Shy friend · 2d
I'd rather people just say they don't care about the boycott and move on from it than see think pieces on why it failed and why everyone who supports it is a hypocrite. Its honestly just really demotivating and I know for some people it can send them spiraling. Its also a bit shocking that a lot of these people who seem to know so much about boycotts don't recognize that they're taking the position of the people who would tear down these movements.
And like you said most people who have quit left the fandom as a whole. When you surround yourself with people who still play the game obviously it will look like people haven't left. But even then having a specific circle doesn't mean you can just misconstrue events, especially if you are someone that is literally against the movement you're talking about. You will have a biased view and it'll be against it so when talking to people actually involved obviously they'll go "what are you talking about". Personally I make sure to look at spaces outside of my circle because you get a well rounded view of everything, there's so much more that most of us don't see because its discussed by fans in other countries or by people on other platform. You cannot and should not base statements only off of what you see in your immediate circle. I'm sure that if most of these people were to interact with or see posts from japanese, korean, and chinese fans they'd be shocked at how wrong they are about certain things.
I get where you're coming from. Basically, people who have been detached from the boycott are creating pseudo-analyses of what happened. They discredit many people's efforts and demoralize those who are still making an effort. It feels a bit like an extension of what I was discussing with some anons earlier, about how some Enstars fans try to adopt critical positions that in reality serve as a form of exoneration of the self. In this case, the critique is aimed at a movement they did not partake in. I don't want to speculate too much on the psychology of people I do not even know, but it seems to function similarly on a social level at the very least. When you look at how people respond to posts that misrepresent or dismiss boycotters, it becomes clear that they often work toward socially validating continued engagement with Enstars. If the goal were just personal reflection, the posts would not be made in a public forum. If the goal were to invite genuine conversation, the standard for what "counts" as a social movement amongst Enstars fans would not be repeatedly shifted without evidence. I wouldn't accuse anyone of consciously attempting to demoralize people making real efforts to boycott Enstars, but I do think there is often a level of snark that could be self-serving to those not participating.
