I can't help thinking that one of the things about fans is that they don't feel the need to be "grown-up" all the time, that they do things like playing games and dressing-up that are considered to be childish by "normal" people.
And anyway, if you're really grown-up, why would you feel insecure about being thought a child? You know who you are and that's all that matters.
And anyway, if you're really grown-up, why would you feel insecure about being thought a child? You know who you are and that's all that matters.
Exactly! I strongly agree with this. When I was 14, I wouldn't have been seen dead in the children's section of the library, because people might look at me and think I was babyish. But once I got to 18, I didn't care, and I would spend hours in the children's sections of all the book shops and libraries. By 18, I was secure in the fact that I had grown-up, so I didn't care if people saw me doing childish things.
I think it's very sad that so many adults are afraid to be seen to do childish things, but clearly really want to do them. All those dads, who buy their 9 months old babies model railways, and then play on them for hours, but it's okay, because "it's for the child"... I see such things all the time. These poor dads would never dare play those games without the child at their side.
There's an intersting bit in Durrell's "My Family etc" that I recall still from Eng Lit O-Level about the Doctor's childlike fascination with the flying boat or some aircraft. The teacher emphasised the difference between childlike love of something and being childish, one was socially acceptable in an adult the other nto.
Perhaps fans and rolplayers should attempt some 'rebranding'?
I like this idea of "rebranding" fandom - especially since I spent all of Friday on a marketing course, that had lots of talk on such things.
It sounds like a fun party game. People take it in turns to say fannish activities, and everyone else has to chip in with positive spins on it, that would render it socially acceptable. Um... Not that I have any ideas at the moment, but it sounds like fun trying to come up with them.
We'd certainly visit your 'adults only' castle, it sounds great fun!
I couldn't care less if people think think I'm childish, my Mum frequently remarks that Bacchus and I are just a pair of big kids, though I think she's resigned herself to the fact that we are never going to 'grow up' :-)
Personally I'm not that big a fan of either games or dressing up. Dressing up is too much hard work for me most of the time, and I don't really care that much for games where someone has to win (or rather where someone has to lose). They are ok, but... (I think I may be a Dodo)
Making sandcastles is good though. In fact, making things seems to be one of those things that everyone is allowed.. Roleplaying seems to be fun from what little I've done, Children's fiction is a lot of my library, and I'm all for getting muddy and wriggling on the floor with puppies...
Anyone who looks scornful at this shall be dismissed with my best Dogbert wave and loud cries of 'BAH!'.
I want to look scornfully at you now, just to see the result. What's the smiley for "looking scornful", I wonder...?
Of course, I also rant frequently about adults who sneer at children's books. Someone at work once did a huge tirade against idiot adults who read Harry Potter, and I tore him to pieces. (Though, actually, I rant myself a lot about those adults who read Harry Potter, but still refuse to read any other children's book. They read HP because it's fashionable, and they talk about it as if it's an exception to the general "childishness" of children's books, so deserve to be sneered at.)
Comments 30
And anyway, if you're really grown-up, why would you feel insecure about being thought a child? You know who you are and that's all that matters.
Reply
Exactly! I strongly agree with this. When I was 14, I wouldn't have been seen dead in the children's section of the library, because people might look at me and think I was babyish. But once I got to 18, I didn't care, and I would spend hours in the children's sections of all the book shops and libraries. By 18, I was secure in the fact that I had grown-up, so I didn't care if people saw me doing childish things.
I think it's very sad that so many adults are afraid to be seen to do childish things, but clearly really want to do them. All those dads, who buy their 9 months old babies model railways, and then play on them for hours, but it's okay, because "it's for the child"... I see such things all the time. These poor dads would never dare play those games without the child at their side.
Reply
Perhaps fans and rolplayers should attempt some 'rebranding'?
Reply
It sounds like a fun party game. People take it in turns to say fannish activities, and everyone else has to chip in with positive spins on it, that would render it socially acceptable. Um... Not that I have any ideas at the moment, but it sounds like fun trying to come up with them.
Reply
I couldn't care less if people think think I'm childish, my Mum frequently remarks that Bacchus and I are just a pair of big kids, though I think she's resigned herself to the fact that we are never going to 'grow up' :-)
Reply
Making sandcastles is good though. In fact, making things seems to be one of those things that everyone is allowed.. Roleplaying seems to be fun from what little I've done, Children's fiction is a lot of my library, and I'm all for getting muddy and wriggling on the floor with puppies...
Anyone who looks scornful at this shall be dismissed with my best Dogbert wave and loud cries of 'BAH!'.
Reply
Of course, I also rant frequently about adults who sneer at children's books. Someone at work once did a huge tirade against idiot adults who read Harry Potter, and I tore him to pieces. (Though, actually, I rant myself a lot about those adults who read Harry Potter, but still refuse to read any other children's book. They read HP because it's fashionable, and they talk about it as if it's an exception to the general "childishness" of children's books, so deserve to be sneered at.)
Reply
Leave a comment