My way is the Way of the Fanboy. I am an intellectual fanboy. I am a fanboy.
The Critic has a noble role in society. It is their job to critique art and music, film and literature. It is their job to analyze rationally and intelligently art and music.
But the critic's name misleads him. He thinks that his job is to Criticize.
And so the Critic becomes a Criticizer. A breaker-down of dreams, a breaker down of hopes and spirits.
We do not need a Breaker-down of dreams. We have quite enough of that as it is.
I find that critics are virtually always right about what they like. They may be inane enough to hate on half of the things out there that are great. But when they say a thing is great, they are virtually always right.
The only exception is when they have been taught, grilled, and subjugated into believing that they are SUPPOSED to like something by a mentally ill society. Like, for example, that they are supposed to like that gloomy lifeless CSI-stuff that goes for a representation of life these days (2025) in American corporate media.
Beware the CSI-ification of life! LIFE is Not an Episode of CSI! Bunny rabbits and butterflies, birds and sunshine are real, too! Happy children are real too!
But in his support of such as this, the critic can hardly be blamed; the peer pressure is so, so strong.
With this one exception, the critic is virtually always right about what they like.
But most of the time they don't like.
They criticize.
They are misled by their name into thinking that it is a critic's job to criticize.
Enter the fanboy and fangirl.
Our twin heroes.
The fanboy and fangirl operate on the principle of Love.
Following Love, the fanboy and fangirl embody Understanding.
A Fanboy or Fangirl Loves and Understands what they Love.
A Fanboy is a Lover of their field in the way that Rumi's Lover is a Lover of God.
These are the virtues that will be our salvation. Love and Understanding.
That is why I follow the Way of the Fanboy.
If you wish to follow the Way of the Critic, it is a noble persuit when done correctly.
I have two recommendations:
A Critic's job is to Critique, not to Criticize
Don't be Afraid to Love what you Critique
It is OK to be a Critic and a Fanboy. You cannot be a Criticizing Critic and a Fanboy. Love is not compatible with Hate.
'Fear, anger, hatred, the dark side are they. Beware the dark side.'- Yoda
Do not let your fanboy or fangirl light be dimmed by anger and darkness! Don't let yourself become a Feuding Fanboy!
For a true Fanboy is a Lover, not a Feuder!
And that is my humble two cents.
Keep living and loving! Spread the love!
God loves you!
Sincerely,
David S. Annderson
P.S. The Fanboy Poet vs, the Journalist:
The Journalist convinces you that life is not worth living by telling you nothing but the c#@p that happens.
The Fanboy Poet gives you reason to live!
Beware the CSI-ification of life!
Rainbows and butterflies, green trees and sunshine, birds and happy children are real too!