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The thing about fandom -- the real, when-you-get-right-down-to-it thing about fandom -- is that fandom is made up of like minded people. Fandom (especially groups fandom) is really not about diversity. At least not diversity of opinion or interest.
Don't misunderstand me: I'm not saying that it's right or wrong, because this isn't a right or wrong thing. It just is. Fandom is all about finding other fans who are alike. It's true of any type of fan: media, sport or political.
The Internet has only made it more so. When you head out into the internet looking for fandom friends, you go out there looking to find other people who like the same things you do. With luck (and a good search engine) you can find people who not only like the same thing you do, but like it for the same reasons. Do you like just a particular show? How about a particular character on that show? Or a specific (relation)ship? How about that specific 'ship set in an S&M setting with a solid NC17 rating on all the posts? I'm sure there is just the community for you.
And that's great. There's nothing better than finding a place where you belong.
Until you don't. Until you are really into something, only to find out that no one else cares. Until you have a great view on a character, only to find that others view them in a completely opposite way. Until no one else sees what you do and no one else wants to, either.
It's just no fun playing in a sandbox all by yourself, no matter how beautiful the sandcastles are.
You can modify your views, of course, and most times it's neither hard nor painful. If you squint right (and aren’t too invested in your own, differing view of the characters) it becomes really easy to start seeing the world the way everyone else does. Read enough fanfic you can see the 'ships that everyone raves about. It’s easiest just to fall into a group where you don’t have any real stake in any side and just go along with the majority view. Fandom is just a hobby after all.
But I’ve rarely ever been good at playing in other people’s sandboxes.
Most times, I'm fine with that. I'm a loner by nature, both in real life and on-line. I'm usually content to hang around the edges. But sometimes.. sometimes I wish I could share. Join in. Be part of the big group. Jump on that bandwagon and really, truly believe in that bandwagon. Because that would be a fun ride.
For a while, at least.
Don't misunderstand me: I'm not saying that it's right or wrong, because this isn't a right or wrong thing. It just is. Fandom is all about finding other fans who are alike. It's true of any type of fan: media, sport or political.
The Internet has only made it more so. When you head out into the internet looking for fandom friends, you go out there looking to find other people who like the same things you do. With luck (and a good search engine) you can find people who not only like the same thing you do, but like it for the same reasons. Do you like just a particular show? How about a particular character on that show? Or a specific (relation)ship? How about that specific 'ship set in an S&M setting with a solid NC17 rating on all the posts? I'm sure there is just the community for you.
And that's great. There's nothing better than finding a place where you belong.
Until you don't. Until you are really into something, only to find out that no one else cares. Until you have a great view on a character, only to find that others view them in a completely opposite way. Until no one else sees what you do and no one else wants to, either.
It's just no fun playing in a sandbox all by yourself, no matter how beautiful the sandcastles are.
You can modify your views, of course, and most times it's neither hard nor painful. If you squint right (and aren’t too invested in your own, differing view of the characters) it becomes really easy to start seeing the world the way everyone else does. Read enough fanfic you can see the 'ships that everyone raves about. It’s easiest just to fall into a group where you don’t have any real stake in any side and just go along with the majority view. Fandom is just a hobby after all.
But I’ve rarely ever been good at playing in other people’s sandboxes.
Most times, I'm fine with that. I'm a loner by nature, both in real life and on-line. I'm usually content to hang around the edges. But sometimes.. sometimes I wish I could share. Join in. Be part of the big group. Jump on that bandwagon and really, truly believe in that bandwagon. Because that would be a fun ride.
For a while, at least.
