Amy Ponds of the 99% (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
allchildren) wrote2012-04-21 01:36 am
allchildren) wrote2012-04-21 01:36 am
this is a post about self-care
I've been thinking about making this post for a while and I guess I should just get it over with already. As Korra begins in earnest, I'm realizing that internet structures as well as my social circles have changed a great deal since the last time I was part of a productive, ongoing, popular fandom. That means a) not all of my old strategies for dealing with fandom are going to work anymore and b) not all my friends know what my deal is. My deal is that I have some non-negotiable fannish limits.
Long story short: I have long since run out of patience/tolerance for or interest in Fandom* At Large, particularly What Stupid/Shitty/Bigoted/Poor Interpretation of Source Text/Ungrateful to Source Creator/Wrong on the Internet Thing Fandom* At Large Is Up To Today. I have been aggressively and very successfully filtering my reading and constructing my internet life in a way that insulates me from Fandom* At Large for five or six years now. Most importantly for you to know, exposure to Fandom* At Large is really unhealthy for me.
I'm telling you this because a) the nature of Tumblr and Twitter is such that I can't always filter out content I don't want to see unless I make some ruthless cuts -- so I might have to make some ruthless cuts, and b) this way anyone who is interested can know the #1 Way To Not Fannishly Engage With me. (Bonus #2 Way is to assume I agree with you about any given topic, but that's more of a widespread pet peeve in life so I digress.)
The asterisk to all this is that I draw a line not everybody does: I define "fandom" as "community of fans," not the source text. I LOVE talking about, criticizing, theorizing for, consuming fanart of, the source text. I LOVE processing the feelings it gives us. And as much as I can't deal with Fandom At Large, I LOVE fandom in the microcosm that consists of you guys and the wonderful bright spots that you find and recommend. The microcosmic fandoms that I've formed over the years, after I learned I couldn't swim in the mainstream, are almost all still my bestest friends with whom I shared intimate and awesome narrative journeys via Avatar, SCC, and others (The Office? Those six months when we all cared about Grey's? Hell, even BSG was the proto-microfandom). So no, I can't ever fully disengage from Fandom because within it is nestled my personal fandoms, and you are the people I write this to because you're the people who might care.
Of course, as my subject line indicates, this is something I have to do for myself. So I don't expect anyone to change their ways to cater to my needs. Implementation of this process is my business, and I've historically been quite good at it. But now you know. I'm here for the stories, and our feelings. That's all I want. Let nobody else come between us.
Long story short: I have long since run out of patience/tolerance for or interest in Fandom* At Large, particularly What Stupid/Shitty/Bigoted/Poor Interpretation of Source Text/Ungrateful to Source Creator/Wrong on the Internet Thing Fandom* At Large Is Up To Today. I have been aggressively and very successfully filtering my reading and constructing my internet life in a way that insulates me from Fandom* At Large for five or six years now. Most importantly for you to know, exposure to Fandom* At Large is really unhealthy for me.
I'm telling you this because a) the nature of Tumblr and Twitter is such that I can't always filter out content I don't want to see unless I make some ruthless cuts -- so I might have to make some ruthless cuts, and b) this way anyone who is interested can know the #1 Way To Not Fannishly Engage With me. (Bonus #2 Way is to assume I agree with you about any given topic, but that's more of a widespread pet peeve in life so I digress.)
The asterisk to all this is that I draw a line not everybody does: I define "fandom" as "community of fans," not the source text. I LOVE talking about, criticizing, theorizing for, consuming fanart of, the source text. I LOVE processing the feelings it gives us. And as much as I can't deal with Fandom At Large, I LOVE fandom in the microcosm that consists of you guys and the wonderful bright spots that you find and recommend. The microcosmic fandoms that I've formed over the years, after I learned I couldn't swim in the mainstream, are almost all still my bestest friends with whom I shared intimate and awesome narrative journeys via Avatar, SCC, and others (The Office? Those six months when we all cared about Grey's? Hell, even BSG was the proto-microfandom). So no, I can't ever fully disengage from Fandom because within it is nestled my personal fandoms, and you are the people I write this to because you're the people who might care.
Of course, as my subject line indicates, this is something I have to do for myself. So I don't expect anyone to change their ways to cater to my needs. Implementation of this process is my business, and I've historically been quite good at it. But now you know. I'm here for the stories, and our feelings. That's all I want. Let nobody else come between us.
no subject
I have long since run out of patience/tolerance for or interest in Fandom* At Large, particularly What Stupid/Shitty/Bigoted/Poor Interpretation of Source Text/Ungrateful to Source Creator/Wrong on the Internet Thing Fandom* At Large Is Up To Today.
Highlighted list item is one I find bothering me more and more these days. Like you, I love criticizing the source text — but as a text separate from its "creator" (often something of a misnomer anyway in Western media fandom since a TV show or film has hundreds of people working on it at any given time). Lately I've seen creator names become shorthand for the text (or even structural oppression) when people want to bitch about something. Even creators who used to be well-regarded! I just, I don't get it.
tl;dr, I just want to say I feel you on this and maybe it's time for me start doing the same.
no subject
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lol at "those six months when we all cared about Grey's" awww BACK IN THE DAY