this is not an essay
...though it might be one day.
ya know, in fandom, I think there's a distinction between "enjoyable" and "personally meaningful" Or at least, there /should/ be.
There's a difference between things that are fun and things that are important, and I haven't seen it addressed. There's a difference, between a fun romp for an afternoon and something that resonates in your chest and heart- between background noise in your brain and the something that slots into the empty places in your soul and makes you /stable/ in a way you weren't before.
For example: The Dresden Files are enjoyable. Discworld saved my fucking soul. There is a /difference/.
(And both kinds matter! One cannot live off emotional intensity alone; i have an entire section of fiction and music for those times when I don't want to feel anything.)
And I think it should be acknowledged, when talking about a piece's flaws, that there's a distinction? In defending one's attachment to a piece (or a fandom, or a ship, etc), rather. "yes there's some icky bits but it's fun" and "yes there's some icky bits but it kept me alive when I wanted to die" are not the same statement, and they shouldn't be treated the same.
I've just been thinking about this, the last couple of days.
...I should sleep now.
ya know, in fandom, I think there's a distinction between "enjoyable" and "personally meaningful" Or at least, there /should/ be.
There's a difference between things that are fun and things that are important, and I haven't seen it addressed. There's a difference, between a fun romp for an afternoon and something that resonates in your chest and heart- between background noise in your brain and the something that slots into the empty places in your soul and makes you /stable/ in a way you weren't before.
For example: The Dresden Files are enjoyable. Discworld saved my fucking soul. There is a /difference/.
(And both kinds matter! One cannot live off emotional intensity alone; i have an entire section of fiction and music for those times when I don't want to feel anything.)
And I think it should be acknowledged, when talking about a piece's flaws, that there's a distinction? In defending one's attachment to a piece (or a fandom, or a ship, etc), rather. "yes there's some icky bits but it's fun" and "yes there's some icky bits but it kept me alive when I wanted to die" are not the same statement, and they shouldn't be treated the same.
I've just been thinking about this, the last couple of days.
...I should sleep now.