I get the feather-ruffling; even thinking as I do, it's still not very comfortable. *hugs*
I know most of the written material in fandom is available to the general public. However, pointing a limelight at it is not only counteractive to the segregation of fandom (because we ARE a community that segregates itself), it's actually offensive to people who would NOT wish for their material to be known in the general public. [info]salixbabylon said it best, I think, when she said we use pseudonyms for a reason. We hide. We don't want our Wincest/J2-filled journals to be found by our families/RL BFFs/bosses.On an *individual* level, I absolutely agree with you. Individual fans should always get to set their own individual boundaries for their individual work, and throw up as many walls between their fandom and non-fandom lives as they see fit. But "fandom," in the abstract? Fandom as an collective entity made up of thousands upon thousands of moving parts? Fandom, that posts most stuff publicly and is highly visible to anyone with
( ... )
Oh no, I totally see your point. It's one thing to KNOW that they know, and another thing when they respond in a subtle, plausibly-deniable way, but that kind of direct, overt referencing is... unsettling. As for "one-sided relationship," yes, it HAS always been like that -- but that's been shifting for a while now, as both creators and fans get used to the effects of the Internet. I tend to think that SPN is simply at the vanguard of what may eventually become pretty common. Can you see I'm trying hard to read this as "inevitable growing pains into an interesting future" rather than "the end of the world as we know it"? :)
Re OTP, I think it's interpretable in a few ways. In light of last week's episode as well, I am choosing (delusional cockeyed optimism is FUN) to read that as *handing* us a setup for "... and now they can't stop thinking about it." Between this and last week, I think someone on the writing staff has some very specific fanfic preferences. :D
The fantasy that we somehow fly under the radar is just that -- a FANTASY.
See... I do know that. I know that with youtube and google, and the growth of the internet as part of cultural exchange in general... I realize that they know, and some show runners knew back 7-8 years ago even... some even were aware of stuff like that much further back. But, you know, I DO need that fantasy. I need to pretend, I need that distance. It really really smacks me in the face when creators make little snide or patronizing comments about fans in interviews (which I basically never read, to avoid shit like that) or obvious allusions to fandom dropped into their episodes. Just, just fucking leave me alone.
I do not want in-jokes or swipes - "affectionate" or not. (And it all seems more passive aggressive with a side of patronizing to me than affectionate, but YMMV.) Yes, it's not like when Aaron Sorkin was a gigantic fucking asshole. But still. I feel all cornered and deeply, deeply uncomfortable
( ... )
Agree with the first #1, yep. People. Really? Literally EVERY person I've talked to in real life about the show who wasn't already a fan has said something along the lines of "isn't that that show with the gay brothers and the cool car?" If anyone thinks the idea of Sam and Dean having sex is some naughty, secret, below-the-radar thing, um, hahahahaha. I don't know how I'd feel about TPTB reading MY personal fic, but to argue that they shouldn't know about it at all, and certainly shouldn't acknowledge it if they must, is pretty naive. Slash has been around for almost 40 years now, it's not so underground as people think
( ... )
Comments 13
(The comment has been removed)
I know most of the written material in fandom is available to the general public. However, pointing a limelight at it is not only counteractive to the segregation of fandom (because we ARE a community that segregates itself), it's actually offensive to people who would NOT wish for their material to be known in the general public. [info]salixbabylon said it best, I think, when she said we use pseudonyms for a reason. We hide. We don't want our Wincest/J2-filled journals to be found by our families/RL BFFs/bosses.On an *individual* level, I absolutely agree with you. Individual fans should always get to set their own individual boundaries for their individual work, and throw up as many walls between their fandom and non-fandom lives as they see fit. But "fandom," in the abstract? Fandom as an collective entity made up of thousands upon thousands of moving parts? Fandom, that posts most stuff publicly and is highly visible to anyone with ( ... )
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Re OTP, I think it's interpretable in a few ways. In light of last week's episode as well, I am choosing (delusional cockeyed optimism is FUN) to read that as *handing* us a setup for "... and now they can't stop thinking about it." Between this and last week, I think someone on the writing staff has some very specific fanfic preferences. :D
Reply
See... I do know that. I know that with youtube and google, and the growth of the internet as part of cultural exchange in general... I realize that they know, and some show runners knew back 7-8 years ago even... some even were aware of stuff like that much further back. But, you know, I DO need that fantasy. I need to pretend, I need that distance. It really really smacks me in the face when creators make little snide or patronizing comments about fans in interviews (which I basically never read, to avoid shit like that) or obvious allusions to fandom dropped into their episodes. Just, just fucking leave me alone.
I do not want in-jokes or swipes - "affectionate" or not. (And it all seems more passive aggressive with a side of patronizing to me than affectionate, but YMMV.) Yes, it's not like when Aaron Sorkin was a gigantic fucking asshole. But still. I feel all cornered and deeply, deeply uncomfortable ( ... )
Reply
Of course we're easily found on the internet. Heck, TPTB knew about Dean/Ellen fic. That is not easy to find.
Why do people think the ostrich technique of hiding fandom will work?
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment