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Trying to ignore 'Fandoms'

Started by Munch, January 05, 2017, 05:44:32 PM

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Munch

From the experience I've had with something like world of warcraft, whos community is hard to ignore given that its an integral part of the game, I've learned just how loathsome fandoms for many genres can be, even ones that shouldn't form any kind of negative connotation to it.

I use to spend a fair bit of time on warcraft forums, and while occationally found some decent people to have discussions about game, lore, mechanics and stuff outside the game, overall it was never really fulfilling being part of a large community that clashed with each other on a daily basis. Though honestly I just took that on as it just being the nature of a gaming community that would be fighting each other ingame as well as on forums.

But, with the rise of the internet age and coming together of so many people, owing much to the greater internet fuckwad theory, it doesn't matter what your a fan of, just becoming part of a community of something you will find it anywhere. I currently love watched Steven Universe, and became a fan of Undertale, and do sometimes watch the current my little pony series all which I'd say are good cartoons and games that has a lot of value for young and old.

However, while there are a lot of awesome fans who do artwork, videos, reviews, animations, fan made games and merchandise for said products, just like tumblr, it brings with it the same dredges of society.





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy1SWmGCfFc

Now don't get me wrong, like anything, fandom has its good and bad, often you get some really creative and genuinely nice people who love the franchises, and often I'll look at their creative works and give them good write ups on what they've done. It just really drags down the appreciation for something as well crafted as steven universe, with its beloved characters and stories, when you have its fans telling other fans to go kill themselves. Its why I tend to avoid fandoms these days as much as possible, such as fandom associated sites.

'Political correctness is fascism pretending to be manners' - George Carlin

Hydra009

#1
I have a more favorable view of it.  It's great to talk with others who share your interests and exchange perspectives on the subject.

Review and theory videos point out details that I might've overlooked, help me recall plotlines that have grown hazy in between seasons, and give me a fresh perspective on a character (like Rick from Rick and Morty as a psychologically broken genius who is deliberately grooming Morty to be his successor and accomplish all that he has failed to accomplish).  Plus, it's very entertaining to point out plot holes and fridge horror.

And a lot of my favorite works often aren't the canon episodes but the fanon videos.  Fan-made music for World of Warcraft or Eve Online.  Star Trek Voyager reviews that humorously cast Janeway as a cruel tyrant and Walking Dead fan videos depicting the gruesome violence with a lighthearted, whimsical tone.  And particularly shocking and disturbing episodes are great fodder for reaction videos.  The Red Wedding reaction videos were absolutely priceless, as were the Negan reaction videos.  And I can't tell you how many times I've had my mind blown by some really fascinating (but probably not true) Game of Thrones and Westworld fan theories.

But yeah, it's not all sunshine and rainbows.  Heated arguments that turn bitter.  Particularly toxic members talking shit.  There's a fine line between strongly disagreeing and acting like an asshole.  I've seen some pretty nasty stuff myself.  My solution?  I stop paying attention to those people.  It works well enough for me.

Munch

Only wish it were so easy. Thats the thing with it, I really do appreciate the fan made content, things like fan reviews of episodes or MLP or steven universe, or even the fan made AUs (though when the shipping community comes out its then best to abandon ship)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfbEv8Jt9zA

I guess thats the crux of it, if you like something, and want to delve into it to discover creative people who make something out of it, you also need a strong stomach to handle the droves of cancerous trolls, ragers, hipsters and opinionated jackoffs who think only their view of the genre is the only one that matters. 
'Political correctness is fascism pretending to be manners' - George Carlin

Hydra009

#3
Quote from: Munch on January 05, 2017, 06:55:33 PMOnly wish it were so easy.
Yeah, it's not quite that simple.  But you can take steps to limit exposure to the toxic assholes.  Latch onto the good and filter out the bad.  It doesn't completely solve the problem, but it helps.

QuoteThats the thing with it, I really do appreciate the fan made content, things like fan reviews of episodes or MLP or steven universe, or even the fan made AUs (though when the shipping community comes out its then best to abandon ship)
Eh, I don't mind shipping so much.  It can be cute to pair off characters.  But people have differing ideas of who pairs off with who and they can really butt heads over it.  As long as it doesn't get nasty, it's all good.  Hell, I was pretty shocked and pretty vocal in expressing my disapproval of a pairing in the Walking Dead because it was a big departure from the characters' relationship in another canon work and because I didn't view them as anything other than close friends - practically family.  So them hooking up struck kind of a bad vibe with me.  Looking back, I might've overreacted a tad, lol.

QuoteI guess thats the crux of it, if you like something, and want to delve into it to discover creative people who make something out of it, you also need a strong stomach to handle the droves of cancerous trolls, ragers, hipsters and opinionated jackoffs who think only their view of the genre is the only one that matters.
Heh, I wouldn't be here if that wasn't the case.  :P

Speaking of opinioned jackoffs, I frequently disagree with reviewers but I'm willing to hear them out, especially if they have an entertaining or funny take on the subject.  One of my recent favorites was a reviewer absolutely roasting Rogue One, a movie that I really enjoyed.  It helped that I found her take on it to also be extremely funny.

Munch

Well i'll admit, I ship too, I just don't rage like a lot of them do if I disagree with a ship. People have been shipping overwatch characters since it came out, and only now have they made one character actually set on her sexuality being for girls, but even so, I'll take my hanzo and mccree shipping and won't rage over anyone elses.
'Political correctness is fascism pretending to be manners' - George Carlin

Hydra009

Quote from: Munch on January 05, 2017, 07:42:51 PM
Well i'll admit, I ship too, I just don't rage like a lot of them do if I disagree with a ship. People have been shipping overwatch characters since it came out, and only now have they made one character actually set on her sexuality being for girls, but even so, I'll take my hanzo and mccree shipping and won't rage over anyone elses.
Tracer and the 10th Doctor Who.  :P

And I don't care about the million ways that won't work.  They both have funny accents and dammit, if that's not the basis for a solid relationship, then nothing is.

GrinningYMIR

I part of a few fandoms, but I find that you always have the bad apples, the bad steven universe ones were cretins for sure, but so are the ones who get enraged over suggesting that Dash isn't a lesbian, or that Asriel and Frisk aren't a couple. You always have your goods and bads
"Human history is a litany of blood shed over differing ideals of rulership and afterlife"<br /><br />Governor of the 32nd Province of the New Lunar Republic. Luna Nobis Custodit

Shiranu

Hmmm... can't say I have ever belong to a fandom. Internet communities have always seemed weird to me... only reason I frequent here is because I came here when I was trying to figure out what it meant to be an atheist and it's just a habit now.
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Hydra009

If I had to subsist on just the shows themselves, I wouldn't be half as entertained by the shows that I watch.

The fans have great ways of squeezing every single episode for the last drop of enjoyment - dissecting the plot, picking up on any references, speculating about hidden meanings, starting inside jokes and funny headcanons, crossovers, side stories, etc.

Hell, I've watched some shows that wouldn't exist if not for fan efforts to get it back on the air after cancellation.  And I've played a couple online games that have gotten shuttered only to be revived by the fan community.