fandom identity

Fan I am #5: Why Identify As A Fan

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Book Shelf And More

So having thought about the kinds of fan, and why meltdowns occur, I keep wondering “why do people identify as fans so passionately?”

I mean in some ways it looks ridiculous to base part of your life on your love of Neon Genesis Evangelion*. Then you look at fanworks and giant conventions and fans turned pro and realize there’s something here. Fandom is a curious thing, and right when you wonder why the hell anyone would identify that way, you see something wonderful that makes you say “oh, I understand.”

However, as I noted, I think for many Fandom is more of a secondary identity than a primary. But why do people get so passionate? Why does it get so primary?

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Fan I am #4: Fandom Identity And Pathology

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Planetary Collision

We’ve all been there. Some of us may be there right now and wish we weren’t.

The fandom meltdown. The flame wars, the slander, the arguing, and perhaps even the outright confrontations and questionable activity. We’ve all got a story of arguments, of failed endeavors, of con overspending, and so for.

Now when you back up and say “but aren’t we here to like the same things” it makes one think. Why the people dedicated to “liking” something are so busy hating each other and creating problems.  It sort of botches the whole goal.

In fact, it may seem fans hate each other more. As a friend once, when discussing a specific (and yes, unnamed) fandom noted that he saw more infighting among fans than he did in people who didn’t like said fans. Familiarity is seriously a petri dish for contempt.

So as I noted I think there’s five kinds of fans: Recreational, General, Social, Active, and Applied. People may just relax, or their fandom is part of their overall active and probably professional life.

I think conflicts can actually be understood as meltdowns in specific spheres. Usually this leaves the Recreational and General fans going “WTF?”*

But for others, it makes perfect sense. Or at least imperfect sense.

Here’s where I think it happens.

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Fan I Am #3: Identifying As A Fan

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Whirlpool

Previously I identified the following forms of fans:

  • Recreational – The fandom is fun.
  • General Interest – There is definite interest in the subject, and time is put in.but not much is done with it.
  • Social – One identifies with, socializes, and bonds with other fans.
  • Active – One is actively doing things in the fandom.
  • Applied – One’s fandom interest is involved in career and/or large parts of one’s life.

So now we’re back to one of the questions that started this all: does it make sense to identify as a fan.

I meet so many fans and people for whom fandom is a strong part of their identity. I also see pathology in fandom identity, in flamewars and meltdowns and worse. Yet I also see people for whom it delivers passion and happiness.

So it makes sense to ask such a question.

But First . . .

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