Do Social Media Spoliers Drive You Crazy? [POLL]

Last night's episode of "Game of Thrones" was a good one. Lots of my friends posted about what went down on Facebook, and a few minutes later about 20 internet wars began. Some people DO NOT like spoilers on their timelines. How do you feel?

I'll agree that major spoilers suck. I remember going to see The Sixth Sense when I was in high school; I saw a friend in the lobby who had just finished watching the movie, and he (in true teenage dirtbag fashion) literally yelled out, "BRUCE WILLIS IS DEAD THE WHOLE TIME!" I seriously thought one of the older dudes in line to buy tickets was going to punch him in the face.

No one likes a spoiler--but spoilers are an entirely different beast today than they were a decade ago. Back then, if you wanted to watch a TV show, you just watched the show when it aired. You talked about it at work or with your friends the next day. Now your viewing options are myriad: you can watch the show live; you can record it on your DVR to watch later; you can watch it later On Demand through your cable provider; you can watch it on your computer, tablet, or phone through subscription services and apps.

Technology has changed our viewing habits. Not only can you watch a show whenever you want, you can talk about it wherever you want--be it on Facebook, an online forum, or Twitter. Most shows even have their own hashtags to encourage real-time discussion--the show's networks and producers want people talking about the show as it airs.

I always watch my favorite shows when they air. I am spoiled and impatient and hate waiting, so I watch them live. I check social media while viewing, too. I enjoy seeing other people's reactions to major events-- my Twitter feed is a source of entertainment when commercial breaks are on, and it's fun to connect with people in real time as the plot lines of our favorite shows unfold.

There are, however, occasions that prevent me from watching my faves: toddler teething fits, my husband's being called in to work, severe weather, etc. It's not a big deal as I have our DVR set to record our shows. We can watch them later.

Here's the thing: if I miss an episode of a show I'm crazy about and I KNOW it's going to be a major episode, I just avoid social media until I've had a chance to get caught up. I know my friends will be discussing the show and what went down through Facebook and Twitter, so I just don't log on until I've seen the episode I missed. It's really no big deal to avoid social media for a few hours. I know I'll see spoilers, so I make a plan to avoid them. Seriously--it's no big thang.

I don't get why people can't do the same. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone post something like, "Woah! Tonight's #WalkingDead was crazy! Can you believe [CHARACTER] killed [CHARACTER]?" The post garners a few comments from friends who watch the show, but then there's always that one person who comments and is like, "UMMM... SPOILER ALERT, JERK! YOU LITERALLY RUINED MY LIFE. YOU ARE SO SELFISH. YOU ARE DEAD TO ME."

And then there are the people who make their statuses after seeing spoilers something like, "UGH. GUYS. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO RUIN MAD MEN FOR ME? YOU ARE SO INCONSIDERATE AND SELFISH AND LIKE THE HITLER OF FACEBOOK. POOR ME. CUE SAD VIOLIN." I envision these people looking at Facebook on their phones and them throwing their phones across the room in a full-on rage fit.

When I see a friend's being enraged over a TV spoiler, I don't get it. You KNOW people are going to be talking about the show, so do what I do and avoid social media. It's not that hard. Also, in the grand scheme of things, IT'S JUST A TV SHOW.

deal with it

What do you think? Spoilers suck, so what do you do when you've missed your favorite show? Should you avoid social media, or should people not be allowed to post about TV shows for at least 24 hours after they air? Cast your vote in the poll below--I want to know how y'all feel!