SFA’s Thoughts: Is there such a thing as an “objectively bad” story?

Barrett Richards

It’s a fairly straight forward question, yet one that nearly everyone has a different answer to. These answers go beyond just yes and no, and actually cut to the core of what each person values in the stories they consume. Whether it be a novel, a show, a play, a song, or a film, we all have different ideas on what makes a story “good” or “bad”. So when someone calls something an “objectively bad” story, what do they mean? Well, I’m here to find that out, and discover whether or not there is such a thing as an objectively bad story.

For the purposes of this specific blog post, I will be using very minimal outside sources, and instead will be displaying for all to see the thoughts and opinions of the students and faculty of SFA. I spent several days asking dozens of students and a handful of professors their thoughts on the question, and the information I have gathered will be the main source for exploring this topic. With all that said, let’s get into it.

When asking a question specifically about a story, other factors will need to be put aside for a moment. Things like grammar and syntax and paragraph structure are good and necessary, but a story exists beyond those things. Just because a story has poor grammar or punctuation does not mean that the story is bad, because stories go into other formats beyond just writing, like campfire stories or film. The term story, for the purposes of this blog, is rated on craft choices such as plot, pacing, characters, etc. 

I asked thirty-one students and nine professors the question, and the difference in answers I got between them was honestly pretty interesting. Thirteen of the students I asked answered “no,” saying that the quality of a story is subjective. “There is someone for every story” and “it all comes down to personal preference” were the biggest arguments for this reasoning, and it’s an easy thing to sympathize with. Behind every story is a storyteller, someone who put effort in some form or fashion into their craft, and there is always someone to enjoy something regardless of the plot or genre, so there can’t be an objectively bad story.

On the flip side, every single professor I asked the question to responded with a resounding “Yes.” What I found interesting about this though is that while almost everyone who answered “no” had similar reasoning, the people who answered “yes” all had varying thoughts on the matter. Some said that what makes an objectively bad narrative are obvious plot twists that give audiences nothing to look forward to. Others said that good stories are genuine while bad ones are disingenuous. Stories that don’t have a point, that don’t have clear effort, and that are inconsistent are all various reasons people gave to the argument that, yes, there is such a thing as a story that is objectively bad.

However, I found myself drawn to a few caveats some professors explained to me. Dr. John McDermott stated, “Poorly written is objective, but beautifully written can be boring…badly written can be good.” Dr. Marsden explained, “An objectively bad story wouldn’t be tellable,” then went on to describe a famous quote by Mark Twain: “The exquisitely bad is as satisfying to the soul as the exquisitely good. Only the mediocre is unendurable.”

Indulge with me for a moment. In April of 2023, the Super Mario Bros. Movie was released. It managed to get scathing reviews from critics, but at the same time currently holds a 95% audience score and has made over one billion dollars. Despite its objectively weak narrative, people still enjoyed it.

I keep hearing recommendations from peers to watch horrible, cheap movies because even though everyone understands that they are just very, very “bad,” they can still be enjoyable. These stories still have value. They have merit. They allow us to learn and adapt after we write them, teach us what not to do in our own creative endeavors, and at the same time entertain us.

So, is there such a thing as an “objectively bad” story? For sure. In order for something to be considered good there has to be something considered bad, and we have known what that looks like when it comes to the craft of storytelling for many, many years. But, just because a story can be objectively bad, does not mean that it has no value. Every story that has ever been told has brought something into this world, whether it was just for one person or an entire generation, and in doing so every story has some innate value and worth to it, which I believe is a very good thing.

Thank you to all the students and professors for speaking with me and helping me create this blog post.