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It's like a broken record.
Jul. 22nd, 2008 08:48 amFor some reason, the OTW debate is raging again, which typically causes me to have a raging headache. The current argument seems to be whether fandom is really sekrit anymore.
Now, I agree that fandom isn't really secret. However, I'm not sure I agree with all the people blithely asserting that zomg, everyone already knows about fandom. So some random NPR show that's been cancelled did an interview with Whatsherface from the OTW. And the Literary Review of Canada did an article. So, how many people do I know that regularly consume either one of those media? Well, none. Those are two specific points that could be quibbled over, but what I'm trying to point out is that generally, I find people DON'T know about fanfiction.
Yeah, you can get a skabillion Google hits for fanfiction, but you have to enter the right search terms.You have to go to del.icio.us in the first place. Or the tv show's website. Or read that actor's interview. Or shit, even get online-- there are still people who don't, you know. Look at how many major news events are covered by mainstream media sources that John Q Public doesn't (take the time to) know about, and you're telling me that the tiny little crumbs of information about fandom that are scattered here and there are going to be paid attention to? Does everyone seriously just bring up their slash writing with random people to find that zomg, they already know about fandom?
I wonder sometimes if I see these things differently because my lifestyle is significantly different from some fen. I get the feeling that perhaps they live in more metropolitan, liberal areas where eccentricity is tolerated to a greater degree. Well, when I'm feeling charitable. When I'm feeling uncharitable, I think they must be deluded and sealed inside some kind of subculture bubble where they imagine that the general public is really going to embrace that having Ron Weasley take it up the ass from Draco Malfoy is transformative. Have they actually gotten offline and went out in the real world lately? Or jeez, just looked at unfunnybusiness?
Now, I agree that fandom isn't really secret. However, I'm not sure I agree with all the people blithely asserting that zomg, everyone already knows about fandom. So some random NPR show that's been cancelled did an interview with Whatsherface from the OTW. And the Literary Review of Canada did an article. So, how many people do I know that regularly consume either one of those media? Well, none. Those are two specific points that could be quibbled over, but what I'm trying to point out is that generally, I find people DON'T know about fanfiction.
Yeah, you can get a skabillion Google hits for fanfiction, but you have to enter the right search terms.You have to go to del.icio.us in the first place. Or the tv show's website. Or read that actor's interview. Or shit, even get online-- there are still people who don't, you know. Look at how many major news events are covered by mainstream media sources that John Q Public doesn't (take the time to) know about, and you're telling me that the tiny little crumbs of information about fandom that are scattered here and there are going to be paid attention to? Does everyone seriously just bring up their slash writing with random people to find that zomg, they already know about fandom?
I wonder sometimes if I see these things differently because my lifestyle is significantly different from some fen. I get the feeling that perhaps they live in more metropolitan, liberal areas where eccentricity is tolerated to a greater degree. Well, when I'm feeling charitable. When I'm feeling uncharitable, I think they must be deluded and sealed inside some kind of subculture bubble where they imagine that the general public is really going to embrace that having Ron Weasley take it up the ass from Draco Malfoy is transformative. Have they actually gotten offline and went out in the real world lately? Or jeez, just looked at unfunnybusiness?
