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Or, to be more precise, what I am. Right now, Fandom Survivors is me: Jamie Lawson, an ordinary fan who has just been burned by organized fandom way too many times to completely forgive and forget any more. I'm creating this group, and these web pages, in the hopes of working through my hurt, and offering a place where others who've been burned in the same way can air their experiences in a safe, supportive place.
I am -- at least, I'd like to think I am -- a fairly sophisticated, well-read person. So's my husband, who's a fandom survivor too. We bring everything we are into fandom with us, and this has gotten us into a lot of trouble with people who seem to think we are trying to rub it in their faces that we're smarter than they are, or something like that. It's not true. We are simply being ourselves. If someone else feels inadequate because they haven't read all the same books we have, that's their problem. We are not passing the judgements on others; they are passing them on themselves, and projecting that judgemental attitude onto us.
I am sick to death of a fandom that is two-faced and hypocritical. A fandom that says, "Everyone is welcome," but ostracizes individuals for arbitrary reasons. A fandom that says, "Everyone is entitled to their opinion," but refuses to listen to and even attacks those whose opinions diverge from the majority, from the accepted wisdom.
I am sick to death of a fandom that takes itself far, far too seriously. It used to be that one could say "Fandom is a way of life" with a bit of self-effacing pride. One could cheerfully say, "Yeah, I'm a Trekkie, so what?" Nowadays, calling someone a "Trekkie" is to risk being assaulted -- verbally at least, if not worse. Better call 'em "TrekkERs," or else.
A few years ago, my husband witnessed a scene between a new
fan and an old one. The new fan was talking about his favorite
show, his wonder and excitement clear from his voice. The older
fan said, "Just how long have you been in fandom,
anyway?" The poor fellow was crushed. Such cruelty and
cynicism is not becoming to anyone.
This is not a vendetta or hate campaign against any one individual. There are a number of people in fandom who have burned me, and whom I really don't like. But that's between them, and me. One of the things that disturbs me about fandom as a whole today is that when one fan gets angry at another, the resources of all of fandom are brought to bear to punish the "offender." Many times, the "offense" was nothing more than speaking an opinion that didn't fit with the "victim's" worldview.
This is not an effort to say "my show is better than your show," nor "my interpretation of this show is better than yours," nor -- especially -- "I'm better than you are." Any viewpoint is welcome, provided you can express it in a reasonable way free of aspersions cast at anyone else. We may not agree with you, but we gladly accept your rights to speak your mind.
In order to reach out to those like me, I'm creating this group. I welcome anyone who wants to write and share their experiences, or join with me in discussions of what we can do together to restore what fandom has lost.
I am now publishing fanzines -- if you're a fan writer, contact me about this. I'd like to create zines which feature essays as well as fiction, about fans and fandom as well as the books, music, films and TV shows we love.
Fen \Fen\, n. [AS. fen, fenn, marsh, mud, dirt; akin to D. veen, OFries. fenne, fene, OHG. fenna, G. fenn, Icel. fen, Goth. fani mud.] Low land overflowed, or covered wholly or partially with water, but producing sedge, coarse grasses, or other aquatic plants; boggy land; moor; marsh.
Note: Fen is used adjectively with the sense of belonging to, or of the nature of, a fen or fens.