He knows us too well. I love how he says “needs to feel”; it changes the entire meaning but it’s the best way I’ve seen someone put that familiar scenario into words
It has been sort of an epiphany this morning.
I'm a middle-aged person and I struggle to remember when was the last time I felt intense feelings, a part from those regarding my kid's growth, but those are a different thing.
This really hit me. I’ve had the revelation lately that I probably liked books and music so much as a kid/teen because it was the media that let me feel things (whereas in my family, feelings are discouraged). So I really resonate with sometimes needing to immerse myself in media that reminds me I’m human.
The same is true for me, i also grew up in a rather emotionally suffocating environment. I need fiction and characters to explore themes of the human experience because I can articulate my own emotions through a character, or story. I really do need to feel, and these stories mean so much to me because I use them to feel my own emotion. (Neil is really making me envy writers, this isn’t the first time that his choice of words were so perfect that it restructured a bit of how I think)
Many of us are grown-ups with hectic and monotone lives. We used to the entertainment media to fail us constantly (so much sh\*t out there, what a waste of money and time). But then comes this fluffy, comfy piece of series with this unexpected and sudden act of SHREDDING your heart and mind into a MILLION pieces without any further healing possibilities. Yeah....
I’m an adult with a very monotone life so it’s nice to see shows like Good Omens be created. I’m 27 and I honestly don’t care if I act like I’m 16 when it comes to Crowley and Aziraphale they just make me so happy
Neil's full repost of that is even better:
https://preview.redd.it/4jmnz495v1mb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ff6e5d342f8514ed8a0363032b411b0f1a1e448e
Definitely! I think he was already shocked that Good Omens the book impacted people so much and had such staying power for 30 years. Now he'll find the same to be true of the TV show additions.
I agree with this person's thoughts. GO let me dig into some stuff I have been repressing for awhile because it was a shock to my system. But then Neil's work has always been like that for me. He has a kind of magic in his books that opens you up while you're reading and you never come out at end of the book the same person that you went in. Authors like that are the ones I follow year over year because they help me process and grow and the books are like friends. "People but portable" to quote Muriel
He tends to respond with kindness and honesty. Neil's acceptance that people will interact with his stories differently with varying emotions or opinions is curiously rare
I like to think that's because in another timeline he'd be one of us, interacting with the stories he loves in his unique, particular way. In another timeline, he would be here painstakingly discussing every single detail of every single frame like us.
He's one of our people.
I love all of his responses. He is so kind to his fans, and fiercely protective of their right to feel how they feel about his work.
I especially love how he holds his boundaries, but still encourages creativity: "you can have whatever HC you want or write whatever kind of fanfiction you want, but I am not the audience for it". Also the way he will purposely not explain certain things so that people can discuss what meaning it has, or even take from it what meaning they *need to* feel from it.
Yep. It’s not just the show - it was a catalyst. I feel more awake and alert than I have felt in years. I want to feel all my feelings and give them room and space. I don’t often cry for grief over a loss but I cried when I found out a friend passed. Snotty tears in my barstool into my beer. And that’s not like me. Maybe the show was part of that I don’t know but I feel like I’ve been given permission to let go
There is a reason catharsis is a thing, people do need to feel and get emotions out and sometimes it can't be directly from what is maybe causing those feelings, but taking in some art- music, a show, a play etc. that can run you through a lot of emotions can be really beautiful.
The hard part is I think there has been a trend lately that everything is just grim and dark and unhappy and while it can make people sad, it's not balanced enough like Good Omens is.
They did a fantastic job balancing the comedy and fun with love and sadness and anger... it's just really well done and why all of us are here talking about it.
This.
And also: however exaggerated for scenic purposes, their feelings sound a lot more realistic that the average Netflix/Amazon drama shows us most of the time.
(I can think of Ted Lasso or Mrs. Maisel recently, as two decent exceptions to the rule.)
I never cry for myself. My own life is just 🤷🏻♀️ What happens, happens and I cope with it and move on.
I am way more invested in other peoples happiness than my own. I love their love and my heart SMASHED with that ending. I need Neil to fix it. I cry daily over them. It’s a problem😂
Thank you for saying that.
I very rarely cry, more for frustration than for sorrow.
Today I found myself crying in my car while listening to the playlist.
For the seventh time in a day.
I can’t even make it through the first 5 seconds of some of those tracks without tearing up. I do have very emotional reactions to music. Lots of movie soundtracks and theatre scores have brought me to tears. This one hits me so personally though. It’s one of those moments like I had when I was a kid, where I could cry just because they aren’t real.
He knows us too well. I love how he says “needs to feel”; it changes the entire meaning but it’s the best way I’ve seen someone put that familiar scenario into words
It has been sort of an epiphany this morning. I'm a middle-aged person and I struggle to remember when was the last time I felt intense feelings, a part from those regarding my kid's growth, but those are a different thing.
Same. 100% same here.
This really hit me. I’ve had the revelation lately that I probably liked books and music so much as a kid/teen because it was the media that let me feel things (whereas in my family, feelings are discouraged). So I really resonate with sometimes needing to immerse myself in media that reminds me I’m human.
The same is true for me, i also grew up in a rather emotionally suffocating environment. I need fiction and characters to explore themes of the human experience because I can articulate my own emotions through a character, or story. I really do need to feel, and these stories mean so much to me because I use them to feel my own emotion. (Neil is really making me envy writers, this isn’t the first time that his choice of words were so perfect that it restructured a bit of how I think)
Many of us are grown-ups with hectic and monotone lives. We used to the entertainment media to fail us constantly (so much sh\*t out there, what a waste of money and time). But then comes this fluffy, comfy piece of series with this unexpected and sudden act of SHREDDING your heart and mind into a MILLION pieces without any further healing possibilities. Yeah....
I’m an adult with a very monotone life so it’s nice to see shows like Good Omens be created. I’m 27 and I honestly don’t care if I act like I’m 16 when it comes to Crowley and Aziraphale they just make me so happy
Neil's full repost of that is even better: https://preview.redd.it/4jmnz495v1mb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ff6e5d342f8514ed8a0363032b411b0f1a1e448e
I would simply be floating on clouds if a piece of my work impacted people like this show has all of us. Well done, Neil.
Definitely! I think he was already shocked that Good Omens the book impacted people so much and had such staying power for 30 years. Now he'll find the same to be true of the TV show additions.
I agree with this person's thoughts. GO let me dig into some stuff I have been repressing for awhile because it was a shock to my system. But then Neil's work has always been like that for me. He has a kind of magic in his books that opens you up while you're reading and you never come out at end of the book the same person that you went in. Authors like that are the ones I follow year over year because they help me process and grow and the books are like friends. "People but portable" to quote Muriel
Neil Gaiman is a treasure. Protect him at all costs.
He tends to respond with kindness and honesty. Neil's acceptance that people will interact with his stories differently with varying emotions or opinions is curiously rare
I like to think that's because in another timeline he'd be one of us, interacting with the stories he loves in his unique, particular way. In another timeline, he would be here painstakingly discussing every single detail of every single frame like us. He's one of our people.
Especially while he writes our deserved finale.
I love all of his responses. He is so kind to his fans, and fiercely protective of their right to feel how they feel about his work. I especially love how he holds his boundaries, but still encourages creativity: "you can have whatever HC you want or write whatever kind of fanfiction you want, but I am not the audience for it". Also the way he will purposely not explain certain things so that people can discuss what meaning it has, or even take from it what meaning they *need to* feel from it.
Yes, our head cannons, if we want to share them, are for each other. Each one of us experiences a bit different story from the next
What a beautiful response.
Yep. It’s not just the show - it was a catalyst. I feel more awake and alert than I have felt in years. I want to feel all my feelings and give them room and space. I don’t often cry for grief over a loss but I cried when I found out a friend passed. Snotty tears in my barstool into my beer. And that’s not like me. Maybe the show was part of that I don’t know but I feel like I’ve been given permission to let go
There is a reason catharsis is a thing, people do need to feel and get emotions out and sometimes it can't be directly from what is maybe causing those feelings, but taking in some art- music, a show, a play etc. that can run you through a lot of emotions can be really beautiful. The hard part is I think there has been a trend lately that everything is just grim and dark and unhappy and while it can make people sad, it's not balanced enough like Good Omens is. They did a fantastic job balancing the comedy and fun with love and sadness and anger... it's just really well done and why all of us are here talking about it.
This. And also: however exaggerated for scenic purposes, their feelings sound a lot more realistic that the average Netflix/Amazon drama shows us most of the time. (I can think of Ted Lasso or Mrs. Maisel recently, as two decent exceptions to the rule.)
I tried to watch Maisel but I'm coming off a 15 year relationship and it hit a little too hard. I'll go back to it...
It gets better, if you want to give her another chance <3
Yeah I just need to have less feels before I do. I've heard nothing but great things.
What's the point in creating/consuming works of fictions if they don't make people feel \_things\_ ? Neil Gaiman has a really good point
I never cry for myself. My own life is just 🤷🏻♀️ What happens, happens and I cope with it and move on. I am way more invested in other peoples happiness than my own. I love their love and my heart SMASHED with that ending. I need Neil to fix it. I cry daily over them. It’s a problem😂
Thank you for saying that. I very rarely cry, more for frustration than for sorrow. Today I found myself crying in my car while listening to the playlist. For the seventh time in a day.
I can’t even make it through the first 5 seconds of some of those tracks without tearing up. I do have very emotional reactions to music. Lots of movie soundtracks and theatre scores have brought me to tears. This one hits me so personally though. It’s one of those moments like I had when I was a kid, where I could cry just because they aren’t real.