Rekindling My Lost Love?

[jackie_faye]

After the leader of the local steampunk group took it upon himself to slander my dearest's name, mine in conjunction, and attempted to tarnish the reputation of a few of my close friends, Steampunk has sort of lost it's luster

Comments

[bijouxdejais]

I can't see any reason why others should be allowed to taint or take something away from you which you otherwise find enjoyable. The best revenge is to live well, it's said, so do what makes you happy and lifts you up, naysayers be damned.

[elzebrook]

I agree with everyone else. Don't let the bastards get you down! This is something that brings you joy. You have a right to have joy. Sometimes, sadly, people will try to take or ruin your joy, but you don't have to let them!

If you do put away steampunk (permanently or just for a while), I would hope that you make sure it is YOUR choice to do so, not a reaction to someone else's meanness. You have every right to continue with steampunk or not, but don't let people bully you into sadness.

[young_raven]

I'd go on being yourself and doing what you love, and to heck with your detractors. Maybe you could start a new group? Also, you might look into online steampunk communities. There's a great steampunk presence in Second Life.

[gwenyvere4]

This. Usually when you have a group who puts nastiness out there, there are more folks who have been put off as well.

[jackie_faye]

Indeed, there are more people who have been put off by it, but they've been put off to the point of hating the entire movement and all that it entails. I can't blame them really. When the majority of the people in a certain subculture personally attack you for being "inferior" you tend to develop an aversion to it. And it's not just verbal attacks either, it's damaging rumors (one person had police show up on his doorstep because of said rumors) and sometimes physical violence.

[thatwordgrrl]

If I substitute the word "SCA" for "steampunk," it would be why I filed for divorce from the SCA two years ago.

Curiously, it was that divorce from the SCA that led me to steampunk, since I wanted somewhere to get my garb geek on.

Do what you love.

heh!

[ladyariadne]

Dang... YOu read my mind and stole my post! Almost verbatim!

Re: heh!

[thatwordgrrl]

And if you are from Caid, I will fall over laughing, I will!

But yanno, yay for pyracy and steampunk. I belong to Port Royal Privateers out here in Southern California.

[triad_serpent]

THIS. So much. Our local group was basically made up entirely of family or friends of my boyfriend's ex-girlfriend, and whenever I was in the same room/area, everything got...uncomfortable, which was ridiculous, because they'd been broken up for several months before he and I started dating, so there was no reason for it to be taken so personally. I stopped going to local events, and am now basically down to Pennsic as often as I can afford it, but nothing local. I'd hate to see this same sort of mentality creep into Steampunk! D:

[jadegirl]

Drama happens, the best thing to do is ignore it - anything else and you're giving it more power. That said, if the aesthetic is what you love, immerse yourself in it with abandon, and new associations will grow out of that. Depending on your area, there might be other groups that haven't caught your eye, but a little online research might lead to new and exciting people, *or* the fact that you're doing your own thing entirely divorced from the group that caused you distress may inspire others to move away from those who caused that distress as well, forming a new entity without the difficult associations.

Be what feels best to you, and to hell with what anyone else makes of that.