Cringe Has Value

 Cringe is a phenomenon where somebody feels a sense of second-hand embarrassment over something that people view as “childish” or “weird” yet harmless to the point of feeling the need to bully them, often targeting children, people within the queer community, and people with neurological disorders creatively expressing themselves. It is a way to shame people into complying under unspoken social norms where everybody behaves in a certain way.

However, whenever people partake in activities that others view as cringey, they are often happier in the process thanks to the ability to indulge in subjects and activities that they enjoy. It brings a flavor of diversity to the internet that is slowly fading away thanks to an ever-prevalent culture of mistreating people for creating things or behaving in ways viewed as “unsavory” in spite of it just being silly or eccentric. Which is a shame, as there is more value in cringe and people may find themselves more miserable should it ever go away.

Having Fun

The biggest good part about cringe is that it’s people having fun. Whether they are lip syncing in a cheap costume, goofing around, or learning a new skill, they are doing something out of the pure enjoyment of it. While most people don’t appreciate Sparkledogs on their feeds or Mary Sues in the fanfictions they read, someone didn’t make them because they are within the norm of “good.” Someone made them either because they are new to their craft or just for the sake of making themselves smile.

The fact that they published such things to the public does not mean they are obligated to have eyeballs on it. While some may be looking for feedback, most just want to be able to share their latest creation with their friends or leave their own mark on the internet with something they are proud of at the time. Plus, public access makes for a good time capsule so they can look back at where they started when they become older and improve. After all, the middle school girl who made the princess-dragon-demon-wolf-angel-unicorn-vampire hybrid, with the hybrid somehow being half everything, just so she can giggle and kick her feet over fictional crushes could be the next best-selling author in a few years.

Experimentation

Many people partaking in “cringe” activities are often either trying something new or exploring a part of themselves. They may be coping with feelings, wanting to play with their style, or try out concepts that are new to them.

A good example of this is photographs of flowers. Flower photos are extremely common and every photographer has done it at least once. But it is their commonality that may have them frowned on in the photography world. However, the fact they are so common is not why people seek to photograph flowers.

Many people wish to take pictures of a flower because they haven’t done it as an individual. Flower photography is a novelty to them and something they wish to do themselves. Sure, they can just find a picture of that flower, but there is nothing quite like doing it yourself.

Every form of art has its own form of flower photography. Music has Wonderwall on ukulele, OCs have Sonic-styled hedgehogs, and furries have blue wolves. While there is nothing wrong with having your own take of these common cliches, many people may feel “cringe” from seeing yet another instance of any of these things.

But a good chunk of people doing their own take are young and experimenting with things. Musicians start with Wonderwall on Ukulele because ukuleles are cheap and Wonderwall is easy to learn. They will move on to different songs and instruments, maybe even getting to the point of making their own songs from scratch. Children make hedgehog OCs in the style of Sonic because it is an easy style to draw in and they are more biased to the species that the main character is.

Trying Skills

Another thing people find cringe is “bad” art. Creations made by beginners and children that look nowhere close to a skilled or professional level. However, whenever someone posts something that is below a certain standard, then people are more likely to harass the creator. It is something that drives people to give up on something they were originally excited to do.

When you encounter someone trying a new skill, and they didn’t ask for feedback, then it is best practice to either ignore it or give them a compliment. Even if you don’t like what you see, the fact that they are trying and learning should always be supported. After all, not everybody has the courage to try something out, let alone share their journey online.

More Creativity for All to Enjoy

But the final reason why cringe is so important is that it brings more creativity and variety for everyone to see. Art is meant to provoke emotion, and that sense of second-hand embarrassment is an emotion, even if it’s not always the intended one.

However, if cringey stuff aren’t made, then people don’t have room to grow. People won’t take risks in exploring their creativity and create something special. The arts will either become fully hidden from view or slow down to a snail’s crawl. Worst of all, people will stop having fun.

This problem is already becoming prevalent in fandom spaces. People are no longer goofing around in convention centers, Y/N fanfiction writers have fled to AI chatbots, and sparkledogs are less sparkly. 

Conclusion

Without cringe, the world is a duller place with creativity becoming restricted due to a fear of being shamed over doing something fun. So, if you see a creation you don’t like, it is best to say nothing and block the user. The existence of “bad” art is not going to ruin your life or harm anyone. In fact, it is a sign of a healthy creative ecosystem where many more good pieces are being made.