turn-ons and turn-offs / free stuff redux

There's a thread going on in a stranger's journal about what Anonymous Anyone hates about fandom. There are some names named, but it's mostly bitching about general categories of people who 'ship one way or another, write men as girls, etc., and it is mostly Buffy-related, so I don't recognize many of the people who aren't going anon. I'm wondering how this thread is any different from just bitching in your own LJ under your own name. I certainly understand that if you're going to attempt to harpoon a BNF, you might enjoy the anon, but if you're just complaining about 'ships...who cares? Or is that a huge issue in Buffy fandom? Like, if you pick the wrong 'ship, it will go on your permanent record, and thus your opportunities in life will be diminished? Unfortunately, the converse doesn't seem to be true, and picking the "correct" 'ship never delivers the riches and acclaim that really ought to be forthcoming from involvement in a pyramid scheme of media-derivative bickering. Or maybe it's only the BNFs at the top who benefit...you should have gotten in on the game sooner.

If there have been those kind of wars in SV, I missed them. Not that we haven't had plenty of stupid wanks in SV, but I just don't remember this particular version. If you 'ship Lex/Lana, you won't get as much attention or understanding as those who 'ship Clark/Lex, but it seems more likely that you'll be ignored than villified for thinking that way. Not that being ignored feels nice, but it's usually fairly neutral in intent.

Bitching is easy. But so is being positive.

Thinks I Like About Fandom:

• Source material. When it's good, it's really, really good, and when it's bad, it's horrid. But usually pretty, which is why it still has fans despite the quality issues ;) In fact, often the more horrid the source, the better the fandom.


• Community. Hmmm...I'm a woman who likes to read "erotica" about two guys gettin' it on. I wonder where I could meet other women who share my interest without ending up in a chat room talking to a dubious "woman" who will end up stalking me? That place would be fandom. Finding other commonalities with fans makes it even better, but simply having one weird/perverted/dirty thing in common with hundreds and hundreds of people is...validating.


• Encouragement and Support. Write, post, get responses. Do art, post, get responses. Prove to yourself that you can produce material people are interested in. Try new things. Improve through doing more work. Meet other people who do similar work, then discuss and/or collaborate. And if you whine about your life every now and then, people tend to sympathize.


• Inclusion. Anyone can play. It's more chaotic than democratic, but it's open, at any rate. I know there are jerks who do try to keep others "out" or curtail other fans' involvement, but it's really not possible to quash someone entirely if they're determined to participate. Everyone can find someplace within fandom, as involved or uninvolved as they wish to be.


• Insidious cross-breeding. My next potential fandom or burning passion may be as close as my f-list.

So, whatever.

~~~

Also, I added a few more FREE things to my last post. See if there's something you want.

kitchen sink

For journalkitten because elke_tanzer said so, and it's a good excuse to use my new camera ;)

( It really is pictures of my kitchen sink. )