Why can't we like things without ruining it? Rick and Morty x McDonalds.

[TheMysteriousGX]

Yeah, Rick and Morty has a supremely shitty fanbase.

Way to paint an entire fanbase, the thing about 'shitty fanbases' is it's the shitty part that yells the loudest and gets the most attention. The focus in this instance being some nonsense about a sauce that was mentioned in the show. So a few hundred dicks decided shockingly to be dicks, what about the rest of the fan base... the guys who went to work that day lived their lives, went out with their families, went for a drive, had a day off and just relaxed or what about the fans that did turn up and then left when it looked to be going down hill? It's real easy to look at a select few and tar the majority because of the idiotic actions of the vocal minority.

I don't think they are that shitty, obnoxious for certain but I haven't heard anything even remotely close to Steven Universe fanbase levels of terribleness.

Creators of the show publicly calling out "fans" for doxing and harassing the new female writers?

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

It fucking BAFFLES me to think that people think they're smart just 'cuz they understand Rick and Morty. That's a low bar to set, I guess dumb people will look for any old validation to think they're not dumb.

Tell me has anyone met people like this outside of the forced meme?

Yes.

They're exhausting.

 

[Zontar]

The insanity really makes you think when you realize we all knew the wider promotion was coming out later anyway.

 

[McMarbles]

Any reasonable person would just go "oh well..." and go home to watch the first four seasons of Archer, which were way better.

FTFY.

Though I suppose "better" is relative.

Personally I'd recommend Venture Brothers before Archer.

 

[MetalDooley]

Yeah this is true. I know people like to get their hate bones out for fandoms and yeah some fandoms do stupid stuff but Mcdonalds royally fucked this up. Horribly understocking things when they knew there would be a high demand and not only that only provided them in specific locations which means, people had to plan a whole day around this in a crowded place that within ten minutes probably ran out of supply which of course leads to this sort of situation. Honestly any high demand specific location item would be like this but ya know why take in the whole situation when someone can rant bout something they don't like *shrugs*

I've no hate for the fanbase and yes McDonalds did indeed fuck up by not having adequate supplies but that doesn't excuse grown adults acting like toddlers over sachets of sauce.

 

[kenu12345]

Yeah this is true. I know people like to get their hate bones out for fandoms and yeah some fandoms do stupid stuff but Mcdonalds royally fucked this up. Horribly understocking things when they knew there would be a high demand and not only that only provided them in specific locations which means, people had to plan a whole day around this in a crowded place that within ten minutes probably ran out of supply which of course leads to this sort of situation. Honestly any high demand specific location item would be like this but ya know why take in the whole situation when someone can rant bout something they don't like *shrugs*

I've no hate for the fanbase and yes McDonalds did indeed fuck up by not having adequate supplies but that doesn't excuse grown adults acting like toddlers over sachets of sauce.

This is america. People have killed each other over shortages of a laughing muppet. Are you really surprised people are shouting bout wanting understocked sauce

 

[MetalDooley]

This is america. People have killed each other over shortages of a laughing muppet. Are you really surprised people are shouting bout wanting understocked sauce

Not surprised really. I work in customer service so I've experienced firsthand peoples capacity to be utter bellends over stupid things.I just don't think this behaviour should be excused. McDonalds fucked up no doubt but there is no justification for people acting like that to staff who were not responsible for the problem in the first place. People need to drop this "customer is always right" mentality because it leads to people acting like this and thinking it's fine

 

[kenu12345]

This is america. People have killed each other over shortages of a laughing muppet. Are you really surprised people are shouting bout wanting understocked sauce

Not surprised really. I work in customer service so I've experienced firsthand peoples capacity to be utter bellends over stupid things.I just don't think this behaviour should be excused. McDonalds fucked up no doubt but there is no justification for people acting like that to staff who were not responsible for the problem in the first place. People need to drop this "customer is always right" mentality because it leads to people acting like this and thinking it's fine

My position was never that. My position was, 'hey perhaps stop jumping on these guys cause the ones who royally fucked up and knew better higher up should be getting flak. Twelve at a location and only at specific locations. People legit had to schedule a day for this. It was pretty obvious to anyone what would happen

 

[MetalDooley]

My position was never that. My position was, 'hey perhaps stop jumping on these guys cause the ones who royally fucked up and knew better higher up should be getting flak. Twelve at a location and only at specific locations. People legit had to schedule a day for this. It was pretty obvious to anyone what would happen

Frankly anyone who's scheduling their day around getting a sachet of sauce needs to reassess their priorities in life

 

[kenu12345]

My position was never that. My position was, 'hey perhaps stop jumping on these guys cause the ones who royally fucked up and knew better higher up should be getting flak. Twelve at a location and only at specific locations. People legit had to schedule a day for this. It was pretty obvious to anyone what would happen

Frankly anyone who's scheduling their day around getting a sachet of sauce needs to reassess their priorities in life

People schedule weeks to see the sun do a fancy thing for a second. What people want to do they do. I would if I could just cause I want to try the sauce

 

[MetalDooley]

People schedule weeks to see the sun do a fancy thing for a second. What people want to do they do. I would if I could just cause I want to try the sauce

You don't see people throwing tantrums if it's cloudy and they can't see the eclipse

 

[kenu12345]

People schedule weeks to see the sun do a fancy thing for a second. What people want to do they do. I would if I could just cause I want to try the sauce

You don't see people throwing tantrums if it's cloudy and they can't see the eclipse

You don't know human nature then

 

[Kameburger]

Honestly? Why does it even matter really? No one was really hurt, and it was essentially a bunch of people who took a joke two far. There is no particular reason to tie this into even a broader discussion about fan culture. If rick and morty fans were throwing bricks through windows and stringing up MacDonald staff or something, I'm with you lets have a talk, but we always want to try to connect these instances into a broader commentary on the culture because we want it to be relevant but it isn't. Is it embarrassing a bit if you feel like you're apart of the rick and morty fan community? I bet, but it's not exactly something that should keep you up at night.

 

[RaikuFA]

Honestly? Why does it even matter really? No one was really hurt, and it was essentially a bunch of people who took a joke two far. There is no particular reason to tie this into even a broader discussion about fan culture. If rick and morty fans were throwing bricks through windows and stringing up MacDonald staff or something, I'm with you lets have a talk, but we always want to try to connect these instances into a broader commentary on the culture because we want it to be relevant but it isn't. Is it embarrassing a bit if you feel like you're apart of the rick and morty fan community? I bet, but it's not exactly something that should keep you up at night.

The issue people aren't having isn't just limited to the R&M fanbase. But we can finally put a face on the people who act like dipshits when they make a piece of media part of their identity. A lot of great shows/movies/games are getting highjacked by people who are unhinged and make other fans look terrible. Steven Universe is a great show that has been tainted by people who think it's ok to threaten people's lives over a drawing. Undertale fans are known as manchildren who demand you play the game THEIR way. The FGC is still stereotyped as neckbeards that have to make sure newcomers/women aren't allowed. And now we see Rick and Morty fans throwing tantrums in public places over fucking dipping sauce. A lot of us fans are sick of it. That's at least my take on it.

 

[Kameburger]

Honestly? Why does it even matter really? No one was really hurt, and it was essentially a bunch of people who took a joke too far. There is no particular reason to tie this into even a broader discussion about fan culture. If rick and morty fans were throwing bricks through windows and stringing up MacDonald staff or something, I'm with you lets have a talk, but we always want to try to connect these instances into a broader commentary on the culture because we want it to be relevant but it isn't. Is it embarrassing a bit if you feel like you're apart of the rick and morty fan community? I bet, but it's not exactly something that should keep you up at night.

The issue people aren't having isn't just limited to the R&M fanbase. But we can finally put a face on the people who act like dipshits when they make a piece of media part of their identity. A lot of great shows/movies/games are getting highjacked by people who are unhinged and make other fans look terrible. Steven Universe is a great show that has been tainted by people who think it's ok to threaten people's lives over a drawing. Undertale fans are known as manchildren who demand you play the game THEIR way. The FGC is still stereotyped as neckbeards that have to make sure newcomers/women aren't allowed. And now we see Rick and Morty fans throwing tantrums in public places over fucking dipping sauce. A lot of us fans are sick of it. That's at least my take on it.

I get what you're saying, believe me I do, But we can't keep trying to fit people into boxes, but what I'm saying is that these people didn't hurt anyone really, they maybe embarrassed themselves, and did made a mess in the process but no one got hurt. Never the less I think people who would jump up and down on the counter for some kind of sauce would do this no matter what they were into. Snowballing this event into the broader context of fandom just perpetuates this idea that somehow these are all same problem. The problem with this is that you force people into the conversation who don't want anything to do with the conversation and this can end up creating bigger problems. I watch R&M, I am a R&M fan, I am part of the viewer base but from my perspective I'm not part of the fan base and I refuse to take responsibility for their behavior. Never the less I'm going to be dragged into this conversation, and compared too and in some worse cases lumped in with, Steven and the Universe fans (a show I've never see), Undertale fans (A game I've never played), or even something like Mass effect or Halo fans (two games I also don't play). I mean I'm just saying we love using terms that put things in a broader context but sometimes the broader context isn't relevant to anything and is actually irritating.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

The issue people aren't having isn't just limited to the R&M fanbase. But we can finally put a face on the people who act like dipshits when they make a piece of media part of their identity. A lot of great shows/movies/games are getting highjacked by people who are unhinged and make other fans look terrible. Steven Universe is a great show that has been tainted by people who think it's ok to threaten people's lives over a drawing. Undertale fans are known as manchildren who demand you play the game THEIR way. The FGC is still stereotyped as neckbeards that have to make sure newcomers/women aren't allowed. And now we see Rick and Morty fans throwing tantrums in public places over fucking dipping sauce. A lot of us fans are sick of it. That's at least my take on it.

I get what you're saying, believe me I do, But we can't keep trying to fit people into boxes, but what I'm saying is that these people didn't hurt anyone really, they maybe embarrassed themselves, and did made a mess in the process but no one got hurt. Never the less I think people who would jump up and down on the counter for some kind of sauce would do this no matter what they were into. Snowballing this event into the broader context of fandom just perpetuates this idea that somehow these are all same problem. The problem with this is that you force people into the conversation who don't want anything to do with the conversation and this can end up creating bigger problems. I watch R&M, I am a R&M fan, I am part of the viewer base but from my perspective I'm not part of the fan base and I refuse to take responsibility for their behavior. Never the less I'm going to be dragged into this conversation, and compared too and in some worse cases lumped in with, Steven and the Universe fans (a show I've never see), Undertale fans (A game I've never played), or even something like Mass effect or Halo fans (two games I also don't play). I mean I'm just saying we love using terms that put things in a broader context but sometimes the broader context isn't relevant to anything and is actually irritating.

First of all, I want to thank you both for expressing the opposite sides of this discussion so well. Admittedly, Raiku's opinion matches my own so I give weight to that argument more, but Kame's makes valid points that I want to address.

The first part I have to address is this

...but what I'm saying is that these people didn't hurt anyone really, they maybe embarrassed themselves, and did made a mess in the process but no one got hurt.

It was reported that there was some sort of physical altercation.

Rick and Morty fans took this seriously, lining up in costumes and walking memes. But the organizers only had twenty sauce packets, ten posters, and a raffle system. Some forcefully made their way in the restaurant chanting, ?Szechwan sauce!? And, ?When I say Szechwan, you say sauce!? As some became physical, the police were called. (Source [https://la.eater.com/2017/10/9/16448332/mcdonalds-mulan-szechwan-sauce-rick-morty-riot-police])

But to my main point of what I want to address comes from your sentences here:

Snowballing this event into the broader context of fandom just perpetuates this idea that somehow these are all same problem. The problem with this is that you force people into the conversation who don't want anything to do with the conversation and this can end up creating bigger problems.

There is no conceivable way that you could be any more right... Morally. I hundred percent agree with this notion, but it is a notion that only survives in a better world than we have now.

We live in a world of stereotypes and we must deal with the perceptions and/or hatred that comes from it. When I went to school in Montreal, I met so many cultures from all over this globe who spoke to me in American Slang and things they got off of tv shows because they were convinced that's exactly how all Americans who look like me behave. And even after meeting me, they just believed me to be a weird exception to the rule.

This society is where the easily digestible sound bite is iron clad truth. Again, I completely understand how unfair it is to you that you must defend who you are and what you love even though you have nothing to do with this... but that's the world we were all born in.

This isn't an overnight change to the rules. Every fan who behaved badly knew the court of public opinion we all are constantly scrutinized in. Whatever label you can give yourself (White, black, female, male, Gay, Straight, conservative, liberal), we all know any one of our actions will be labeled as "THIS IS HOW THESE PEOPLE ARE" by the aggressive opponents on the 'other' side of these labels, or the ignorant masses who don't care about individuals and just want sound bites to understand the world around them.

And these are the sound bites that are being shown.

1 [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/stop-judging-rick-and-morty-fans-for-freaking-out-over-mcdonalds-szechuan-sauce/article/2637467], 2 [https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-ads-wellbeing/rick-and-morty-fans-got-violent-over-mcdonalds-szechuan-sauce/vp-AAteyBA], 3 [https://www.cnet.com/news/rick-and-morty-szechuan-sauce-mcdonalds-madness/], 4 [https://www.thedailybeast.com/relax-rick-and-morty-fans-youre-still-getting-your-damn-szechuan-sauce], 5 [http://theweek.com/articles/729911/rick-mortys-toxic-fans-are-ruining-terrific-show]

This is what the world outside of Rick and Morty is seeing. These are the opinions that non-fans are reading. And it's a disgrace that the immaturity of some now has to taint what you love and put you on the defensive. And that's the point. Because this conversation could have easily been solely based on what a disappointment McDonald's continues to be if it wasn't for the reaction. Instead of McDonald's just looking like idiots for not gauging the demand correctly (or testing the waters in a poor fashion like I stated before), McDonald's gets to spin it and look like people who just goofed up and are yielding under the overblown reaction to a bunch of nutjobs that takes a cartoon to seriously.

That is firmly in the lap of the fans who behaved badly. There's a way to have your voice heard that makes people side with you. This wasn't it.

And to be fair, while I did use this example as it is a mystery why people act this way even though they know it will damage the perception of what they love, it's in all things.

Football Hooligans. Anyone who decides to trash their city because their favorite team won/lost/didn't get chosen for something. Protests. Concerts... It all damages your brand, so why do it? Because we, the people who are under the same label but did not do these things, will ultimately take the heat while those people laugh it off and let us rot. I hate that. I hate it so much.

 

[Kameburger]

Snowballing this event into the broader context of fandom just perpetuates this idea that somehow these are all same problem. The problem with this is that you force people into the conversation who don't want anything to do with the conversation and this can end up creating bigger problems.

There is no conceivable way that you could be any more right... Morally. I hundred percent agree with this notion, but it is a notion that only survives in a better world than we have now.

We live in a world of stereotypes and we must deal with the perceptions and/or hatred that comes from it. When I went to school in Montreal, I met so many cultures from all over this globe who spoke to me in American Slang and things they got off of tv shows because they were convinced that's exactly how all Americans who look like me behave. And even after meeting me, they just believed me to be a weird exception to the rule.

This society is where the easily digestible sound bite is iron clad truth. Again, I completely understand how unfair it is to you that you must defend who you are and what you love even though you have nothing to do with this... but that's the world we were all born in.

This isn't an overnight change to the rules. Every fan who behaved badly knew the court of public opinion we all are constantly scrutinized in. Whatever label you can give yourself (White, black, female, male, Gay, Straight, conservative, liberal), we all know any one of our actions will be labeled as "THIS IS HOW THESE PEOPLE ARE" by the aggressive opponents on the 'other' side of these labels, or the ignorant masses who don't care about individuals and just want sound bites to understand the world around them.

And these are the sound bites that are being shown.

1 [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/stop-judging-rick-and-morty-fans-for-freaking-out-over-mcdonalds-szechuan-sauce/article/2637467], 2 [https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-ads-wellbeing/rick-and-morty-fans-got-violent-over-mcdonalds-szechuan-sauce/vp-AAteyBA], 3 [https://www.cnet.com/news/rick-and-morty-szechuan-sauce-mcdonalds-madness/], 4 [https://www.thedailybeast.com/relax-rick-and-morty-fans-youre-still-getting-your-damn-szechuan-sauce], 5 [http://theweek.com/articles/729911/rick-mortys-toxic-fans-are-ruining-terrific-show]

This is what the world outside of Rick and Morty is seeing. These are the opinions that non-fans are reading. And it's a disgrace that the immaturity of some now has to taint what you love and put you on the defensive. And that's the point. Because this conversation could have easily been solely based on what a disappointment McDonald's continues to be if it wasn't for the reaction. Instead of McDonald's just looking like idiots for not gauging the demand correctly (or testing the waters in a poor fashion like I stated before), McDonald's gets to spin it and look like people who just goofed up and are yielding under the overblown reaction to a bunch of nutjobs that takes a cartoon to seriously.

That is firmly in the lap of the fans who behaved badly. There's a way to have your voice heard that makes people side with you. This wasn't it.

And to be fair, while I did use this example as it is a mystery why people act this way even though they know it will damage the perception of what they love, it's in all things.

Football Hooligans. Anyone who decides to trash their city because their favorite team won/lost/didn't get chosen for something. Protests. Concerts... It all damages your brand, so why do it? Because we, the people who are under the same label but did not do these things, will ultimately take the heat while those people laugh it off and let us rot. I hate that. I hate it so much.

Well I would say I think this all starts with self perception. See the internet has a way of twisting reality into something that it isn't. What I'm saying is that I don't interact with the fandom in anyway, but I would gladly call myself a fan of the show if someone asks me. I don't think I would have any shame saying this either. I don't take it personally when I see these stories, cause as much as anyone wants to say they are, this story isn't about me.

There is no reason to let people put you in a box if you don't feel you belong there. I think the biggest and weirdest feeling about our society at the moment is how willingly we give in into these labels. As if only by virtue of association we are liable to every kind of original sin that was committed. Well we're all human and we're all making each other miserable because we are compartmentalizing people in order to simplify how we comprehend are problems rather than dealing with each one as the individual thing it is. I can't say I'm on board for this type of thinking.