I think I found where fandom meta went
A lot of people in fandom say they miss discussion. Including me. You can still find it on tumblr, but there's less true interaction, more reblogging and sharing. Meanwhile, the platforms where discussion occurs may still be limited, whether it's through less nuanced discussion (for instance, preferring to discuss an actress's new shoe line over her character's complex story arc), or it's somewhere like Facebook, where you can't really get into spoilers unless it's a closed group, and even then it's tricky.
However, I realized something: there actually still is a lot of fandom meta. It's just not in written form.
I was watching a video analysis of the show New Girl, and it occurred to me that that is one of many video essays I've watched. It is a true essay; clearly the hosts spent a lot of time typing it out, simply opting to record it. Meanwhile, when I work out, I often listen to podcasts about shows I like. Sometimes it's one host recapping a show; other times, it's several hosts, a sort of round table discussion. Often (if not always) you also learn a bit about the host or hosts. You get a snapshot not only into the show, but into them, much like on Livejournal or Dreamwidth.
The same is true even for vlogs that don't necessarily focus on a fandom, but rather, a specific interest. Or many specific interests. One vlogger, Marticore, has many "series" if you will. She seems to mostly be on YouTube to tell Sims stories (I have not gotten around to watching those videos), but she also talks about Poland, being Polish. One of her series is "tweets about Polish people." Which can be funny, can be depressing, can just be "al...righty, then." Her dry sense of humor makes the videos fun, although it does take some getting used to.
Why the shift? I'm not exactly sure. I think it has something to do with the fact that people are less disposed to being online at their computers at home these days, and more likely to going online at work on break or on the train on their way to work. However, wouldn't that make you less likely to watch a video? I know that's exactly why I hardly ever do. It's easier for me to just read something, rather than put on headphones when I'm supposed to be working. On the other hand, sometimes if I'm alone in the office, I will turn on a podcast, and I have to admit that there's something surprisingly motivating about completing a mundane task while listening to something intresting. Same with when I work out. Also, I know I find it easier to get back into something I was watching than something I was reading, and if it's really long, you're going to need to watch or read in increments.
To me, the disadvantage is that you can't always interact with these vloggers the way you could on Livejournal and Dreamwidth. Yes, there are comments, but often they're rife with trolls. Also, YouTube at least has made it so that you comment under your email. I know I'm not comfortable with that. Many people comment anyway, maybe because I'm 87 times more paranoid than them, maybe because they never knew there was a time when everyone had screennames. There certainly does seem to be a lot of discussion, even if the vloggers themselves don't necessarily participate. Besides, a lot of comments are chains, rather than the rampant discussions-within-discussions you'd find on LJ and DW. Still, things change, and maybe I need to adjust to how discussion now works.
So there you have it: my thoughts on how fandom meta does still exist, it's just more audio/visual, as opposed to textual. Now I'm passing the mic over to you guys. If you're one for fannish analysis, do you prefer posts, or do you prefer podcasts and video? Do you vlog or host a podcast yourself?
However, I realized something: there actually still is a lot of fandom meta. It's just not in written form.
I was watching a video analysis of the show New Girl, and it occurred to me that that is one of many video essays I've watched. It is a true essay; clearly the hosts spent a lot of time typing it out, simply opting to record it. Meanwhile, when I work out, I often listen to podcasts about shows I like. Sometimes it's one host recapping a show; other times, it's several hosts, a sort of round table discussion. Often (if not always) you also learn a bit about the host or hosts. You get a snapshot not only into the show, but into them, much like on Livejournal or Dreamwidth.
The same is true even for vlogs that don't necessarily focus on a fandom, but rather, a specific interest. Or many specific interests. One vlogger, Marticore, has many "series" if you will. She seems to mostly be on YouTube to tell Sims stories (I have not gotten around to watching those videos), but she also talks about Poland, being Polish. One of her series is "tweets about Polish people." Which can be funny, can be depressing, can just be "al...righty, then." Her dry sense of humor makes the videos fun, although it does take some getting used to.
Why the shift? I'm not exactly sure. I think it has something to do with the fact that people are less disposed to being online at their computers at home these days, and more likely to going online at work on break or on the train on their way to work. However, wouldn't that make you less likely to watch a video? I know that's exactly why I hardly ever do. It's easier for me to just read something, rather than put on headphones when I'm supposed to be working. On the other hand, sometimes if I'm alone in the office, I will turn on a podcast, and I have to admit that there's something surprisingly motivating about completing a mundane task while listening to something intresting. Same with when I work out. Also, I know I find it easier to get back into something I was watching than something I was reading, and if it's really long, you're going to need to watch or read in increments.
To me, the disadvantage is that you can't always interact with these vloggers the way you could on Livejournal and Dreamwidth. Yes, there are comments, but often they're rife with trolls. Also, YouTube at least has made it so that you comment under your email. I know I'm not comfortable with that. Many people comment anyway, maybe because I'm 87 times more paranoid than them, maybe because they never knew there was a time when everyone had screennames. There certainly does seem to be a lot of discussion, even if the vloggers themselves don't necessarily participate. Besides, a lot of comments are chains, rather than the rampant discussions-within-discussions you'd find on LJ and DW. Still, things change, and maybe I need to adjust to how discussion now works.
So there you have it: my thoughts on how fandom meta does still exist, it's just more audio/visual, as opposed to textual. Now I'm passing the mic over to you guys. If you're one for fannish analysis, do you prefer posts, or do you prefer podcasts and video? Do you vlog or host a podcast yourself?