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ANNCast - Tongue in Cheek

One thing that's been bothering me about these podcasts is how brusquely Justin and Zac express their opinions. I appreciate the informative side to the podcasts, but more often than not they come across like an opportunity for Zac and Justin to air their grievances, which makes the shows hard for me to listen to (especially when they off-handedly express sharp criticisms I disagree with). It may be unintentional, but they really sound annoyed a lot of the time, and I unfortunately get very little sense of light-hearted enjoyment or enthusiasm from the podcasts. I can understand and appreciate the honesty, but I wish it felt more upbeat and considerate.

It may not be a fair perception

It's not that they express opinions I disagree with that bothers me, it's that they express some of their negative opinions very brusquely with a certain degree of inconsideration, which makes some of their opinions harder to stomach, especially when I disagree with them. Even when I do agree with them, there's this feeling of exasperation and annoyance that drags down the experience for me and makes the podcasts less enjoyable. I don't walk away from the podcasts feeling happy or energized or upbeat --- I feel better informed, but also like I've been listening to two guys express a lot of annoyances. I often imagine Zac with his head exhaustedly rested on his hand, and both of them periodically rolling their eyes, sighing and shaking their heads about some of the topics they discuss (Zac especially sounds like he facepalms a lot in his day-to-day life ). It may not be a fair perception, and maybe if I knew them personally I would understand their back-and-forth discussion in a different light, but that's just the feeling I get whenever I sit down to listen to the podcast.

No, it really isn't.

Well, we ARE opinionated guys who have been doing this for years and years (me, personally, this year marks my 20th year of being an anime fan). We both love the good stuff still, and a lot, and I think the show reflects that. But the truth is, it takes a lot to impress us, and I am personally given to being an ornery f--k. We do have a tendancy to be brusque, particularly when met with an opinion or a show that we consider poorly thought-out. After a long time of living this stuff day and night, that does grate on you. We are a couple of old-timer curmudgeons.

That is who we are. The show is a casual reflection of who we are, and is truthful, and if we changed that, we would be phony and the show would be pretty lame because it would be based on pretense -- we wouldn't be able to back up our opinions very deeply because we don't really believe them. Nobody benefits from dishonest conversation.

Perhaps you should listen to another show if what you're really after is the otaku equivalent of "Ellen." I don't think Zac or I are capable of delivering the nice, always-appreciative, always-accepting show you seem to want.

Zac wrote:

No, it really isn't.

Well, that's a very disappointing response. You could have taken the opportunity to clarify your approach to the podcast, cleared up any misunderstandings I might have had about your disposition, or asked for clarification to see whether my criticism had any merit from your vantage point. For someone who doles out strong criticism, I would have hoped for a more constructive approach to receiving it.

It's not that they express opinions I disagree with that bothers me, it's that they express some of their negative opinions very brusquely with a certain degree of inconsideration, which makes some of their opinions harder to stomach, especially when I disagree with them

Also, I wanted to thank everyone in this thread listing their favorite episodes. It really does make us feel good about producing the show, and we really do appreciate each and every one of you for listening.

"The books we need are the kind that act upon us like a misfortune, that make us suffer like the death of someone we love more than ourselves, that make us feel as though we were on the verge of suicide, or lost in a forest remote from all human habitation—a book should serve as the ax for the frozen sea within us," - Franz Kafka.

Also, I wanted to thank everyone in this thread listing their favorite episodes. It really does make us feel good about producing the show, and we really do appreciate each and every one of you for listening.

The reason I didn't give you more of a response is because the "criticism" you're giving me is, inherently, not something I can actually do anything about. It isn't constructive, it's quite personal. You have a problem with my disposition and don't like that the way I express myself doesn't appear to leave room for your opinions, but you aren't part of the show and I don't naturally speak passively or vaguely. Let's be realistic - what real-world response should I have to this criticism? I need to be happier? More upbeat? Should I smile when speaking so you can hear the joy bubbling out of me like a fountain of mirth?

Shall I be sure to express my opinions with a "well, some might disagree, I could be wrong" at the end of each sentence, so you feel more like you're being included? Would you like me to email you the week's topics before we tape, so I can get your take on them, and then make sure to read your opposing view on the air, so you feel more represented in a program I haven't invited you to personally participate in? How do I correct my manner of speaking so one particular listener feels more represented when I'm expressing myself? It's a real puzzle.

And believe me, I'm not saying this simply to deflect. I'm trying to unpack what exactly it is you're saying to me, and responding to what the actual criticism is and realistically what in the world a solution to it would be. Trying to find constructive, meaningful feedback or perhaps even help improving the show in what you're saying, and instead finding mostly that I'm a downer and you don't like that.

Here's how I read what you're saying, and I don't think this interpretation is particularly off the mark: I cannot be the person you're asking me to be, and so you'll take what nuggets of value you can from my show while tolerating my negative cynical personality, which you wish were different so the podcast would help you feel good.

As you can see, this is criticism I cannot actually do anything about. Your issue is basically that you don't like the show's hosts. I can't change who I am in order to make you enjoy the show more. Our responses to things are not manufactured or filtered, they aren't heightened, we're not playing characters, this is who we are. I can understand how you'd think that your criticism might have value or meaning if we were simply playing roles that we could adjust so you enjoy the performance more, but it isn't a performance, so I can't do that for you.

I hope you understand what I'm saying here and I do apologize if I expressed it in a manner that upset you. Unfortunately, I'm the bad cop.

Dude, come on. If you're bothered by someone expressing their opinion "brusquely" that's your problem. Seriously, you don't have a right to go through life without ever being exposed to something that might offend you.