Comments | bironic: On being inadvertently drawn (in)to fandom wank: when you have friends on both sides

bironic

On being inadvertently drawn (in)to fandom wank: when you have friends on both sides

Jul 31, 2007 16:47

I have friends who don't know each other who are entrenched on either side of a major fandom wank right now, and it is a very weird place to be. Not that it is about me at all, or the individuals involved*, but I find myself wondering at the social politics of it more than the actual issue at stake. Namely: How do you take a side? (Why) must you ( Read more... )

thinky, complaining, meta, fandom is scary

Comments 19

topaz_eyes July 31 2007, 21:06:28 UTC

If the wank is what I think it is, you probably want to stay away from it as far as possible. That's a nasty one. :-\ The problem is, that wank's so loaded that any position you take is going to be held against you, because you are friends with folks on both sides.

Personally, I was (and still am) appalled, even more so when I learned exactly what the contentious word meant, and how it was used. Then again, I don't know those involved, so I'm not directly affected. The only way I can see the wank diffusing, is if a sincere apology is issued. Unfortunately I think it's beyond that now.

bironic July 31 2007, 21:39:28 UTC

The problem is, that wank's so loaded that any position you take is going to be held against you, because you are friends with folks on both sides.

Which is another problem for those of us who, like Remus Lupin and perhaps James Wilson, want to be liked by everyone.

I hear there has been a statement and retraction that may begin to clear things up, but who knows how long people will continue to be upset over this.

elynittria July 31 2007, 21:06:53 UTC

Do you stay the hell away from it all?

Apparently, since I have no idea what wank you're talking about! Could you clue me in briefly? (Not that I intend to join the argument, whatever it is, but I like to know that such things are going on within one of my fandoms.)

bironic July 31 2007, 21:16:45 UTC

Heh. It doesn't involve House (or SGA), except in the sense that they and other fandoms are affected by panfannish discussion. This particular wank has been all over metafandom for several days and has been popping up on my f-list with increasing frequency. But it should start dying down now.

elynittria July 31 2007, 21:27:14 UTC

Oh, OK. I won't bother looking into it then, since it's not relevant to my little corner of the world. I tend to avoid panfannish discussions.

Thanks for replying, though!

bironic July 31 2007, 21:33:21 UTC

Your overall mental health may be the better for that. Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise, eh?

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bironic July 31 2007, 21:44:39 UTC

when I've got friends on both sides (which hasn't happened much in my primary fandom) I want to know what's going on.

Yes, true. In this case, though, there have been a ton of posts, not to mention comments, that would take more time to read through than I have, unfortunately.

nightdog_barks July 31 2007, 22:15:25 UTC

This isn't a House fandom issue -- you're not missing something!

*is giggling at the thought of Bironic waving her hands in the air and yelling "Calm down! Everybody just calm down!"*

;-D

bironic July 31 2007, 22:45:28 UTC

Ha! A scene not too far from many family gatherings and staff meetings, in fact.

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bironic July 31 2007, 22:45:50 UTC

Yeah, that'd be the one.

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bironic July 31 2007, 22:59:13 UTC

Just to reiterate -- it's less the subject matter of the wank than the questions that arose about how to approach the mess that I'm interested in. Ya? Feel free to email. I'm around on and off all night as I put my bedroom back together (it had to be emptied over the weekend for carpet work).