Supernatural is not the Jersey Shore of Fandom (An Essay)

[girlguidejones]

This started out as a simple comment reply to the post referenced below, but it kept growing until it felt tangential enough to warrant a post on my own journal, rather than monopolizing someone else's.  If anyone's a lover of irony, it should be noted that the last time I posted was back on June 3, which was to rec a story with the pairing (which

Comments

[destina]

You left out the fandom that I really did think was the most batshit insane ever: Oz. That fandom was so crazy, it imploded on itself and left only a black hole in its wake. Archives and lists disappeared overnight, BOOM

[girlguidejones]

No, no, I'm glad you didn't make your own post, because this is a great contribution

[sockkpuppett]

Word word word word word.

This sort of inexcusable behavior has blanketed every large, active fandom that I can think of, and my online fannish involvement goes back to Highlander and X-Files ('92). (Highlander was the "meanest fandom," and I actually remember being on a list where someone said that HL fans would steal other fans' lunch money if possible.) And the Buffy Wars! My God. I'm a survivor, thank you. I'm so glad you pointed out that the wank doesn't just spring up, fully-formed, like Athena from the head of Zeus. It comes with the fans that bring it, and the children of fans that bring it, and the children's children's children, ad infinitum, ad nauseaum. I'm grateful that nobody thought of fannish, online slambooks back in the day. *rocks in rocking chair*

[girlguidejones]

That lunch-money line is priceless! LOL. I was Highlander-adjacent, really too caught up in TNG and X-Files at the time. Were you ever on the old Fox Forums? I was smallpotatoes at X-Files.

"I'm so glad you pointed out that the wank doesn't just spring up, fully-formed, like Athena from the head of Zeus. "

What a great analogy. I wish I'd thought of it! But no, as you said, some of us are actually raising the next generation of fangirls (and boys) as we speak. Until we actually *own* our wank-traits, instead of accrediting them to our shows, nothing will ever change.

*pours you lemonade*

[anniehow]

Just wanted to say that "the One Ring of Batshit" is an awesome quote and now I wish to have it on a t-shirt, or a mug, or another merchandisable item. :D

[girlguidejones]

Feel free to take it to Cafe Press. For my share of the profits I'll settle for a couple bottles of good red. ;)

[withdiamonds]

Couple things

[girlguidejones]

It's easy to be all superior about avoiding such a wanky fandom, when your (general you) own fandom probably has the same toxic elements, because they all do to one extent or another.

Too true. And I think at least part of the current problem is due to the longevity of SPN as the dominant fandom, and therefore as the biggest douche-magnet.

Destina made some of the same points regarding the pace and immediacy of things today. I'm H50-adjacent, so it's sad to hear it's got wank already. :( I guess you can't even count on the first season blush to wear off before things go sideways anymore.

[itsthedetails]

So much truth here, I remember times in Buffy fandom when if people had be in the same room instead of online things would have come to blows. Oh how people forget, during S1 of SPN people said all the time how SPN was so happy and wank-free.

And the comment you made about TWoP being a cesspool compared to LJ is so very true.

[girlguidejones]

People *did* say that all the time about SPN. Hell, *I* said it about SPN. LOL.