Fans and the People Who Love Them
Feb. 3rd, 2007 11:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fangirljenI was confronted by something kind of random today. My co-worker, Matt, drew me into a conversation about Fandom. It was he who brought it up, which simply astounded me. He started the conversation by saying, "Hey, Jen. I think you should write a book about fandom." This is an idea that I've tossled about with for a while, but at the moment I'm still not sure what I have to say about fandom. I guess I'm still formalizing my thoughts some more. I know my thesis: fandom is love. But where I go beside that, I'm not certain. In additon to this book idea, Matt started telling me about his mathmatically brilliant cousin. His cousin lives in fandom, as well. Her fandom is Backstreet Boys. Her obsession has brought her to the point of making a cake and sending it to her favorite member. My co-worker also mentioned how his cousin's mentality is younger than she actually is (about 21). He didn't go into detail how, so I'm wondering if it's just the obsessive/fandom nature he's seeing.
While looking through my flist today, I came across another example of extreme fandom. I love this woman, I gotta say. I love that she's happy with who she is despite what others might say about her. You'll see that some of the responders to the vid left some rather unkind comments, responding to the fact that this woman spent about five grand on two Ninja Turtle heads. They suggested that she could use this money on helping people. Now really, the way she spends her money is her own darn business. Last year, I spent at least fifteen hundred on fandom, but likely into three-thousand. This including the costs of my admission to the conventions I attended, the hotel costs, airfare to Atlanta, spending money at said conventions, and general articles of merchandise that I've purchased throughout the rest of the year. I'd estimate that, in three months, I've already spent about 400 dollars on my Doctor Who fandom. But it isn't on big market items. My most expensive item so far has been Billie's auto-biography, at roughly fifty dollars. In addition to that, I've purchased all of the 9 and 10 novels, the two guides to aliens, the unofficial guide, a retrospective book that tracks through Doctors 1-9, one audio book, an issue of Radio Times, Jack, the Doctor, and Rose figures, a David Tennant calendar, a Doctor Who calendar, and a sonic screwdriver. This doesn't include the movies of Tennant's and Eccleston's that I have purchased or rented, or the CDs with songs that remind me of Doctor Who that I've purchased. My expenses are more spread out, but they probably are of the same amount, or close. But my involvement in fandom with these purchases would be taken better than this woman. But as long as enjoyment is had by the person who purchases the merchandise, and the person isn't harming herself or himself, why should it matter where the money goes?
So, I'm curious. :) What are your thoughts on fan people who go to any level of obsession to interact with their fandom? Do you think fans should be able to go to the extreme in their fandom if they want to? Do you look down upon fans who take their fandom more seriously than you do? And the real thing I want to get to the bottom of: what do you think makes people become fans in the first place? Why is it we do what we do?
While looking through my flist today, I came across another example of extreme fandom. I love this woman, I gotta say. I love that she's happy with who she is despite what others might say about her. You'll see that some of the responders to the vid left some rather unkind comments, responding to the fact that this woman spent about five grand on two Ninja Turtle heads. They suggested that she could use this money on helping people. Now really, the way she spends her money is her own darn business. Last year, I spent at least fifteen hundred on fandom, but likely into three-thousand. This including the costs of my admission to the conventions I attended, the hotel costs, airfare to Atlanta, spending money at said conventions, and general articles of merchandise that I've purchased throughout the rest of the year. I'd estimate that, in three months, I've already spent about 400 dollars on my Doctor Who fandom. But it isn't on big market items. My most expensive item so far has been Billie's auto-biography, at roughly fifty dollars. In addition to that, I've purchased all of the 9 and 10 novels, the two guides to aliens, the unofficial guide, a retrospective book that tracks through Doctors 1-9, one audio book, an issue of Radio Times, Jack, the Doctor, and Rose figures, a David Tennant calendar, a Doctor Who calendar, and a sonic screwdriver. This doesn't include the movies of Tennant's and Eccleston's that I have purchased or rented, or the CDs with songs that remind me of Doctor Who that I've purchased. My expenses are more spread out, but they probably are of the same amount, or close. But my involvement in fandom with these purchases would be taken better than this woman. But as long as enjoyment is had by the person who purchases the merchandise, and the person isn't harming herself or himself, why should it matter where the money goes?
So, I'm curious. :) What are your thoughts on fan people who go to any level of obsession to interact with their fandom? Do you think fans should be able to go to the extreme in their fandom if they want to? Do you look down upon fans who take their fandom more seriously than you do? And the real thing I want to get to the bottom of: what do you think makes people become fans in the first place? Why is it we do what we do?
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Date: 2007-02-04 03:16 pm (UTC)Then I sat back, and reviewed that, and thought, 'Well that's complete BS.'
So here's my take.
Fandom is based on not how much money you spend, but on how much time that you devote to it. Because quite frankly if I had the dough, YES I'd go to all the Stargate cons and buy my favorite movie posters, yaddayadda . I can't afford it, so I don't.
However, I spend hours a week on TWoP talking about my shows - Supernatural, Ugly Betty, and Heroes. I write very long and involved fanfiction for Stargate and Pirates of the Carribean. I patiently wait at least half a day to download Doctor Who and Torchwood from places I will not mention. I've actually scheduled my two hours on Sunday night to always be free so I can watch Harry Dresden and BSG back to back.
At the same time, though, I go to work. I hang out with my friends. I take exercise. I read the news. I spend time on just being Wren. So I'm a fan, sure. But I don't devote the time to being a fangrrl.
Now, how do I feel about the people who get to spend all that money on fandom, not to mention the time? Kudos for them. I feel a little worried about people who can't seperate reality from fantasy, but that's not based on the dollar signs. That's based on how they talk about how they spent the money, or how they feel about the characters. Sure, you can indulge yourself by going to cons (David Nykl whee!), but if you also spend the time completely obsessing how you and David are going to be BFF forever afterwards? Yeah, that's taking it a step too far.
Take the time to love your fandom... but don't Lurve Your Fandom.