What do you think of Spoilers?

[Bluetiger]

Once I saw Bible spoiler

Jesus dies in the Gospel and later comes back to life

[kairparavel]

The Titanic sinks.

These kinds of responses are irrelevant. You are comparing historical facts to (historical) fiction, which are stories, not encyclopedia entries. Again, it's not the facts that can be spoiled but the fiction/story built around those facts.

[S John]

He's wrong.

I will probably continue to watch the show. I don't think the TV adaptation is even close to as good as the books, but it is better than most shows out there.

GRRM knocked it out of the park with the first three ASOIAF books but I'm not enamored with the most recent two installments. Considering how much WAITING we've all had to do when it comes to this series, I barely even give a shit anymore, truth be told. I might as well watch the show so that I find out what happens in a series that I have invested so much time in. I am ready to know the conclusion of this series in whatever form it takes.

That said, I disagree with George's comments. If I had not already partially given up on the books then I would prefer to stop watching the show and find out what happens through reading them. It's just that we get these absurd half-decade gaps between installments. We know we're at least a year out from the next book and God knows how many years beyond that before we get the final book. I am done with waiting, so I'll watch. But that is not an endorsement of spoilers, it's me losing interest due to the glacial pace.

But for those of you hardcore fans who have been around for years and still not given up, and who have stuck with and defended George during all of these ridiculously long delays between installments, recommended these books to any one who would listen, and really helped to make the series as popular as it is today - you are shit out of luck. The series is way to popular for you to avoid any and all spoilers even if you swear off the show. You're getting screwed. I think instead of downplaying spoilers in general, George should have found the grace to at least throw in a token apology to those OG fans (some of whom have been around for nearly 20 years!) who are now almost guaranteed to be spoiled even if they avoid the show. The show is extremely popular and you know we are going to have years and years before the books reach their conclusion so basically there is zero chance of not getting spoilers. In a series like this, even knowing which characters are alive in the final book is a spoiler.

[Raja]

Eh, you can avoid spoilers if you make a concerted effort. I don't think it's as impossible as the above post is suggesting.

[The Unborn]

Also I think being surprised isn't EVERYTHING about a story in whatever form, movie, TV show, book, video game, but being spoiled does take something away.

It really depends on the person I guess,

I agree with GRRM, whether he really thinks like that or not.

I started to read the books after the tv show. Actually I saw the first season on tv, then I wanted to know what would happen next so I went to A Wiki of Ice and Fire and spoiled myself away. Then, I decided that spoilers didn't cut it so I bought the books and read them all in that summer. I knew about pretty much everything (ned's death, red wedding, purple wedding, etc etc) and I enjoyed the story just the same. A couple months after I read ADwD , un-spoiled, and it didn't change anything for me.

I find it difficult to get interested in things these days, and sometimes spoilers help me with that. There are a lot of movies, books, games and tv shows that I never would've touched otherwise because I didn't think they were worthwhile.

[S John]

Eh, you can avoid spoilers if you make a concerted effort. I don't think it's as impossible as the above post is suggesting.

I don't know. Unscrupulous folks on facebook, twitter, any other message board you might happen to visit in the next 6-7 years with a spoiler policy more relaxed than this one. Trailers or still images of actors for any seasons of the show that have outpaced the books will turn up both on HBO and on internet sites. People chatting on the bus. Maybe you can avoid major ones, but there will be some.

[Jon AS]

I used to be worried about spoilers, but over the years I've come to realise that they don't tend to affect my enjoyment. That said, I think it's common courtesy to avoid spoiling plots for other people when discussing things in general terms, flat out dismissing people's concerns over it strikes me as a bit rude.

I'm sure I won't be able to avoid spoilers for the books entirely from now on, but as I'm unlikely to seek out discussions of the show (or watch it myself, for that matter), I'm fairly confident I'm going to have plenty surprises left when the books come out.

For the record: Citizen Kane was spoiled for me by an episode of The Real Ghostbusters when I was like eight. I still managed to enjoy the film.:P

[Raja]

I don't know. Unscrupulous folks on facebook, twitter, any other message board you might happen to visit in the next 6-7 years with a spoiler policy more relaxed than this one.

It's certainly something you have to make an effort over, if not, then you're right, the spoilers will come. You have to go out of your way sometimes, and that can be troublesome, but it's a fair trade off in my opinion.

[The Mance]

I agree with GRRM, whether he really thinks like that or not.

I really don't think he does. I wouldn't go so far as to say he's just shilling for his books in the face of the (bs) perception of their looming irrelevance. But his whole statement is such a hodgepodge of arrogance, hypocrisy, and strawmen that I find it hard to give it much credit. More likely he's just doing a poor job of putting a brave face on an unfortunate situation.

[OnionAhaiReborn]

Eh, you can avoid spoilers if you make a concerted effort. I don't think it's as impossible as the above post is suggesting.

For big things like GoT the effort has to be pretty significant. I'm 99% sure I'll be spoiled before the last book comes out assuming I continue going to Reddit or reading any of the pop culture websites I read. For most other things I wouldn't expect to be spoiled so easily, but GoT is huge. So if I were willing to significantly alter my habits for a decade to avoid spoilers I think you're correct that I could with enough effort... but realistically there is very little chance I'll actually remain unspoiled. That's a bummer, but obviously not enough of one that I'm willing to work my media consumption around it for a decade.

[Dr. Pepper]

Perhaps the fact that I don't use social media makes it easier to avoid spoilers. I don't even go out of my way to avoid spoilers, just decide that I don't want to know how X show/book/movie ends right now and I'm usually successful. However, I think that the reasonable expectation for avoiding spoilers falls as time goes on. If TWOW were published tomorrow, I should be able to reasonably expect to remain unspoiled for a certain period of time whereas, my reasonable expectation to remain unspoiled for AGOT is much lower. No one should have to avoid discussing Bambi just because I haven't seen it, but they should probably be careful about discussing Grand Budapest Hotel until they've determined everyone in the group is willing to listen.

GRRM's use of historical fiction as an example is really dumb. We don't have a reasonable expectation for others to not have a basic working knowledge of the historical record. The fictional story being told within the frame of that historical record is a different thing entirely.

I don't like spoilers and I don't care for this notion that people who don't like spoilers are silly or ridiculous. I also don't feel bad about being disappointed that I'll likely see the ending of a book series on a screen rather than print.

[HexMachina]

I really don't think he does. I wouldn't go so far as to say he's just shilling for his books in the face of the (bs) perception of their looming irrelevance. But his whole statement is such a hodgepodge of arrogance, hypocrisy, and strawmen that I find it hard to give it much credit. More likely he's just doing a poor job of putting a brave face on an unfortunate situation.

Indeed. If spoilers really didn't matter we would get less "keep reading!" Replies, I think

[ab aeterno]

NOOOOOOOOOOOO! Shakespeare has lost all worth to me now.

One down, a few thousand to go...

Willy Loman dies.

To be honest, when I was first getting into ASOIAF, after having watched the show up to Season 2 and then reading the books, I got spoiled on a lot of the big ones from ASoS on, including the Red Wedding. While I was initially upset by being spoiled, it's one thing to know what will happen, its another to see exactly how it unfolds, and it didn't really detract from my enjoyment at all to be honest.

So yeah, I'm not the type who actively goes looking to get all the spoilers, but if it happens it doesn't really bother me too much.

Yes, pretty much exactly this.

Indeed. If spoilers really didn't matter we would get less "keep reading!" Replies, I think

Fewer. :leaving:

[Mark Antony]

Regardless of my opinion on Spoilers I think it's pretty clear George is talking out of his ass here.

[Cashless Society]

Basically

I find it difficult to get interested in things these days, and sometimes spoilers help me with that. There are a lot of movies, books, games and tv shows that I never would've touched otherwise because I didn't think they were worthwhile.

[S John]

I really don't think he does. I wouldn't go so far as to say he's just shilling for his books in the face of the (bs) perception of their looming irrelevance. But his whole statement is such a hodgepodge of arrogance, hypocrisy, and strawmen that I find it hard to give it much credit. More likely he's just doing a poor job of putting a brave face on an unfortunate situation.

That's what I think too, which actually kinda makes it worse. Some recognition that this situation sucks for book readers would have been nice. And very appropriate considering that his book fans have endured and for quite a while. And often went to bat for him when folks called him out on taking forever.

GRRM is not your bitch. Remember that? That's right, 'cause long time book fans - you are his. :lol:

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

S. John,

Why are we GRRM's "bitches"?

[Relic]

That's what I think too, which actually kinda makes it worse. Some recognition that this situation sucks for book readers would have been nice. And very appropriate considering that his book fans have endured and for quite a while. And often went to bat for him when folks called him out on taking forever.

Yeah that is one of my biggest issues with his statements. Instead of apologizing to a certain section of his fan base he basically gave them the finger instead. I don't think GRRM is handling fame all that well.

[drawkcabi]

I don't know. Unscrupulous folks on facebook, twitter, any other message board you might happen to visit in the next 6-7 years with a spoiler policy more relaxed than this one. Trailers or still images of actors for any seasons of the show that have outpaced the books will turn up both on HBO and on internet sites. People chatting on the bus. Maybe you can avoid major ones, but there will be some.

Hell yes.

On day one of the last Harry Potter book release some idiot that I didn't know too well but I had on MSN Instant Messenger contact pops up and instead of his name it's the spoiler to the end of the book.

He got deleted from my list and I haven't spoken to him since.

And remember this asshole?

Warning: Spoilers for Harry Potter book 6

[Elder Sister]

Ultimately it's about taking away a person's choice. And it's not cool to make that choice for them.

This is exactly how I feel about it. Some stories/shows/miniseries I don't care so much about being spoiled on, but some I definitely do. And it should be my decision. Having said that, I need to be reasonable about it. I'm currenlty on season 3 of The Walking Dead. I'm not going to be visiting the threads on this show and then screaming about how I got spoiled. But for my friends on FB who are fans of the show, I appreciate that they're not divulging things they've seen, because I'm not caught up to season 5 yet.

That's what I think too, which actually kinda makes it worse. Some recognition that this situation sucks for book readers would have been nice. And very appropriate considering that his book fans have endured and for quite a while. And often went to bat for him when folks called him out on taking forever.

It would have been nice, but I will say, as a longtime fan who has met him, he's very gracious to his fans, and makes an effort. I appreciate that. I also think, since he's the creator of this product, he sort of has the right to do with it what he wants.