Fannish Love
May. 6th, 2008 07:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dwgmSome of my earliest memories, beginning when I was three years old or so, involve falling in love with stories and characters from television, movies, and books. My head has always been filled with stories about the characters I love, from Yogi Bear & Boo Boo, Lassie, Bonanza, My Favorite Martian, King Arthur (inspired by Richard Burton in Camelot), The Beatles (on seeing A Hard Day’s Night), High Chaparral, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Lord of the Rings (the book), Star Trek (the original series), Star Wars, McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series, Miami Vice, Phantom of the Opera (Michael Crawford RPF, omg!), etc., to my obsession of the last four years, Pirates of the Caribbean.
Growing up, none of my friends seemed to share my fannish tendencies, and it wasn’t until I began looking for further Pirates adventures on the internet in late 2003 that I discovered that I was Not Alone. Reading others’ stories or sharing my own, it’s been an amazing experience, more fun, more satisfying than I ever imagined possible. I’ve met, both online and off, so many wonderful people, and each of them has at least that one thing in common with me: Fannish Love.
Fannish Love is a very real thing, as long as it lasts, whether it’s weeks, months, or years. Fannish Love is particularly intense for those of us who write. We spend many hours, countless hours, with these characters, composing stories in our heads long before they are pounded into a keyboard and appear on a screen. These stories, these characters, are important to us in the same way story and myth have always been important to people. They speak to us of our human condition, in words that reach our minds and hearts.
Additionally, there is no one correct interpretation of a story or character. There are many variations that can fall within the parameters of canon. Sometimes a majority of fans will agree on various points, but that doesn’t mean that the minority view is incorrect, and sometimes views are as diverse as fandom itself. The one thing all views have in common is that they are more or less dear to the hearts of their proponents, and because of this, friendly discussion of them is acceptable, but acrimonious debate or intentional ridicule is not.
Fannish harmony is a truly joyful thing, because we do care so much, but conversely, fannish discord hurts, and takes the fun out of participation in fandom. Just as in any human interaction, the feelings of others must be taken into consideration, and civility should be the order of the day. Unfortunately, whether it’s meta, comments, or even author’s notes, the “anonymity” of the internet encourages just the opposite. One may feel fewer constraints regarding content, tone, and language, resulting in messages that may be misinterpreted, or interpreted all too accurately. When one creates negative energy, damage is done. And as these instances multiply over the course of time, harmony is destroyed.
Whatever you write – stories, author’s notes, meta, comments, whatever – let it be written out of love. Love of the characters, the stories, and your fellow fans. We’re all in this together, as diverse as we are. Let’s be good to each other, civil in debate, gentle in criticism, respectful of each others’ likes and dislikes.
And if all else fails, remember what Thumper’s dad said, savvy?
~.~
Growing up, none of my friends seemed to share my fannish tendencies, and it wasn’t until I began looking for further Pirates adventures on the internet in late 2003 that I discovered that I was Not Alone. Reading others’ stories or sharing my own, it’s been an amazing experience, more fun, more satisfying than I ever imagined possible. I’ve met, both online and off, so many wonderful people, and each of them has at least that one thing in common with me: Fannish Love.
Fannish Love is a very real thing, as long as it lasts, whether it’s weeks, months, or years. Fannish Love is particularly intense for those of us who write. We spend many hours, countless hours, with these characters, composing stories in our heads long before they are pounded into a keyboard and appear on a screen. These stories, these characters, are important to us in the same way story and myth have always been important to people. They speak to us of our human condition, in words that reach our minds and hearts.
Additionally, there is no one correct interpretation of a story or character. There are many variations that can fall within the parameters of canon. Sometimes a majority of fans will agree on various points, but that doesn’t mean that the minority view is incorrect, and sometimes views are as diverse as fandom itself. The one thing all views have in common is that they are more or less dear to the hearts of their proponents, and because of this, friendly discussion of them is acceptable, but acrimonious debate or intentional ridicule is not.
Fannish harmony is a truly joyful thing, because we do care so much, but conversely, fannish discord hurts, and takes the fun out of participation in fandom. Just as in any human interaction, the feelings of others must be taken into consideration, and civility should be the order of the day. Unfortunately, whether it’s meta, comments, or even author’s notes, the “anonymity” of the internet encourages just the opposite. One may feel fewer constraints regarding content, tone, and language, resulting in messages that may be misinterpreted, or interpreted all too accurately. When one creates negative energy, damage is done. And as these instances multiply over the course of time, harmony is destroyed.
Whatever you write – stories, author’s notes, meta, comments, whatever – let it be written out of love. Love of the characters, the stories, and your fellow fans. We’re all in this together, as diverse as we are. Let’s be good to each other, civil in debate, gentle in criticism, respectful of each others’ likes and dislikes.
And if all else fails, remember what Thumper’s dad said, savvy?
~.~
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no subject
Date: 2008-05-07 07:15 pm (UTC)But, my comment about rants was unfair. You're entitled to whatever you dislike and nobody should try to tell you what to think, least of all me.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-07 08:30 pm (UTC)Let me point out here that it has been almost a year since I took a discussion of feminism in fandom beyond my own journals or those of others who initiate such a topic. I no longer participate in
And when you bring feminism into it, that lifts your concerns into Serious and beyond fandom
And my Serious concerns are somehow less ok to bring up? This logic puzzles me, because I believe that there is a place for the discussion of serious issues in fandom. However, I may have chosen the wrong place this time. I've made my apologies to
no subject
Date: 2008-05-08 01:44 am (UTC)Good to know.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-08 02:02 am (UTC)Because any such statement is not likely going to be met with "Oh, you're right, okay, we're done now, thanks for straightening us out and telling us what it's about," but with an argument about why the other person thinks they have a valid point. And you're going to be stuck going around and around in a discussion you didn't even want to ever happen in the first place.
You don't have to participate. But you don't get to tell other people what they should and should not be interested in discussing. You may be IN the dialogue, but you don't get to CONTROL the dialogue. You may disagree, but then other people will also disagree with you, and you will feel like you are being attacked by the damn feminists again. Then you will complain that you can never have a conversation that isn't about feminism.
It's a vicious cycle, truly. But other people don't discuss their interests just to oppress you. Really, they don't.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-08 02:25 am (UTC)You know what? You're absolutely right, and I shouldn't feel that way. Just like you shouldn't feel every story you don't like about Elizabeth is a deliberate swipe at feminist principles and advancement. But so far, we haven't managed to get rid of our individual resentments, have we? Obviously.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-08 02:58 am (UTC)Holy cats. That statement was almost entirely false. I don't even need to rebut it, because everyone else here also knows it's false, including, I suspect, you.
I think I'm done here.