Comments | tonights: Why I won't write academically about fandom.

tonights

Why I won't write academically about fandom.

Mar 29, 2009 22:29

Yesterday evening (after the aforementioned margaritas) I was discoursing expansively to Patrick on the topic of why I refuse to pursue academic works about fandom, even though I look at my experiences in fandom as the greatest anthropological participatory fieldwork of my whole life. I entered into the conversation by telling him how, as an ( Read more... )

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Comments 7

elise_509 March 30 2009, 03:06:02 UTC

"Every time fandom skims the surface of mainstream culture, problems happen. I mean, two summers ago Livejournal got tons of people thinking that Harry Potter fandom is full of pedophiles. It's like the first rule of Fight Club. Fandom's been underground since people had to walk uphill both ways to get their Star Trek slash zines!"

That, perhaps, is the best thing I've ever heard read. :)

tonights March 30 2009, 03:10:36 UTC

Heh, thanks. After being in various fandoms for eleven years, I can be as rabidly protective of it as a mother badger.

(The comment has been removed)

tonights March 30 2009, 03:25:17 UTC

It totally is! Because until you've stumbled upon it, you can't really conceive of such a thing.

scarlet_malfoy March 30 2009, 05:14:16 UTC

SO MUCH WIN. OMG. I was having an argument with a really close friend of mine the other night who just couldn't see the merits of fandom, and OMG... can I please quote you? Please? I like... read your numbers 1 and 3 and did one of those really lame arm-pulling YESSSSSSSSSSSS's. Awesome. Fandom = Narnia and Fight Club. Perfect! =D!

tonights March 30 2009, 05:18:23 UTC

XD! I did one of those "yesss's" when I read that you'd done one. I was really hoping that my somewhat tipsy thoughts would resonate with people.

Be my guest and quote away!

skycornerless March 30 2009, 16:32:24 UTC

I agree with all of these points!

I actually was inspired to try and do a paper about internet discourse (particular to RP/fandom) for an anth class last year, and I ran up against all the walls you stated above. It was the worst. The paper turned into this completely different thing as a result, and I ended up really unhappy with it (even though my grade didn't really suffer).

tonights March 30 2009, 17:02:43 UTC

I've never tried, but there have been a bunch of times I've wanted to. Truly, I believe it would actually be impossible for me to do any kind of meaningful work about fandom because I just love it too darn much. But it's not like anyone who didn't love fandom could write about it adequately, or even want to. It's a conundrum.