Coming Clean: 2009 & The End of Dumb Things

[2_perseph]

General Disclaimers: 1) It needs to be said that this does not apply to all fandoms, nor across the board to the ones it does apply. 2) This is how I experienced fandom on LiveJournal, where as far as I can tell, fandom has made its home.

PREMISE OF ARGUMENTOnce upon a time, there was a movement called “Bohemian.” This movement was made up of

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[shrinetolust]

I've drifted away so much from fandom that I didn't actually realize how crazy it had gotten until I started to pick up on the Torchwood and Supernatural fandom links with creators. And while it seemed cool with SPN at first, a funny ha-ha moment, now it's starting to make me feel uncomfortable and embarrassed.

And Torchwood was a prime example of fans thinking a creator was listening to their every sacred word about how the show should go, and then he gave them a big FU to show just how much they were NOT in control. And honestly, I say shame on him as much as shame on them. Even writers of closeted slash fic know that you should never listen too closely to your fans comments. You have to write the story the way you intended to--not as a way to either appease or offend your readers.

It's funny when I think about the motivation and celebrity worship--because goodness knows I worship my boys. But what got me into it was reading a friend's story of slash, and how much it blew my mind, and how I couldn't believe that other people were writing the odd things that had been going on in my head too. And when I wrote my first RPF, it was after reading other Sean/Vig fic--I didn't worship either of them at that point, but I thought they were sexy enough to have some good naughty fun with. And the worship of them actually grew out of the whole creative process and group dynamic. And it certainly wasn't a blind worship--I am well aware of their flaws and so used to be everyone else.

What really shocked me recently was reading a whole post in Supernatural that was like reading a whole wank of Vig/Orli tinhattery and my jaw fell on the floor. Because it was the same exact psychosis that I thought was just particular to my fandom, and it terrified me that it was catching. That large groups of people were making the exact same illogical arguments with the same vehemence about two totally different guys. That blew my mind. And that's when I started to feel what you say here--the crazies *are* the fandom now.

Which is what other LJers have said to me when I groaned about the "fangirl" on SPN, who "made us look bad." I was told that, unfortunately, that's what a lot of "us" look like now. And that is scary and unsettling.

But I'm still here. However tangentially. Actually one of my New Year's Resolution was to be here more. I need the creative boost, and the release of craziness I just can't seem to get anywhere else. As for recognition, I want to get it for my own original work, that sometimes grows out of what I do here. Perhaps that's a cheat on the system, but it's the best I can offer. :P

Happy New Year! xoxo

[2_perseph]

You know, all that tinhattery and all around madness would be fine if they would just keep it in the family, so to speak. Be as crazy as you want--isn't that why you got an LJ? And we can handle you in here--but don't take it outside. And believe me, I've seen it up close and personal, sitting in the Supernatural panels at Comic Con for three years running. It gets worse every year. Many different types of fans are there, but you can always tell the ones from LJ. Even the other fans (male and female) are like wtf?

I think like everyone else I felt overwhelmed and helpless in the face of the madness. But now I feel quite rejuvenated. *eg* I'm over my shocked terror of them and am quite ready to take them on, all year long. Did you ever read Harry Potter? I just started. And I learned a new spell. When a dementor is coming towards you, you hold out your wand and with a flick of your wrist, you say, Riddikulus. And that turns them into.. I don't know.. floating pink elephants or something. Anyway, I'm gonna give it a try this year.

[shrinetolust]

I wanted to go to an SPN convention that came to Chicago recently, mostly just to set my eyes on Misha. *heart flutters* But hubby stared at me like I'd lost my mind, and I knew I didn't want to go into the den of lions alone...heh. I've never been to a fan con of any kind, so I only know what I've seen on TV. :P And what you've posted, of course!

And it's true. I don't tell my neighbors or my family about my fandom activities, because they just wouldn't understand. And I don't need them to. It would be nice to have a fannish friend in RL, but I don't need to impose it on people it's just not for.

I have read Harry Potter, and loved it to bits. And I just started giggling like mad about "Riddikulus", because that is so perfect. And it turns Alan Rickman into someone's grandmother, as I recall...*snerk* Which is just about as seriously as these folks should be taken. I'm glad you feel ready to take the nuts on...I'm still a-skeered. :P *squish*