It doesn't stop being magic when you know how it's done.

[doomette]

I like that the majority of fandom is a minority. So many people in fandom have been the people who were never listened to, who sat alone at lunchtime or lay awake at night clenching their fists and squeezing their eyes shut and trying not to cry or punch the wall in frustration.

It means that we get characters. We get them. Fandom sees a

Comments

[ormery]

On the one hand, that's great ... but on the other hand, fandom's mutual insecurity makes a lot of us a whole lot more bitchy, judgemental and unwelcoming.

[doomette]

True, it does.

I think most of it is a "I don't want you to hurt me, so I'll lash out at you first. I'll make you more harmless than me, more pitiful, so I can't be harmed" thing. Think Kyo in Fruits Basket, and the Souma's deepest feeling regarding him.

Which, of course, isn't a good thing, but I think it proves that we can feel. We can be hurt, we know where to cut to make each other bleed, we understand each others' pain - even if we're the one who caused it.

Um. I still admire Fandom as a subculture? We're not superconfident enough to leave each other be, but we're not heartless. I think my point still stands - that we understand what's going on inside people. That's what brings us together, that's what lets us tear each other apart.

So yeah. Uh. I think I actually just totally agreed with your comment? Double edged sword, yeah. But IMO, the amazingness of our community outweighs the crapness and the bitchiness.

[ormery]

Oh, absolutely. I love fandom to death. It's just a shame, because you'd think people who'd been outcast themselves would show more understanding to others in their own situation ... and yeah, like you say, that shows itself in people's willingness to analyse fictional characters, but it's a pity how rarely we manage to apply it to one another as well.

[doomette]

Can you imagine what that would be like? People writing long meta-y about injustices that they and other fans had faced - oh wait that totally happened just a short while ago XD

But yeah, it would be nice if it happened more in casual situations. Fandom needs more niceness.

[sira]

y u always so inspirational and deep. ♥

[doomette]

This? Is what happens when you guys leave me alone in chat ♥

[bitter_crimson]

HEY I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU THOUGHT YOU'D HAVE TIME TO START MY DEL.ICIO.US THING YET :)

I REMEMBER YOU MENTIONING IT BEFORE AND IDK IF YOU HAD STARTED IT, BUT IF YOU DID, NONE OF THEM HAVE SHOWED UP IN MY ACTUAL ACCOUNT. SO HAHA MOSTLY I THOUGHT I'D CHECK TO MAKE SURE YOU HADN'T ACCIDENTALLY TAGGED A BUNCH OF THINGS ON ANOTHER ACCOUNT, B/C THAT WOULD SUCK. ;)

VIDS ARE FUN. I HAVEN'T WATCHED A TON LATELY, THO.

[doomette]

AHAHAHAHA.

UM.

WELL.

*GETS TO WORK*

[bitter_crimson]

LOLOL. NO, THAT'S OKAY, DON'T FEEL IN A RUSH OR ANYTHING! MOSTLY I DID JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU WEREN'T ACCIDENTALLY TAGGING THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE, B/C THAT WOULD SUCK. BUT YEAH, SINCE THAT IS NOT THE CASE, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. I DON'T MIND IF IT DOESN'T GET DONE FOR A WHILE. ;)

AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WHEN YOU DO HAVE TIME TO DO IT, FEEL FREE TO USE YOUR JUDGMENT IN DECIDING WHATEVER AMOUNT SEEMS FAIR. :)

[doomette]

I'VE JUST BEEN BUSY WITH STUFF - OKAY NO THAT'S A LIE. I WAS LAZY FOR A WHILE AND THEN I JUST FORGOT XD.

I'LL JUST TAG UNTIL I CAN'T BE BOTHERED TAGGING ANYMORE. SO I MIGHT DO LIKE, A FEW DOZEN, OR ALL OF THEM, OR FIVE. WHO KNOWS.

[gentle_yuki]

I loooove you. I used to think I was weird and really reading too far into stuff that wasn't actually there and all this other type crap. Then I got into fandom and found out I wasn't the only one. It was so weird...but I think I click easier with fandom people than I do people in real life.

[insane_duckfish]

*sticks in memories* You just said everything I love about fandom way more articulately than I could (...ok, maybe not everything because I love a lot about fandom. But one of the main things) I really admire fandom too, and I'm proud to be part of that subculture.

I love that we can look at a story and say "This person acted this way for this reason" and the author can say "No they didn't" and we can say "Yeah, they totally did." and bring out more evidence to support our arguement than the author did.

And I love that we think fiction is important. Because it is. Fiction is a reflection of the values of a society, and it can affect the values of individuals which then changes the values of a society. And fandom recognises that. It's nice to be around people who don't say "but its just a story!" (*sigh* My dad does this all the time. Like sport is more real than fiction. *eyeroll*)