Spoilers

I posted a status update on Facebook earlier about spoilers but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it wasn't sufficient to express my true feelings on the matter.

I acknowledge the fact that spoilers suck.  I hate finding out what is going to happen on my favorite shows before I watch.  However, I feel that there is a time when it is acceptable to get upset about a spoiler and a time when it is not.

It is acceptable to be upset about spoilers in two situations; if someone you know forces a spoiler on you, knowing you have not watched the show/movie in question or if someone with some kind of inside scoop broadcasts a spoiler before the show/movie is available for viewing. End of list.

It is not acceptable, in my opinion, to be upset when you see a spoiler about a TV show after the episode aired.  If you have not watched the episode yet, you either have more important things taking precedence in your life and therefore probably haven't come across any spoilers, or you are not invested enough in the show to be justifiably upset by them.

Similarly, if you are new to a show that has been on for years, you can't get pissy if you end up finding out what has happened up to this point.  The whole world can't stop and wait for you to catch up.  I knew every single plot point of Doctor Who before I watched a single episode and accepted that.  

Being upset that the internet knows something you don't about a TV show you have not gotten around to watching yet is like making plans with your friends to meet up at a specific time and place, showing up 5 hours late, and then getting mad at them for having fun without you.

A similar rule applies to movies.  I would say if the movie is still in theaters, throwing out spoilers is a dick move.  After that, all bets are off.  If you didn't see it in theaters then you weren't that excited about it in the first place and therefore forfeit all rights to be mad if someone ruins it for you.  

Spoiler Alert: Bruce Willis is a ghost.  If you didn't know that by now then you were never going to watch The Sixth Sense anyway. Or you are a child who is too young to understand what I'm even talking about or who Bruce Willis is.