Why I Don't Like HIMYM

Some of you are probably all ready livid with me just after reading the post title, but hold on! I'm about to share an amazing revelation I had the other day.

(Ok, "amazing revelation" is probably too strong a phrase for this. It's more like a personality vs pop culture theory that I think is pretty interesting.)

I haven't advertised the fact that I strongly dislike How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM) because I respect the right to opinion, and frankly, I didn't want to argue about something as silly as sitcom preferences. People (myself included) have some very strong opinions when it comes to what they find funny. For example: I grew up watching Seinfeld with my family, and I think it's hilarious. But I 100% understand how people could find it stupid or pointless. I really do! George Costanza can be utterly annoying and the situations they put themselves in are completely avoidable. However, I enjoy it and it makes me laugh.

When it comes to HIMYM, people are appalled that I don't think it's funny. I've seen several episodes and I'm always stuck waiting for it to be funnier. There's usually the "You have to watch it from the very beginning" argument but that won't change it for me, I promise. Want to know why?! It has to do with my personality and particularly, my StrengthsFinder results. (If you haven't taken this test, I'm not going to say you have to but I will say that it's one of the most helpful and accurate assessments I've ever seen) I realized this as I was talking with Ry, who loves HIMYM, knowing his StrengthsFinder results are different from mine. His top result is Connectedness, meaning he easily finds and deeply enjoys the nuances and connections (hence the title) in life. No where on my "Top 5" list does Connectedness appear, however Activator does. Activator is all about action and potentially, impatience. (I was bummed when I read that because I knew they were so right... I am often impatient because I want things to happen RIGHT NOW. Hesitation is not part of my nature. If we've made a decision to go out for a walk, we're walking right now. The description in the link above could not be more applicable to my personality).

So back to TV show preferences. Ryan loves HIMYM because everything in the show is connected to something else in the show. I can't stand it because all they ever do is talk about something that has all ready happened. The entire episode could be spent on the same topic or in the same bar, never having moved or taken action. This is why I enjoy shows like Grey's Anatomy  because although they do have plot lines that extend through seasons, every episode they are doing something (ya know, like saving lives and stuff). It's high action. HIMYM is high connection. And this theory can be true of so many of the shows we like or dislike. Think about it!

After that realization, I felt one of those "mind blown" moments. A mystery of the universe solved. Personalities. TV Shows. It all makes sense. So I won't make fun of you for not liking a show that I like, it's all about your unique personality! Go you!

But if you hate on Brooklyn 99's first season, I won't know what to say to you. I don't care who you are... that show is funny.

(and of course "Friends", that's my favorite)



What show can you absolutely not get enough of? Which preferences showcase your personality?