News Fantastic Essay About Disgusting Online "fan-culture"

[Mallaky]

http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/05/30/fandom-is-broken


A great essay about vile and disgusting online culture, concerning pop culture.
I am someone who really loves videogames, tv shows and movies, and I am saddened about what is going on. It has come so far, that I really need to watch where I surf and what I read, otherwise I willingly invite anxiety and irritation. And I am talking about entertainment! Not politics or science or religion or anything remotely worth hate or aggression. Its ludicrous and incomprehensible to me. Not that this behavior is excusable in any topic, but hell, at least I get it when its about matters of importance.
There are few safe spaces left to read about my favorite things, let alone talk. As much as I want to, engaging in conversation is something I don't do anymore. I am unstable enough as it is. Very few websites have not become insufferable toxic cesspools. Luckily it seems people are beginning to take a stand against the deeply depressing behavior of, what I dearly hope, are mostly children. However old they are, they are certainly not adults. Worth a read.

I am curios to hear you guys opinion on this.

 

[EveHarrington]

Interesting read!

I had no idea about the Ghostbusters backlash. (Kind of sickens me TBH.)

I've never entered the world of fandom. I stay away as I don't like others opinions to influence my tastes, nor do I particularly enjoy discussing the nuances of that stuff as it takes away my enjoyment of _____.

I think we are in a more ego-centric world. I think people get overly involved in these things-------death threats if stories don't progress in certain ways?

Please------these people need to get over themselves.

If they want a particular outcome to well, anything, they should get off their bums and do the creative work themselves.

But attempting to control others? Not good!

I am very much in the take what I love and leave the rest sort of camp. I'd never even dream of trying to control the creative outcomes of works of art!

 

[Deleted member 12723]

It was a very enlightning piece. It made total sense. More and more, I realize what a huge sense of entitlement people are having in their lives as a way of life. Pretty scary to me.

 

[Mallaky]

Interesting read!

I had no idea about the Ghostbusters backlash. (Kind of sickens me TBH.)

I've...

Yeah, its so vile. And if it were just, you know, not liking stuff that would be okay, but its that affinity for harassment, threats, insults that is just so crazy. Surreal even. Grown man threatening to kill people about a story of a comic book character, that has not even finished it. Good god!
In a way I am working on becoming more like you, in that I have to let go off discussing these things online. Its a shame, because I really really love doing that. A good nerdy talk is totally my thing. Its how I, as a teenager, became a person with friends, instead of the total loner. But it seems, that my passion needs to stay in real life, as the internet is just so depressing. Its so wierd that I have to be carefull what I read about my favorite games, as I have been triggered by that bullshit more then once. :rolleyes: Irrational behavior can really grind my gears.
Needed to delete a forum account once, because two people were spamming me nonstop with threats and insults for suggesting the thing they hated was not actually so bad, and I really cant handle these things.
Once I even wanted to write about that stuff online, make my own blog with articles or so, but I really don't anymore.

@gizmo
Glad you liked it. And yep, very scary. And didn't even talk about the things that people actually have done so far.

 

[EveHarrington]

Somehow I missed the part about fans attacking each other! Wow!

I really don't agree with how our society has become so polarized.

"If you don't agree with me 100%, you're the enemy and I will hurl insults at you to show my disapproval."

I hate to say this sentiment isn't everywhere, but yes, it is indeed everywhere (even here, albeit in low amounts). Some sites are worse than others. Fandom seems to be amongst the worst!

The proliferation of the "hater" insult if someone doesn't completely support you or your thoughts/ideas. We are becoming a culture that cannot have an intelligent conversation involving differences of opinion without someone getting their feelings hurt and lashing out with the "don't be a hater" insult instead of just walking away or agreeing to disagree.

Violence starts with these sorts of things IMHO. We tolerate "violent" language and so subconsciously people see that it's tolerated so the violence grows until people are getting physically hurt, even killed.

Having to fear for your life? Sigh.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I am not very tech savvy but if I was I would not go into Twitter or anything like it. I try to protect myself from how bad a lot of people are getting. I think one of the factors I believe, is the people are like road ragers, behind the wheel and it makes them feel powerful. These people who you are talking about also are under the illusion that they have the protection of anonymity and this also is an easy way to comment without giving any thought to what they say.

 

[Mallaky]

@gizmo Totally right.
Does the bad behavior of people have a impact on you too? Sometimes I feel like a big bad baby having such a thin skin. :(

@EveHarrington
Agreed.
Maybe we have always been such a culture, at least on the level the internet is operating on, just now its more easy to notice it? There is optimism in the thought that stuff isn't turning to shit, we are just getting better at seeing in. That then would mean that we are sick of this is a good sign, not a bad, as it could lead to change. (I try to look for the bright side of things, or I turn insane :clown: )

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I do not think that you are a baby with thin skin. The death of common sense is ruling the cultures now in my opinion

 

[EveHarrington]

Curiously looked at the new Ghostbusters IMDB discussion forum.

Wow!

Lots of bashing toward those who support the film------calling them trolls?!?

I guess that's becoming the latest "hater" insult online? Don't like what someone has to say? Call them a troll!

And the "feminist" insult was pulled, too. Supporting an all female cast makes you a crazy feminist with no taste?

This is one of the films I've been looking forward to for almost a year now and I will likely be seeing it in the theatre. (I don't go to the movies often, especially not in the summer as summer movies are a different breed.)

I don't mean to start a sex war, but if the only reason it's being hated is because of the female cast-------then yes, the argument for sexism can be made------although most will probably deny it.

If art cannot be free to go in whatever direction the creator chooses------we are no longer living in a free society. I much rather art be "free" with disappointing results than stifled by fans who somehow feel that they own the creative process.

It's kind of amazing how much time people spend dwelling on bashing that which does not cater to their every whim instead of saying hey, it's not for me and simply moving on to something they do like.

But maybe that's the point? People may just need something to complain about and this is that avenue for them.

 

[EveHarrington]

Oh but I'm not so sure that this is the way we've always been and that the Internet just brings it to the surface.

I very much believe that the Internet influences behavior, pushes it further, and so on. I do not think the Internet is neutral in this regard.

 

[Mallaky]

Completely agree. I never cared for Ghostbusters, but by God I hope the new one is gonna be good. I hate to see all those people go "TOLD YA SO!"
Eugh. And that "You are ruining my childhood!" nonsense, you saw that too? I find that line really telling. They are scared to death that something they consider "theirs" is moved in another direction than they want. Which leads back to the article and the service-industry comparison the writer used.

People may just need something to complain about and this is that avenue for them.

I long wondered if there is a innate human need to hate.

 

[EveHarrington]

I missed the "you are ruining my childhood" arguments.

I guess I could have said that about-----every reboot of movies and cartoons from my childhood, of which by now there are dozens+++++ because Hollywood jumped on the recycling movement, LOL.

Dont like a remake/re-envision?

Don't watch it! (Simple, right?)

Don't get me wrong------I much prefer original stuff to all these reboots, but I would never go so far as to bash them to this level. At most I just gripe about remakes in general as I prefer completely fresh/original material. (And never online-----usually it's just in passing when I first see a preview for a remake.)

I think it's sad that people consider these things as ruining their childhood.

1st world problems-----

No-----ruined childhoods are more along the lines of being abused, traumatized, living in extreme poverty and not having basic needs attended to, and so on. Art not going your way doesn't even come close.