The problem with logging films publicly — does anyone else feel like Letterboxd makes you perform your taste?
Something that's been bothering me for a while: I've started to notice that logging a film on Letterboxd feels subtly performative in a way that's changed how I engage with cinema.
When I rate a film privately, I'm honest. When I rate it publicly, I adjust — not dramatically, but enough. I'll soften a harsh rating on something critics loved. I'll hesitate before giving a blockbuster a high score. I'll write a more "sophisticated" review than I actually feel.
It's not a Letterboxd criticism specifically — any social network does this. But film is one of those mediums where what you feel privately is often really different from what you'd say publicly.
I'm curious if others feel this way. And whether you've found better approaches — keeping a private film journal, using a separate app, keeping notes elsewhere. Do you think the social layer actually enriches your relationship with film, or does it subtly distort it?