This one is broad, but it can be about anything from a fandom or historically or just in general.
The Montreal Screwjob in the WWF. This is the most over-covered subject if you’re a wrestling fan. Story goes, Bret Hart was to face Shawn Michaels in the 1997 Survivor Series in Montreal Canada. Tensions were high leading up to the match and Vince McMahon was afraid Bret was going to take the championship belt to WCW if he retained. So, about several minutes into the match, Shawn Michaels was about to lock in the sharpshooter on Bret when the bell prematurely rang, initiated by Vince and called by Earl Hebner, refereeing the match. There was a flurry of confusion at first but it came clear as day to everyone that Bret was screwed right then and there.
And for 29 years since, there had been constant interviews, constant coverage, wrestling content creators bringing it up a lot and treating it like there’s one bit of information left out. By this point, it’s been so covered, that we have most of the pieces. Shawn and HHH themselves knew it was a screwjob (it took Shawn years to admit it, HHH is still adamant about it for some reason) and WWE has their own revisionist telling about what happened and the aftermath.
At this point, we get it. For a sport that relies on choreographed moves and fluffed up gimmicks, it was a huge deal that just went on and on.
because they are people. and people want other people to agree with them to validate them. it feels good.
that’s just how human beings are wired. human beings generally, don’t enjoy being around people who don’t agree with and validate them, they find that painful.
this is why people love echo chambers where they rant to each other about how anyone else who doesn’t believe what they believe is stupid and bad, and they are very smart and good.
and really, that’s how our ‘communities’ work fundamentally as well. you get together with like-minded people, you create a shared belief system, and you shit on everyone else who doesn’t share in that belief system as a bad and wrong as a social bonding exercise.
also why they tend to fly into a rage when confronted with people who are different than them or say things they don’t agree with, because they find that painful and they want to punish you for you making them feel bad.