a fandom doesn't equal source material

[erilyn]

Apparently there's a bit of backlash against all the Serenity/Firefly enthusiasm that's been escalating around fandom for a while ie people saying it put them off seeing the movie etc etc. And while I can understand it (who hasn't been put off something because people won't stop going on and on about it?), I find it sad. Fandom is about being enthusiastic, about sharing the squee. And while it can be over the top, I've also seen people react negatively to what I'd consider normal-level enthusiasm (I'm not just talking about FF fandom). If you can't deal with fans being fannish, why would you be involved with fandom?

Which links into when people get put off a show/movie/book/something because of the fandom. Fandom =/= source material, and parts of fandom do not make up the whole fannish experience. If you get put off something because you get sick of people talking/squeeing about it, or people you don't like are into it, or because the fandom seems wanky, you're not achieving anything but a) denying yourself something that you might enjoy and b) letting other people dictate your actions. Hell, I know I've done it, and regretted it. Fandom influences the way we experience source materials a lot, and not always in good ways. I came into both Sentinel and Professionals through fanfic, and was biased towards preferring both Jim and Bodie, because of the rampant Blair and Doyle worship that some parts of both fandoms had going. I developed a "I'm not interested" frame of mind regarding SGA earlier in the year, for various reasons, but when it started on tv here, I gave it a chance. Took me a while to really get into it, and it was first and foremost cause I liked having a fun sf show to watch again. If I hadn't checked it out, I'd have missed out on something I've come to enjoy a lot, both for the show and for the slash.

Mostly this is all self-directed musings, cause I've found fandom to be a mixed blessing at times (though the positives far outway the negatives), and I need to remind myself that it can be a good idea to step away from it at times and just enjoy something on it's own merits. Or something. I suspect I had a point but mislaid it somewhere...

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Before I recently friended the useful sga_newsletter comm, I never realised how popular the Sheppard/Weir pairing was (as there does seem to be a fair number of stories being posted). Hmmm, there are (to me) far more interesting het pairings on the show. Please note: I'm not saying the pairing is evil and that people who like it are stupid - I just don't get it, and am vaguely curious as to what the appeal is to those who do. Of course, it doesn't help that Weir often irritates me, but still, I just don't see their interactions lending themselves to pairing them up.

Of course, that probably just means they'll be canon shortly.

Comments

[cyclogenesis.livejournal.com]

All the people bitching just need to be thonked on the head. Ohmygod, people are excited about something, GOD FORBID. Cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get the fuck over it.

*shakes fist*

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

The other recent example of this that really pissed me off was (unsurprisingly) people bitching about all the Backstreet related squee in pop fandom.

Tangentially, I nearly killed our HR manager when I told him I could do his job with much less stress than he does it - by responding to any complaint or issue with "cry me a river", "build a bridge", "get a life", or some other amusing catchphrases. I think he was a little too tempted to try it out...

[cyclogenesis.livejournal.com]

Are people really bitching about that? :/ Geez. Wow, people that really like one boyband getting into...another boyband (one which is, moreover, actually actively together). How utterly strange and unexpected. I think it would be much better if we all just clung to the past and refused to like anything else ever. Yes, indeed, that seems like the way to go.

Ahahaha. Yeah, that would be me if I ever had such a job. I used to work food service and sometimes, just for fun, I would respond to requests (such as, "can I get a hamburger?") with "No. No, you cannot." It's a wonder that I ever managed to keep a job.

Also, your icon? Awesome.

[erilyn.livejournal.com]

There hasn't been too much of it, but enough to bug me. But I should have expected it, some people will bitch about *anything*, and there's been way more people who have embraced the Boylove for the first time to make up for a few who want to harsh other's squee.

This icon's been in rotation a long time, hnix made it for me ages ago, in the early days of our poplove, and it was my default for ages (before broken hearted Justin stole the slot).