It's funny how you posted this about "labels, warnings, keywords, disclaimers, all of that craptastic nonsense" because the other night I was pondering this subject. I came into fandom via Jossverse and watched as a story that at first began with a title, author, and pairing suddenly acquired disclaimers and warnings and other nonsense that far outweighed the content of the story. Gimme the story! ;)

I'm all about the surprise. But I understand people wanting to know this stuff. Yet I also understand that it can take away from the impact of the story. Or as you said, the reader doesn't even get to the story because they've dismissed it based on the label.

In popslash I see less with the disclaimers. Fic announcements are pretty basic and usually seem to only give a plot synopsis, pairing, and some form of rating like R or PG. It seems to be a fandom thing. The only time I usually see the flag of disclaimer raised is when it's mpreg.

Anyway, I'm wholeheartedly agreeing with you.