May 3 2007: Fandom Is Not To Be Sneered At
My media and communication tutorials often piss me off no end. One of my units this semester is entitled “Youth Media”, and thus we often look at how young people appropriate new technologies and mediums for their own uses.
This week, we were talking about fandoms, and how young fans have embraced video and internet technology in order to put their own spin upon an existing form of communication. Think: fan art, fan fiction, fan videos. In fact, think Smosh music videos.
Other members of my class immediately threw out opinions like:
- Oh my god, what losers! How could they spend all their time doing something like that when they don’t get paid!
- Don’t they have any friends?!
- They must spend all their time online!
I…I…what the diddly fuck?
Back in the day, I wrote fanfiction. Given the time and opportunity, I would probably still be writing it. I met some of the best online friends I have through writing fanfiction. If I hadn’t given Susie a prominent role in my epic-length tennis fanfiction (attached to the delectable Carlos Moya), would I have gotten to know her the way I do? If I hadn’t written the fanfiction in the first place, would I have met Tracey (that was how we first met - she was reading my fanfiction)? Answer: Probably not.
By creating their own interpretations of existing media, young people are engaging with the media. They’re not just sitting in front of a screen, mindlessly taking in everything that’s fed to them. They’re stretching their creativity wings, doing exactly what governments spend millions trying to encourage young people to do - write, create, be active. They are prosumers, not consumers.
They’re not cutting themselves away from society. I laugh in the face of anyone who makes that claim - I’m a good example of a technology-enabled youth, and you can hardly say that I lack a social life. Quite frankly, young people have learnt to do what previous generations couldn’t do - appropriate technology to make life easier for them, not harder. Mobile and internet technologies make it easier than ever to keep in touch with friends, and to make new friends as well.
In short, fan engagement with a media text is not a bad thing. It is not to be derided as the dominion of nerds hunched over their keyboards, cutting themselves off from society. It’s simply a new type of hobby, a new type of self-taught skill. Encourage this creativity, don’t dismiss it.
10 Responses to “Fandom Is Not To Be Sneered At”
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I totally agree with you. Makes me question the quality of students in your course. I think that it gives more depth to the friendship as well.
Mish on May 3 2007 #
Hm, I agree. I’m not much of a fanfic writer (I had a crack at writing what could loosely be termed a Silent Hill fanfiction, but knowing me that will probably never come to fruition… I just like drawing creepy pictures), but I understand that a lot of people derive enjoyment from it and… well, I wouldn’t be saying anything that you haven’t already said.
Jordie on May 3 2007 #
Hey what a nifty word, “prosumer”! I like to be a prosumer too. And yes I absolutely agree with you. Then again, some people are very not tolerant of people who live and like things that are different to how they live or what they like.
Belinda on May 3 2007 #
I don’t believe I’ve met anyone through fanfiction, but it was a form of bonding between myself and a few online friends. We had some good times with fanfiction. Mm, nostalgia.
Josh on May 4 2007 #
I have never written or read fanfiction. I think I would need being a fan of something a whole lot to begin reading or creating spins - and nothing comes to mind that I really dig. The idea itself is great - I also love how it sometimes pisses off original authors.
Nan on May 4 2007 #
Go, Amanda! Defend fandom from the close-minded idiots!
I’m a fangirl myself, but I’ve never made real friends with the people from my fandoms. I do interact with them but not on a personal level, unlike you with Susie and Tracey. It’s strange that I’m kinda shy on the web when I’m not shy in real life :P
Nikki on May 4 2007 #
Well, I do fanart which I suppose they would consider to be just as shallow.
These people, are no doubt the kind that follow such shows like Australian Idol and vote, read up on all the gossip, make up rumors and so on. They’re just as guilty of similar behaviours over different subjects, they just don’t want to see that it’s really just the same sort of thing.
At least I get to be creative, express myself, practice drawing and most of all, just have some fun.
Robert on May 4 2007 #
I’m making a note of this post and showing it to my parents. Thank you.
Amber on May 4 2007 #
Indeed fandom is not to be sneered at! Look how lucky you are to have gotten to know me the way you do now?! =P
Susie on May 5 2007 #
If I wasn’t such a fangirl I wouldn’t have met anyone online. The fandom is the thing that ties us all together, like it does in real life. When people meet others and find they have similar interests, they can become friends - Online AND offline.
Tracey on May 5 2007 #