TWD Return Rekindles Discussion: Are Spoilers Really Bad?

This Sunday (23), the series "The Walking Dead" returned to its seventh season. The first episode was quite shocking for bringing two deaths of dear characters. As the scenes aired, spoilers about who would die were already popping up on social networks, annoying those who weren't watching the premiere of the new season of the zombie series.

This behavior is not new: just an episode of a famous series popping the internet to create a series of memes and spoil the surprise of those who can not “live” the broadcast. Most major channels have been trying to avoid this problem by releasing episodes simultaneously in various places around the world and working in secret, but this is not always possible.

In 2008, Vulture journalist Dan Kois tried to create a spoiler statute: Kois tries to specify when he is allowed after a series, movie or book is released. Of course, this has never been taken seriously, so much so that people still have a morbid pleasure in spoiling the experience of those who can't keep up with the media as quickly as they do.

Mystery about who would die in "The Walking Dead" began with the end of season six and was revealed on Sunday

What does science say?

For psychologist Paul Bloom, author of the book “How Pleasure Works, ” it is curious to note how we have explored fiction more than reality itself. According to him, it would be better that in our leisure time we could practice some of the activities we only consume in entertainment - that doesn't include killing zombies, huh?

Bloom also explains that our brains sometimes mix reality and fiction. That's why, for example, we love stories that involve sex so much, after all, who doesn't like to have sex? The psychologist Thalia Goldstein says that consciously we are aware that fiction is just a fiction, but that deep in our brain some neurological links want to believe that it is reality, however absurd it may be.

That would explain, for example, why spoilers are so frustrating: they remind us that these stories really are just stories. Knowing in advance what will happen, we do not create the emotional bond we would have if it were completely new to us.

Spoiling a shocking surprise can ruin the experience of those who can't follow a show or movie at the same time as you.

Some people like spoilers.

Psychology professor Nicholas Christenfeld of the University of San Diego believes that spoilers do not totally spoil the experience. On the contrary: spoilers make you appreciate the story even more, anticipating what you will feel in a moment.

Christenfeld conducted an experiment in which he asked people to read short stories without any information about them, and then report what they felt. He then repeated the same quiz telling very important details about what people would read. The second group surprisingly appreciated the material consumed more.

A third experiment interrupted the reading of the works in half, giving the end to the readers. Even so, the psychologist believes that knowing the ending spoiler can help people understand details of the work even before the big breakthrough happens.

Tragic end and public knowledge does not prevent people from enjoying "Romeo and Juliet"

***

And now? Do you agree with who says spoiler spoils the experience or who says they make it even more complete?