite albums, but im sure there will be days and moods when you do want to hear the music of POP and Zooropa.
By refusing to own these albums you are simply allowing your negative feelings about them to fester, and you are strengthening your resolve based on memories and on the 'inflammatory' responses of others...

 

[The Wanderer]

scattero, what have you been smoking???

it's weird, and don't ask me to explain this statement, but I always got the impression you were the sort who liked those albums based on your writing (which I admire a great deal, as I've said many times)

--------
baby's always attracted to, the things she's afraid of

 

[zooropamanda]

ah dont let it get to u scatter
this board is destined to screw with peoples heads

 

[Blue Room]

I was letting this place get to me also after the MP3 debate. People got very uptight with me. I even got the "you are not a true U2 fan unless you are willing to share your audio on mp3" crap and it was from a fairly respected Interferencer.

Basically, I decided to take a break from here and to put things into perspective. If this place is bothering you I think you are spending to much time here and need a break, give it a try.

Regarding the "true" U2 fan comments. Anytime anyone says this it is completely ridiculous. Until I see the U2 Constitution/laws written by Bono, Larry, Adam and Edge indicating what it takes to be a "true" U2 fan I dont think anyone can comment on what it takes.

I think if you like U2 you are a fan. Its that simple.

 

[BabyGrace]

I really wouldn't worry about it scatter

I didn't like POP (or wait, it's Pop isnt it?

) when I first heard it either..or Zooropa for that matter. I do love them now, but that doesn't make you a 'good' or 'bad' fan or whatever. what is my point? um i think, once again, for the zillionth time in my life, i dont have one..

where are you in DOL btw? i miss your writing

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and everything you hoped would last
just always becomes the past
it hurts but...

 

[scatteroflight]

Originally posted by The Wanderer:


it's weird, and don't ask me to explain this statement, but I always got the impression you were the sort who liked those albums based on your writing (which I admire a great deal, as I've said many times)

[/i]

I would really like to see an explanation for this statement

I actually feel sad sometimes that I don't like everything by U2. I do feel like I'm missing something because there are many people who enjoy everything by them. It's just that whenever I try to listen to those particular albums, I get discouraged because I find much of them boring or even annoying. I think I have just always taken U2 too seriously because I get personally insulted if they release something I really don't like! But it's also true that I haven't given Zooropa or Pop much of a chance for quite a long time and I know it's overdue. I'm going to try to get back to them and give them some good listens soon--but then, if I still find myself not enjoying them, I'm not going to force myself to.

But I should definitely make a resolution not to get involved in threads related to those albums, or at least not to let them get to me. (Or to start related threads, I guess

) There really is no reason it should get to me if someone thinks they're U2's best albums. Unless they put everything else down in the process, and even then...

There's something about the Internet that makes people get mad at each other very easily. I guess it's just so easy to say something stupid or mean. But when I think about it, it's pretty strange to let people you really don't know, or hardly, make you mad.

I also think that U2 fans have a tendency to be hypersensitive--and I include myself there--but maybe that tends to happens whenever you get a lot of people together who feel really strongly about something.

Anyway, I've discovered two things about myself for sure: a) I'm completely paranoid and b) I spend way too much time here.

It would definitely be good for me to take a break, or at least not visit ten thousand times a day.

Thanks all for your responses, at least the ones that were meant to be helpful, which was most of them

BG, I know I've neglected DOL...I haven't been writing enough lately. I'll try to post something pretty soon

------------------
You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
Your story to remain untold
Your love not to grow cold

 

[BabyGrace]

nah, it's not neglecting. nobody has to post there that doesnt want to. I was just hoping you weren't avoiding it plus, yes, I really enjoy your writing

------------------
and everything you hoped would last
just always becomes the past
it hurts but...

 

[Lilly]

scattero, one thing i've learned in my short life of 17 years is that sarcasm does not transfer well into writing. i've always enjoyed your posts/responses, though i don't agree with you on the POP issue (it's my favorite U2 album), but who am i to deny your right to dislike it? as far as people saying if you don't like pop/zooropa/october you aren't a true u2 fan. well, those people need to understand that you can love u2 while not liking everything they turn out for us. my advice to you is a bono quote: "don't let the bastards grind you down".*
-Lilly

*which, of course is not to say that those who tell scattero that pop/zooropa is the greatest thing and if you don't love them you aren't a true u2 fan are bastards. not that at all. just saying that you have to learn to accept people's opinions...and don't think you're a bad person for not agreeing with them.

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Taste is the enemy of art.

 

[scatteroflight]

Originally posted by Lilly:
scattero, one thing i've learned in my short life of 17 years is that sarcasm does not transfer well into writing. i've always enjoyed your posts/responses, though i don't agree with you on the POP issue (it's my favorite U2 album), but who am i to deny your right to dislike it? as far as people saying if you don't like pop/zooropa/october you aren't a true u2 fan. well, those people need to understand that you can love u2 while not liking everything they turn out for us. my advice to you is a bono quote: "don't let the bastards grind you down".*
-Lilly

*which, of course is not to say that those who tell scattero that pop/zooropa is the greatest thing and if you don't love them you aren't a true u2 fan are bastards. not that at all. just saying that you have to learn to accept people's opinions...and don't think you're a bad person for not agreeing with them.

Thanks Lilly--I think you're right about the sarcastic humor thing. Maybe I should have posted it as a question, "why do so many people write it all caps when they don't with the albums?" More innocent like

Because I still really wonder about that!

I should probably let everyone know that I'm not actually quite as pro-October or quite as anti-Pop as I may seem

------------------
You say you want
Diamonds on a ring of gold
Your story to remain untold
Your love not to grow cold