Metal Elitists: Death Threats?!

Response to Death Threats Over Music Opinions

RanterInShades, who also refers to himself as Shades, responds to metal fans who have told him to die or kill himself after disagreeing with his opinions about music.

He says he is not asking critics to stop commenting. Some remarks can be funny, but death threats over musical preferences are childish and undermine claims that metal elitists are mature or intellectually superior.

He argues that the same logic would make everyone a “poser,” since no two people have identical tastes. He also notes that hostility over opinions is not limited to metal fandom; people may attack others for disliking a favorite YouTuber.

To distinguish trolling from a genuine or direct threat, he contrasts the comments with a clip from PM Rants. In the clip, “kill yourself” is used as an exaggerated joke about a video, rather than as an attack over someone’s preferences.

Shades urges people to drop the internet tough-guy act and behave more maturely. He acknowledges that filming an angry response may not be especially adult, but says making the video is a way to vent.

People Mentioned

• Presenter: RanterInShades (Shades)
• Contributor featured in a clip: PM Rants