the fandom scandal rant
Jun. 8th, 2003 04:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
percivalThis is a post that was inspired by the current fandom scandal, in particular ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
acemyth's posts.
Let me begin by stating my prejudices: I'm a Quiller, one of the GT mods is a good friend (waves topinkfluffyllama), and I really liked stolensocks when I met her. I also like to study people and what makes them tick. Finally, I belong to an organisation that has brought much suffering to the world because of its dogmas - but I still believe that it has an inherently good core. (Answers on a postcard ...)
Now the rant:
Separatism and factionism are nothing new under the sun. It's riven even the best communities - there are plenty of examples in Buddhism and Christianity, even though the main teachers of those two religions were amazing, truly enlightened people.
Fortunately, we all seem to agree that harassment, stalking, and personal vendettas are Bad Things. People have apologised for what they did and explained that they did it to defend people who had been viciously attacked. People have made it clear that they felt deeply hurt by what others saw as just some snarky fun.
I guess the worst thing we could do now would be to entrench ourselves in sides - "holier-than-thou", "I wuz wronged (TM)", "what a terrible fandom", or, worst of all, "I or people from my fan site would never do this".
Well, the fandom consists of lots and lots of different people, from high-brow analysts to squeeing fan girls. There will be some of each on every site. There will also be some loons, and some people who don't have a clear sense of the boundaries of good taste. As Simon, the FA admin, said - you can't control the thousands (or tens of thousands) of people who visit your site.
But the fandom also consists of you, the HP fan who happens to be reading this entry. What about yourself? Can you forgive and move on? Can you behave responsibly, so that scandals like these won't occur again? It's our responsibility not just to moan about the state of this fandom, but to do something about it - by intelligent discussion and open and fair communication.
Because we are the fandom, we are the only people who can make sure it stays sane and tolerant and who can heal the rifts.
Don't dream it, be it.
::cue Hippie music::
::steps off soapbox::
acemyth's posts. Let me begin by stating my prejudices: I'm a Quiller, one of the GT mods is a good friend (waves to
pinkfluffyllama), and I really liked stolensocks when I met her. I also like to study people and what makes them tick. Finally, I belong to an organisation that has brought much suffering to the world because of its dogmas - but I still believe that it has an inherently good core. (Answers on a postcard ...) Now the rant:
Separatism and factionism are nothing new under the sun. It's riven even the best communities - there are plenty of examples in Buddhism and Christianity, even though the main teachers of those two religions were amazing, truly enlightened people.
Fortunately, we all seem to agree that harassment, stalking, and personal vendettas are Bad Things. People have apologised for what they did and explained that they did it to defend people who had been viciously attacked. People have made it clear that they felt deeply hurt by what others saw as just some snarky fun.
I guess the worst thing we could do now would be to entrench ourselves in sides - "holier-than-thou", "I wuz wronged (TM)", "what a terrible fandom", or, worst of all, "I or people from my fan site would never do this".
Well, the fandom consists of lots and lots of different people, from high-brow analysts to squeeing fan girls. There will be some of each on every site. There will also be some loons, and some people who don't have a clear sense of the boundaries of good taste. As Simon, the FA admin, said - you can't control the thousands (or tens of thousands) of people who visit your site.
But the fandom also consists of you, the HP fan who happens to be reading this entry. What about yourself? Can you forgive and move on? Can you behave responsibly, so that scandals like these won't occur again? It's our responsibility not just to moan about the state of this fandom, but to do something about it - by intelligent discussion and open and fair communication.
Because we are the fandom, we are the only people who can make sure it stays sane and tolerant and who can heal the rifts.
Don't dream it, be it.
::cue Hippie music::
::steps off soapbox::
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no subject
Date: 2003-06-09 02:52 am (UTC)You are so right, this is silly. Glad you stopped by!
(from a R/H shipper to a H/Hr shipper ;)