I see a lot of black and white thinking bound up in "hopepunk". A lot of "I like it, and I found value in it, therefore it is optimistic and hopepunk, and self-care is hopepunk, and so are kittens and memes".
Definitely agree. That's the core of The Tumblr Problem, as I see it - "I found value in it, therefore it is objectively good." (Combined with "I'm radical because I'm the viewpoint character.") It's not okay to enjoy something just because it speaks to you personally/hits tropes you enjoy, and to understand when other people don't or to even agree with some of the criticisms without seeing yourself as Nobly Accepting That Your Fave Is Problematic. Your comfort reading has no value unless you position it as inherently better than other people's comfort reading.
(Also, I agree with what you said about the women in your Goblin Emperor review. Much as I enjoy the book, I would have enjoyed it more if that had been handled better, even if just with the love interest.)
no subject
Definitely agree. That's the core of The Tumblr Problem, as I see it - "I found value in it, therefore it is objectively good." (Combined with "I'm radical because I'm the viewpoint character.") It's not okay to enjoy something just because it speaks to you personally/hits tropes you enjoy, and to understand when other people don't or to even agree with some of the criticisms without seeing yourself as Nobly Accepting That Your Fave Is Problematic. Your comfort reading has no value unless you position it as inherently better than other people's comfort reading.
(Also, I agree with what you said about the women in your Goblin Emperor review. Much as I enjoy the book, I would have enjoyed it more if that had been handled better, even if just with the love interest.)