2021-10-30 7:46:32 ¶ ●

Because I’ve seen all the ‘Jon is dumb for not believing the statements’ and all the rebuttals for it (all being hyperbolic), I’ve been trying to remember what I was thinking back in Season 1. Because I’m pretty sure I didn’t go 'Jon is dumb for not believing statements’. But I don’t really think I thought much of it at all.

1. It’s somewhat of a trope for someone in the supernatural world to not believe in it and then finally start believing it. (Which is not what happened to Jon, technically, but I’m speaking from a new listener’s perspective.) That’s kind of a thing. It’s played for dramatic irony, really—we know they’re real but Jon doesn’t, he’ll find out eventually. I think it’s meant to be a little comedic upon first listen (especially with him saying Vittery being encased in webs is natural. It’s ridiculous!) and a bit sad on relisten (because we know why he’s in denial).

2. Wait, also. This is really 1a. But usually with that trope, they’re in denial, not stupid. Jonny used that trope because Jon IS in denial. That’s not a person-is-stupid trope; that’s a person-doesn’t-want-to-believe trope. So I’m listening along, going 'ah this person doesn’t believe in the supernatural because they’re scared’, not 'ah this person doesn’t believe in the supernatural because he’s dumb’.

3. Also I think (probably since I knew he was in denial) I went 'fair enough’ to Jon’s rationalizations. Because they usually are fair enough. But it’s mostly 1 and 2.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AgentScully is what I was thinking of. However, Jon differs a bit from this trope in his reasons for it, but I think it’s just because he’s an actual character, not a trope. Jon is even on this page:

The Magnus Archives: Jonathan, the archivist (and narrator), knows that the supernatural exists but believes very few alleged cases are genuine. He says in the very first episode that most files are likely to end up in the archive’s “Discredited” section and is quick to dismiss those who give the statements as deluded, hallucinating, lying or simply mistaken unless there is strong corroboration (though any mention of the name Jurgen Leitner dispels his scepticism). Eventually he reveals that he actually believes far more than he has been letting on, and has been feigning scepticism in his recordings because he believes someone or something is listening in.

(emphasis mine, hey look it’s what I just said; I bet dathen wrote this /j)