BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / The dark side of fandoms

**Posted by Vhanja** July 18, 2017 5:58 pm

Just to have it said, this thread was not inspired by the Sherlock fandom (although I've seen the phenomenon here as well), it was actually inspiried by a gaming community. And I deliberatly put it at "Other", because this is about fandom in general, not Sherlock in particular.

There is one part about fandom that fascinates me. It's the side that can't wait to tell you how horrible their game/movie/series is. The most blatant example was one guy (or girl) who wrote a long rant concering a particular game, and how horrible it was. I remember he/she saying that it was so bad that a bunch of monkeys could have come up with the same code. As I continued reading the rant, it turns out that this person has spent over 500 hours playing this game.

And that is where you lost me. If you really hated this game so much, why spend 500 hours playing it?

There is this other game that just got a huge update. I just got back into it, delving into the update, and honestly enjoying myself thouroughly. This was awesome, oodles of fun! After having played hours and hours I log off and go to visit a fan forum...

And I am met with threads like "The game for imbecils!" - and I'm shocked. It turns out the game is broken, useless, for imbecils - and I hadn't even noticed, having too much fun enjoying myself.

And of course we have Sherlock. Where some fans feel an entitlement that goes way beyond whatever the creators delivered.

Don't get me wrong. This is not for those who love their series/books/games, but are critical to X or Y. I'm talking about those going "THIS IS HORRIBLE, THE CREATORS SUCK!"

This has happend to every fandom I've been a part of. In my naivity, I've watched a series/movie or played a game, thoroughly enjoying myself, thinking it awesome. Then I go online to visit a fan form and I'm met with "THIS SUCKS!" and I understand nothing. It was the same with Sherlock. I was enjoying myself immensly with S4, until I caught up with the fandom and realised that perhaps I shouldn't?

Now, I do understand about shows disappointing you. I remember watching the first season of "American Horror Story", and I loved it to bits. Loved the second and third season too. Fourth season bored me to tears. Yes, I was disappointed. No, it didn't live up to my personal expectations. But never once did I even consider going to a fan forum or to the writers and ranting about how disappointed I was.

And we have the latest one. Ed Sheeran playing a cameo role in the latest Game of Thrones series (a series I love to death). And now he has deleted his Twitter account.

It reminds me of the old saying "I'm the biggest fan there is - no one hates this as much as me!"

Do you guys have any thoughts about this phenomenon?

Last edited by Vhanja (July 18, 2017 6:14 pm)

**Posted by tonnaree** July 18, 2017 7:06 pm

I agree with your not understanding the hate.
It's one thing to have discussions about why you don't enjoy something but to just spew hatred full time?
Feel free to explain to me why you don't enjoy something, but don't try to make me feel like I am wrong for liking it.
I'd much rather spend my time discussing things I enjoy. And I have the right to enjoy whatever the hell I want to regardless of what anyone else thinks of it.

**Posted by Vhanja** July 18, 2017 7:22 pm

I agree, tonnaree, I don't get it. If I actively dislike something, I will just stay away from and read/watch/play something I do enjoy. I don't get it. But seeing as I've encoutered it in every fandom I've been a part of, it seems to be something of a phenomenon.

**Posted by Yitzock** July 18, 2017 9:02 pm

There's always going to be people who complain, whether it's about a piece of art and entertainment or politics or anything. I don't understand why people bother wasting their time doing that. I like the way you put it, tonnaree. I don't think it's right for someone to made to feel bad or told something is wrong with them for liking a thing just because someone else doesn't like it. As long as we don't take what those people say to heart, then we can survive that. It makes me sad to hear that someone has decided to delete their online account because of the fury of some negative people. I don't watch Game of Thrones, but I thought Ed Sheeran's appearance was a fun idea. If someone thinks it's stupid, it doesn't justify attacking him.

**Posted by belis** November 6, 2017 8:18 pm

Does it have something to do with how we interact with others online as a whole, not just in fandoms? I find that some people are super intense with their emotions and opinions in a way that they would not act if they were having a face to face conversation. I wonder if it is something about the written word that pushes them to this level of intensity as they may feel that without tone of voice, facial expression etc they are not going to be understood unless they really spell it out. Or more likely people lose all their inhibitions under the cloak of a degree of anonymity that Internet offers and really go to town with their rants. Some sort of catharsis that may help them process their angry feelings, disportments etc

**Posted by besleybean** November 6, 2017 9:29 pm

I think you are largely correct...
Right or wrong, I try to speak on here how I would to you face to face!

**Posted by SusiGo** November 7, 2017 12:21 pm

Interesting discussion. And you know what - I think it has also to do with arrogance.

Let me compare it with food. I eat something and enjoy the taste and think, well, that was a really delicious meal. Enter a gourmet and they start dissecting every single flavour and spice and what was lacking and what was used in excess and the whole joy of eating this food is gone. Why? Because someone had to present themselves as a specialist who knows better, whose experience is greater, who used to love this restaurant when Whatsisname was chief but it went down the drain since then ...

Don't get me wrong, I love analysing Sherlock and other shows but not to tell others how shitty they are, how stupid one must be to like them. Life is too precious to occupy myself with things I do not like and robbing other of their joy makes it even worse.

**Posted by tonnaree** November 7, 2017 6:56 pm

*high fives susi*

I've developed a habit that seems to help me.
When someone who decides to explain to me why something I enjoy is bad and why I am wrong to like it, I look them right in the eye and say "I don't care, it makes me happy."

If they continue, I repeat, "I don't care."

I once actually had to say "I don't care" three times before they stopped trying to change my mind. Telling them you don't care usually blows their minds a bit and they don't know what else to say.

It's ok to discuss the technical aspects of something or the philosphies behind it etc. But if someone loves something don't waste your time trying to convince them that they are wrong. You are allowed to love what you love even if it actually is "bad." Don't we all have a favorite movie or tv show that is so BAD it's actually fun to watch? For example, you would not believe how many times I've watched Showgirls.

Last edited by tonnaree (November 7, 2017 7:02 pm)

**Posted by Yitzock** November 7, 2017 7:10 pm

Yeah, and not only that, but you can acknowledge that there flaws in something and still love it overall.

**Posted by JP** November 7, 2017 7:46 pm

Maybe it's another way of attention seeking?

**Posted by besleybean** November 7, 2017 7:48 pm

I just think it's the modern sense of entitlement.

**Posted by SusiGo** November 7, 2017 8:49 pm

Yitzock wrote:
Yeah, and not only that, but you can acknowledge that there flaws in something and still love it overall.

This is so true.

And, yes, tonnaree, I think I will try this next time someone tries to dissuade me from liking something.

**Posted by Liberty** November 7, 2017 8:53 pm

Well said, Susi. And the rest of you above. And yes, I've noticed this trend for what seems to be trying to make people feel stupid for liking something, and I don't approve. I've noticed that things that young teenagers like particularly get criticised, which irritates me - it's hard enough being young without being made to feel stupid for liking something. (Fine to criticise things among like minds, of course, but when people go out of their way to find a fan site/thread/forum/etc. just to criticise, it's irritating).

Tonnaree, I agree about sometimes liking things that aren't objectively good! You've made me want to watch Showgirls again!

**Posted by Vhanja** November 7, 2017 9:01 pm

Yes, I think it was a good point about it being online. People often write online in a way they wouldn't speak to someone face to face. I think that is a big factor.

I just don't understand spending time on a fan forum if you really dislike the game/series/movie/whatever. If I read/watch/play something and dislike it, I leave it alone and go do something else.

**Posted by besleybean** November 7, 2017 9:03 pm

Seems logical to me.

**Posted by tonnaree** November 9, 2017 4:50 pm

Liberty wrote:
Tonnaree, I agree about sometimes liking things that aren't objectively good! You've made me want to watch Showgirls again!

Showgirls is such an epic failure, but it's like a train wreck, you can't look away!!

Another thing I have started making a point of is NOT picking on things that teenagers love. Even if I honestly think it's stupid, I'm not the target audience. I also have to admit that I would be all over a lot of these things if I were a teenager!! I remember subscribing to fan magazines and putting pictures all over my bedroom walls of "teen idols." I can never deny the fact that I had Donny Osmond albums.

Bottom line, can't we just let people like what they like? Especially since it doesn't harm us in any way, shape or form.

**Posted by belis** November 18, 2017 12:05 pm

JP wrote:
Maybe it's another way of attention seeking?

That's a good point. If you disagree and come up with all sorts of statements that are offensive you are more likely to stir things up and get lots of replies online. That's where the whole 'trolling' comes from. Some people crave attention and recognition so much that they don't care if it is positive or negative.

**Posted by belis** November 18, 2017 12:10 pm

tonnaree wrote:
Liberty wrote:
Tonnaree, I agree about sometimes liking things that aren't objectively good! You've made me want to watch Showgirls again!
Showgirls is such an epic failure, but it's like a train wreck, you can't look away!!

Another thing I have started making a point of is NOT picking on things that teenagers love. Even if I honestly think it's stupid, I'm not the target audience. I also have to admit that I would be all over a lot of these things if I were a teenager!! I remember subscribing to fan magazines and putting pictures all over my bedroom walls of "teen idols." I can never deny the fact that I had Donny Osmond albums.

Bottom line, can't we just let people like what they like? Especially since it doesn't harm us in any way, shape or form.

Good point. Sometimes it is not immediately obvious how old someone is. I often think to myself 'gosh, what an immature or silly comment' only to find out later that the poster is in fact 12 and taking into account their developmental level they have actually produced a well thought out and reasonable argument. Or if they are starting to throw their toys out of a pram in frustration some credit needs to be given to the fact that they entered into discussion with an adult who is twice their age and has a degree on the subject. So I am trying to be more patient with people and less arrogant in my ways. Still a way to go. Haha

**Posted by besleybean** November 18, 2017 3:13 pm

You and me both, girl! x