Random thoughts

So, I hate the school I'm at right now and, since we mostly watched a movie today, my mind wandered. I started thinking about how whenever someone holds an unpopular opinion, or new theory that people don't take to, it seems like, nine times out of ten, they end up saying that people are shutting them down or not allowing them to talk or something to that effect (this is both in fandom and in life). I follow of lot of these conversations through various places whether I'm in the fandom or not (I like watching people debate) and, most of the time I don't understand where the persecuted people are being persecuted. I've seen people from the opposing sides offer really good counter-arguments that seem to stump the first person or people, but that's not shutting them down.

I know how difficult it is to argue a position and not get frustrated at the other side. And I understand feeling like we're speaking a different language. But I've rarely seen people honestly shut down, belittled, yelled at, or told to shut up unless this stuff is all happening off list or journal or whatever so I can't see it.

In other news, I really don't like JK Rowling. I like her books, but I really resent being told I'm not allowed to like a character because he's an evil or unpleasant person. I thought part of reading was getting to form your own opinions about stuff.