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There is an exact time in which spoilers are okay.

If you're still crying about The White Lotus Season 3 spoilers, it might be time to get off the internet.

It's been a whole day since The White Lotus Season 3 finale aired, and like clockwork, the internet has divided itself into two warring factions: those who've watched it and want to discuss every shocking detail, and those screaming "NO SPOILERS!" into the digital void as if they're entitled to a spoiler-free existence until the end of time.

Let me be clear: you get 24 hours. That's it. One single rotation of the Earth. After that, it's not a spoiler — it's just the conversation.

Watch: Laura Brodnik interview the cast of The White Lotus season 3. Post continues below.


Video via Mamamia.

If you haven't watched the finale yet, stop reading now. Why are you even on the internet? Go watch it immediately, because everyone else has.

The crushing ending has left viewers gobsmacked. Social media is ablaze with reactions, theories and collective grief. That's the beauty of it.

This shared cultural moment, where millions of people around the world are simultaneously obsessing over the same fictional characters, is what makes television magical in our fragmented digital age.

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Here's the thing about spoiler culture: it has gone off the rails. People expect the entire internet to whisper in hushed tones about a show that aired a week ago because they haven't found the time to watch it yet.

The White Lotus season 3 Rick and ChelseaThe devastating finale of The White Lotus. Image: HBO.

Sorry, but no. That's not how shared cultural experiences work. The 24-hour rule is the perfect compromise. It gives everyone a reasonable window to catch up while not stifling the very conversation that makes watching these shows worthwhile.

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If you're genuinely concerned about spoilers for something you care deeply about, there's a simple solution: temporarily remove yourself from social media. Yes, it's possible!

Turn off your notifications. Don't open Instagram. Tell your friends you're in a spoiler-sensitive period. Then watch the show and rejoin society.

When was the last time you felt genuinely connected to millions of strangers? It probably involved a TV show, film or sporting event that everyone watched.

These shared cultural moments are increasingly rare in our on-demand world. When The White Lotus, Game of Thrones or Succession finales happen, they create beautiful moments where people globally unite in their shock, delight, or outrage.

Game of Thrones finaleNot that there was much to spoil here. Image: HBO.

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Spoiler culture at its extreme threatens to kill these moments. It demands we experience things in isolation, never discussing them publicly until some undefined point when "everyone" has seen it (which will never happen).

If there's one area where spoiler culture has really taken hold, it's reality TV. People are livid at the prospect of finding out the winners of shows like Survivor or The Bachelor, even after the final episode has aired.

I'm sorry, but the same rules apply. Particularly reality TV, where the winners are real people who post on their socials and give interviews after the show has aired. Not to mention, the rest of us are just dying to discuss our thoughts — whether we thought it was deserved, unfair or rigged. That's the point! The conversation afterward is half the fun.

Survivor Australia Survivor spoilers get people heated. Image: Network 10.

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So here's my definitive ruling on spoiler etiquette: Day of release — spoiler warnings required. Morning after release — casual mentions should include a quick heads-up. Two+ days after: All bets are off. A week later: If you're still avoiding spoilers, that's your problem, not society's.

Remember: television and films give us the precious gift of communal experience in an increasingly isolated world. Don't be the person who tries to silence that beautiful chaos because you haven't found time in your schedule yet.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go process my feelings about that White Lotus finale like everyone else did... yesterday.

Feature Image: HBO.

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