A quick mishmash post and an attempt at closing tabs

[umadoshi]

--I really hope the thing where it took me until nearly noon to force myself out of bed does something to counteract how tired I've been lately. >.> But at least the timing isn't bad--I got a rewrite turned in yesterday and have nearly a week until the next one is due, and that one is a) easy and b) 1/4 done already

Comments

[double_dear]

I have to admit, I've been pretty opposed to the fan usage of "porn" since we first saw it used that way, because we've always seen it the way non-fans see it, and we don't think it's cute to talk about things we like that way.

But! the point is not that I wanted to debate it; I just wanted to give a little etymology on the word "pornography." Apparently it comes from the Greek "porne" and "grapho," meaning prostitute and writing, respectively. Take from that what you will.

[umadoshi]

Out of curiosity, what do you mean by "that way"? How do you think it's being used/I'm using it?

(Like all subculture lingo, there are, of course, at least a few different ways it can be used, depending on specific fandoms/groups.)

[double_dear]

By "that way," we mean "talking about things one is fannish about in connection with pornography." Obviously when you say "food porn," for example, the connotation is different, because there's most likely nothing sexual in whatever is being shared, but the word is the same, so the connection is there regardless of intent.

[umadoshi]

Well, this probably won't make you feel any better, but that's not actually how I'm using it here. I tend to say "porn" somewhat facetiously, but I am in fact referring to actual smut (which is the word I more typically use).

In my experience, fannish people usually use the word to mean "fanfiction with a fairly high proportion of sexual content", but again, I assume that varies somewhat.

[sabotabby]

That Narnia fic is amazeballs.

I feel weird about the fannish use of porn, because I'll totally say, "I love your porn" to people (and have had it said to me!) but I'm aware of how different the fannish use is from the mainstream use. And so I'll make comments about how my hard drive is full of porn, which can come off as weird outside of fandom. Even outside of a particular segment of fandom; if I'm saying it to a fannish het dude, he's probably not thinking fic.

[umadoshi]

I'm usually very aware of the drastically different usage, but in an abstract way, if that makes sense? So if I'm talking to friends, I just blithely talk to them the same way whether they're fannish or not, and sometimes awkwardness ensues.

(I also sometimes joke about "writing shrimp", just because the progression through porn-->pr0n-->prawn entertains me so much.)