LOC Meta

[watervole]

I've just been reading 'Meta', a lit fanzine that greengolux was good enough to send me.

I've just finished reading coalescent's article on Angel which sparked off some comments that I thought I'd put here regarding the nature of fandom.

Incidentally, I always find a problem with reviews that assume the reader has an equal level on knowledge to the writer. I've seen all of Angel, and enjoyed it, but I find it extrememly hard to remember individual episode titles. A review that mentions specific episodes, but only uses the title to clue the reader as to which episode is being referred to, loses a lot of its impact (it's fair enough in a media-specific context, but not in a zine that isn't dedicated to Angel). This is a shame, as much of what coalescent says resonates with me.

His article isn't just about 'Angel' it's about the impact that one's first serious fandom has on your life.

In my case, it was Blake's 7, and it was long enough ago that the impact was via paper rather than the Internet. I found critical analysis through the Horizon letterzine (as opposed to the magazine) and later through Altazine. Some of the friends I made back then are still with me now and remain among those people whose opinions I value (even when I wildly disagree with them).

Like coalescent, I've found later shows that interest me, but none that have had such a big impact on my life or that have formed relationships in quite the same way. I prefer, when I can, to share these interests with the people I met through Blake's 7, rather than go and get deeply involved with a new set of fans. I haven't made many converts, but at least kalypso_v understands my passion for Maybourne in Stargate and kerravonsen helps me with my Stargate fiction. And there's people like temeres who probably doesn't even own a DVD player and wouldn't watch Stargate even if he did. It isn't the show per se that matters, it's finding people who have the ability for critical thought, but without the nastiness that can sometimes go with it. I like people who *think*.

Thus, I enjoy 'fandom' on the larger scale, where it encompasses something more than an individual show. I find lit fandom to be interesting in this regard. It's less butterfly-like than media-fandom. People don't vanish from the scene when they gaffiate to a new fandom.

I've made friends in lit fandom, but none have yet reached the level of permanance of those old B7 friends - though there are some whom I hope will.

Fandom is no longer really about a show or a book, it's simply a place where people with a certain set of common assumptions and attidudes (and a degree of social ineptness) tend to converge and enjoy one another's company.

Comments

[kerravonsen]

(Note: you have a "Bad username in LJ tag" notice here)

It's interesting to ponder this... I'd certainly agree that B7 fandom has been of huge impact with me, with great friends, and then being more interested in the friends than necessarily the fandom. I, likewise, am not that interested in getting involved in Stargate fandom per se, but I like Stargate enough to want to write a bit of fanfic for it (and where's my next chapter, nag, nag, nag -- you wanted me to nag, remember? (grin)).

Media fandom being more butterfly-flitting, I'm not sure -- is it media fandom, or internet fandom? Because both B7 fandom and lit fandom predate the internet, and therefore it simply wasn't easy to flit to another fandom. Once one had found kindred souls, you clung to them, because where would one find such people elsewhere?

And even with internet fandom, some fans tend to be more butterfly than others. Some fans only stay fans of something while new episodes are being produced, and once that's gone, then they are gone too. Wheras I'm almost of the feeling myself, that it isn't until after a show is finished, that one can get really seriously into understanding it, because one can look at it as a whole, and it isn't a moving target. I get irritated at how my fanfic ideas for still-produced shows keep on becoming AU (grin).

[temeres.livejournal.com]

And there's people like temeres who probably doesn't even own a DVD player and wouldn't watch Stargate even if he did.

I'm afraid you're only half-right, because as it happens I do have a DVD player. I doubt if I'd watch Stargate, though. I'm not terribly enamoured of telefantasy as a whole, because over the years I've only become increasingly aware of its political, philosophical and emotional underdevelopment. At least, that's what I tend to see when I do take a look at that kind of stuff. It takes big themes and squashes them into a small space. Good for teenagers maybe, but not for adults.

That doesn't mean I can't enjoy some of this stuff. espresso_addict was kind enough to loan me the first two seasons of Buffy on DVD, and I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed some of it. Spike especially had some great lines - I particularly liked the "It's a big rock" towards the end of Season 2. But it didn't have the kind of wider consistency and coherence I expect to see in subcreative works. Maybe I just expect too much.

it's simply a place where people with a certain set of common assumptions and attidudes (and a degree of social ineptness)

Ouch! But it's true, there are some people (though not all) in fandom who are, if they're honest enough to admit it, socially inept to some degree. I know I'm one.

I'm not sure what 'common assumptions and attitudes' are the ones shared by fans, though.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

I wonder how much the popularity of LJ in fannish communities, with its circle-of-friends-based interactions rather than interests-based interactions, will alter the dynamics.

[greengolux.livejournal.com]

Ooh, can I put this in the letter column of the next issue then?

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Sure. I was pretty fuzzy from the period when I wrote it, but I think it makes sense. The bad username is kerravonsen I can't edit the entry on this machine as it has a very dodgy interface to Live journal.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

The bad username is you, but I can't edit it on this machine.

i know what you mean about prefering to write for a closed canon. One reason the novel is season 5 AU. I'll get back to it once I'm less stressed over my bother. He's got a job interview, so fingers crossed. If he gets it, it may reduce his stress levels somewhat.

Nag me as soon as my LJ looks happy.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

I'm not surprised you like Buffy. I didn't look at it for years as I was put off by the whole idea of 'teenage vampire slayer', but I was converted by the quality of the writing.

After all, the show is really about 'being a teenager is hell'.

I watch Stargate for relaxation, not stimulation.

Do you watch the West Wing? That's a show I really like that I think you would appreciate.

Common assumptions?

Here's a few that are very widespread among fans.

George Bush is a dangerous idiot.

Homosexuals should have the same rights as heterosexuals.

What consenting adults do in private is no one's business except their own.

Facts are more important than opionions and you can't change inconvenient facts by ignoring them.

Cruelty, whether to people, animals or children is wrong.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Not a lot, so far, at least in my case.

The new friends I'm picking up are people whose posts I find interesting. Interestingly enough, I then tend to find that they share my interests.

I guess it isn't that surprising as I get to know them via my existing friends. They're people that I'd probably have met anyway at meetings or conventions.

[kerravonsen]

Nag me as soon as my LJ looks happy.
Will do. 8-)

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

I meant to respond to this weeks ago, but somehow never got around to it. Oops.

Incidentally, I always find a problem with reviews that assume the reader has an equal level on knowledge to the writer. I've seen all of Angel, and enjoyed it, but I find it extrememly hard to remember individual episode titles. A review that mentions specific episodes, but only uses the title to clue the reader as to which episode is being referred to, loses a lot of its impact (it's fair enough in a media-specific context, but not in a zine that isn't dedicated to Angel).

Basically--sorry about that. I was trying to keep it general, and have the references work whether you did or didn't know the specifics. I think the only episodes I was really leery about mentioning more for were 'Reprise' and 'Epiphany'; I sort of assumed that if someone didn't know, they probably wouldn't want to know before they watched them.