It feels like fandom is about to explode

[darkemeralds]

I reached some kind of tolerance limit for meta today. Between the Pros on Fanfic lollapalooza of the last couple of weeks, and whatever the Bad Thing At The Con in 2008 was that has generated such a lot of discussion about sex in fandom, I feel as maxed out on Issues tonight as I did on sugar last night.

I've learned a lot of valuable stuff in these fannish spaces over the past couple of years, from various *fails and controversies. Everybody gets a chance to speak their mind. I've come a long way in seeing things differently, noticing my own privilege, respecting points of view that were never even on my radar before, and articulating some of my own previously wordless issues.

Now I'm tired and pouty and out of sorts, and I don't want to think any serious thoughts, or frame any more responses to other people's serious thoughts. I think I may need a brief internet vacation.

Comments

[writerscramp]

Oy vey the Pro Opinions on Fanfic thing. Srsly...looooots of ass showing all over the damn place.

If it helps at all, I think the cracktastic views of authors on fanfic is a pretty generational thing. And I don't mean that wrt age, really, but more with the way and degree that writerly people have been involved with or part of online activities, especially with the infiltration of fandom into most everything online. Just as the kids in college/high school have never owned music on some physical format, and don't watch TV shows on television, there's a large and increasing percentage of writers and readers who have never known a time when fanfic was not simply a given. It doesn't even matter whether you're into fanfic, or engaged in fandom generally -- I'm not into fanfic, but I totally get the impulse and the fanthropology of it all interests me -- it's integrated into our cultural understanding, and seen as signifier of having made it as a writer/creator, not as something that must be stomped out. I get the kneejerk reaction of the pro-writers who are opposed to fanfic and where that comes from, but those of us coming up behind them (whatever our ages) are collectively shaking our heads and saying, "Dude! Way to cut yourself off at the knees! Those are your biggest fans, dumbass!"

Or, what she said. :)

[darkemeralds]

How did I miss that particular response in the latest Fic-a-wank-a-palooza? That was good. Thanks for the link. It does seem fairly obvious, the generational thing, once it's pointed out, but it's actually not an argument I'd seen yet in the case.