turn-ons and turn-offs / free stuff redux

[oiran]

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.

Comments

[twigged.livejournal.com]

Ship wars can get very heated in Buffy fandom, as I understand it, what with the whole Spike trying to rape Buffy thing, etc., etc., *yawn* HP is the same way, but mainly on the het side H/Hr vs. R/Hr, etc., etc., *yawn*

I don't think it was an issue in SV because Clex is really the only valid ship here on LJ. People may play around with other pairings, but even most of those have Clexy undertones.

[velvetglove.livejournal.com]

You know, I never thought about the attempted rape thing as drawing an absolute line between a Spike who has a certain charm and a Spike who is utterly monstrous and irredeemable. I have been on both sides of what might reasonably be termed sexual violence, but those incidents didn't always end a relationship, nor did they always mean that the aggressor was a permanently bad person. Context, context, context. Anyway, I've always seen layers and shades with that scene - and I'm now watching S7 and seeing how it plays out. If I were part of Buffy fandom, I guess I'd have to join up with the Not Hating Spike team.

There's het in HP? :)

[twigged.livejournal.com]

Not on my flist. Icky. ;)

[velvetglove.livejournal.com]

I guess I have to read the 4th and 5th books now, if only so I can understand who the girls are (besides Ginny and Hermione), or how Neville turned into someone sexually viable at all in anyone's imagination. Or how Sirius and Remus are sexy, for that matter. Because, clearly, something big happens in those two books to make people squee over a couple of middle-aged teachers/fuck-ups.