Elizabeth Rappe posted a similar article about the negative implications of fans and creators crossing the streams over at Cinematical (http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/30/the-geek-beat-why-we-do-what-we-do/).
I have to say I'm still pretty dumbstruck whenever I come across this concept of fans being mindlessly adulatory, and banned from being critical, especially when it comes to fanfics and such. Fanfics as derivative works are often critical and subversive by nature - hijacking the canon universe to serve our own fannish ends - used for parodies, satirizes, gaps-fillers, to highlight canon weaknesses, and to explore unused corners of the universe. I found online fandom in the late 90s through anime - specifically the yaoi/slash culture that was booming around "Gundam Wing," "Weiss Kreuz," and the like. And believe me, the fans and the stuff they were writing were far, FAR more interesting than any of the shows themselves. (I remember "Weiss Kreuz," being memorably horrible.) I can still happily write fanfics for shows and films I wouldn't call myself a fan of in any sense.
I understand that there have always been different kinds of fans, we're not all in fandom for the same reasons, and the wank is a given. On the other hand, it does bothers me that we see so many fans around who are not only unwilling to be questioning and critical of canon works, but are completely against anyone else doing the same. I'm thinking specifically of all the fandom-specific discussions of gender!fail and race!fail where inevitably someone will lash out that "true" fans wouldn't be talking about such uncomfortable subjects. The "Avatar: The Last Airbender" fandom seems to be in the process of tearing itself to pieces over the new movie and it's problematic casting. Because a film with the same name as the show they love couldn't *possibly* be bad.
I think this is one of the reasons I tend to gravitate to general media discussion groups, metafannish communities and the like. I can't bloody stand the cliqueish factions in some of these fandoms. My creativity often comes from very negative places - I fully admit that I have ficced out of *spite* on a few occasions. And I'm just as much a fan as anyone who's drunk the Kool-aid. :P
Of course, this kind of behavior isn't just the fans these days. Extremism seems to be everywhere. Hmmm... I wonder if it's FOX New's fault? (I kid.)
no subject
Elizabeth Rappe posted a similar article about the negative implications of fans and creators crossing the streams over at Cinematical (http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/30/the-geek-beat-why-we-do-what-we-do/).
I have to say I'm still pretty dumbstruck whenever I come across this concept of fans being mindlessly adulatory, and banned from being critical, especially when it comes to fanfics and such. Fanfics as derivative works are often critical and subversive by nature - hijacking the canon universe to serve our own fannish ends - used for parodies, satirizes, gaps-fillers, to highlight canon weaknesses, and to explore unused corners of the universe. I found online fandom in the late 90s through anime - specifically the yaoi/slash culture that was booming around "Gundam Wing," "Weiss Kreuz," and the like. And believe me, the fans and the stuff they were writing were far, FAR more interesting than any of the shows themselves. (I remember "Weiss Kreuz," being memorably horrible.) I can still happily write fanfics for shows and films I wouldn't call myself a fan of in any sense.
I understand that there have always been different kinds of fans, we're not all in fandom for the same reasons, and the wank is a given. On the other hand, it does bothers me that we see so many fans around who are not only unwilling to be questioning and critical of canon works, but are completely against anyone else doing the same. I'm thinking specifically of all the fandom-specific discussions of gender!fail and race!fail where inevitably someone will lash out that "true" fans wouldn't be talking about such uncomfortable subjects. The "Avatar: The Last Airbender" fandom seems to be in the process of tearing itself to pieces over the new movie and it's problematic casting. Because a film with the same name as the show they love couldn't *possibly* be bad.
I think this is one of the reasons I tend to gravitate to general media discussion groups, metafannish communities and the like. I can't bloody stand the cliqueish factions in some of these fandoms. My creativity often comes from very negative places - I fully admit that I have ficced out of *spite* on a few occasions. And I'm just as much a fan as anyone who's drunk the Kool-aid. :P
Of course, this kind of behavior isn't just the fans these days. Extremism seems to be everywhere. Hmmm... I wonder if it's FOX New's fault? (I kid.)