Modern fandom went awry (essay)

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Title:	Modern fandom went awry (first line of the post)
Creator:	enigmaticpink
Date(s):	May 15, 2021
Medium:	Tumblr
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External Links:	Modern fandom went awry when people stopped... - How lovely, Archived version
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Modern fandom went awry is a short meta essay by enigmaticpink that was posted to Tumblr on May 15, 2021. By July 26, 2021 it had accumulated over 32,000 reblogs and notes.

Essay

The Original Essay:

Modern fandom went awry when people stopped learning how to avoid content that upsets them and instead starting actively seeking it out.

I mean this in the kindest, most loving way possible, but babes you’ll be so much happy when you stop focusing on what other people are doing and instead focus on what you like.

You’ll never be able to stop people from liking what you hate, and the best way you’ll find any peace of mind is properly utilizing blocking, blacklisting, and muting tools. Take it from someone who used to run a shipping discourse blog, fandom is supposed to be what you enjoy, stop focusing on things that upset you.

Follow-up Posts:

[enigmaticpink] Okay now that we're established that people in fandom are allowed to like different things and they shouldn't receive harassment for it....

[enigmaticpink replying to puregoldz] This one sounds a little too “let people ship incest!!” for my tastes Hey I would appreciate it if y'all would stop bringing up incest (and pedophilia. I know you didn’t mention it but other people have.) up on this post. I didn’t mention either things in my og post and both topics make me uncomfortable (and I find discussions of pedophilia triggering). This post came from a place of concern for people who go out their way to find things that upset them. Please stop bringing up things that could be potentially triggering into a conversation that never mentioned either things in the first place.

[enigmaticpink replying to dualityofcat]:i shouldn't have to block 80 things because ao3 loves incest and pedophilia

I’m not here to defend those kinds of fics, that’s a debate I’m not getting into (and anyone who tries and drags me into one is getting blocked) but I don’t know what kind of solution you want. AO3 makes it clear when you sign up that they won’t ban or delete fics, regardless of the content, unless it contains actually illegal content. Again that’s some you’re made aware of when signing up, assuming you actually read what they’re about and their terms of service.

If you don’t want to see those fics, which I get, I don’t like seeing them either, you have two options. You can exclude the tags incest and the underage tag. That’s actually far less than 80 things, it’s only two.

The second option is to simply not use the site. If you’re worried enough about seeing unsavory or potentially triggering content and you don’t think filtering out tags is enough, you can simply opt of using the site. It’s that simple.

Again, my post is about people seeking out content instead of avoiding it. You can avoid it, and quite frankly I don’t see what this reply has to do with my post.Again, my post is about people seeking out content instead of avoiding it. You can avoid it, and quite frankly I don’t see what this reply has to do with my post..

[enigmaticpink replying to misscorp] I will fundamentally agree with all this save for one point: blacklisting. Blacklisting a person is a form of bullying. You do NOT have the right to blacklist a person who does not like your ship, favorite character, etc. They have a right to not like those things and to speak on those things. If they are being rude to you or others, by all means block them. Do NOT however go around and talk smack about them. That makes you a bully and a child. Use tags, filters, whatever but unless that person is an actual menace or causing harm to you or others? Keep your mouth shut. Fandom is for everyone and YOU don’t get to decide who that EVERYONE is. I'm not talking about blacklisting people or bullying people.....I'm talking blacklisting terms and phrases via filters...

Reactions

Use Platform Tools To Curate Your Space

[figurativefriend] Blocking any and all related tags and words to a thing you dont want to see will keep you sane on the world wide web.

[ravenklaw2]True. Block them. You don't see them on tl, they don't exist on your social media.

[gastairfad] A 1000s times this!!! Blocking and unfollowing are my friends on this platform. I'm here to enjoy my experience, not be drained by constant negativity, bickering and bitterness!!!

[oxnerd] God, I wish Reddit had some way to block entire subs. Scrolling thru and seeing some alt right nazi bullshit getting thousands of upvotes is damaging to the brain. Tumblr is better in every sense because you can protect yourself from that brain rot.

[tacticianlyra] Unfortunately Tumblr is a "perfectly functional" website that'll show you posts from people you blocked if someone else you follow reblogs it.

[totallysilvergirl] Ooooooh I love my Tumblr savior list

Tag, Tag, Tag

[acnelli] Tumblr may have its flaws but the tag filtering is just the best thing. I live in my cozy corner of this fandom, just happy I found some people with the same taste in characters and pairings.

Also, if you voice your dislike of a certain character or pairing, use the anti- tag. People who like it can filter the anti- tag, so it’s a nice way to make sure everyone has a good time within the fandom.

[sweetsugarystars] So what do you do when you do all that but people don't tag their posts properly and it comes up regardless

[neritess] This is also why you should not tag anti fandom content with fandom tags

jade-harley-lesbian] i completely understand the point being made here, but when "tagging isnt an obligation" is a mindset that is very prevalent in some circles, it becomes so hard to avoid the things you dont want to see

[ikatella] @jade-harley-lesbian and yes I agree more people need to be tagging their stuff, but I'm more referring to people who specifically seek out content they dislike, not people who have genuine trouble avoiding it due to poor tagging

[dykeopathic] the only true villains of fandom are the writers who don't tag mpreg on fics that explicitly feature mpreg

What Did People Do Before Tumblr and AO3?

[cupcaketheprotector] Considering before Tumblr and AO3 appeared there wasn't really any tagging going on, how were they avoiding things they don't like? Just exiting fanfics instead of bashing the author for writing a story? Absolute madlad lol

[idealisticshoujohearts] Old fandom’s closest equivalent was “I can’t quit you, fanficrants and fandomsecrets, even though you explode in drama constantly” or good old train wreck syndrome, but even back then people DID eventually figure out “you know, I can unfriend these communities” and made filters or used private AIM chats to laugh/cringe over Cori Falls’s fanfics. Like…old fandom had its own share of huge problems but we had WAY less people going out of their way to seek out content that upset them so they could be Righteously Angry. (Shit, I used to keep aggravating comms and read badfic and get agitated and it took me YEARS to remove one certain comm from my friends’ list, but even back then I’m pretty sure I wasn’t as bad as the brats who refuse to blacklist certain ships, seek those ships out, and rip the author a new one for writing them before wailing all over tumblr.)

[woodface] This isn't anything new. We always were able to seek out content we didn't agree with and we did. It's just that usually there was a wall in between you and that content. You had to sign up to comment smut could get kicked out for making trouble. So usually you sought it out, gritted your teeth and taunted with others at how dumb the other half of fandom was.

Now everything gets dumped in the same pool and you can try any of those methods, things will still spill over. What changed is that it’s just so much easier to be a dick and stir up trouble now. It’s so easy to cross lanes and purity culture makes people feel entitled to do so.

[orangebitters] Not sure there was ever a time when people *didn’t* actively seek out their disliked pairings and premises for a good ol’ outrage wank, but I agree with the larger point you’re trying to make about how they should stop doing that.

We Are Powerless Against The Algorithms

[asortoflight] considering a lot of social media algorithmically seeks to make you upset this is 0% surprising and I'm not even sure it's fans' fault

[asortoflight] @ikatella yes, I understand and I agree! But I think the way the social internet is constructed at a site level has had more effect on the culture and the way people interact online than we realize. People come to expect certain kinds of discourse and interaction out of fandom, sites like Twitter and YouTube amplify that, it feeds itself.

[bluefire-axolotl] good post but i could use some help for the technical side of this. how... i’m so sorry to even ask that, but how do i convince the youtube algorithm to stop giving me softcore among us porn in the form of ads? i watched like 1 gaming channel and now they show up constantly. i wish to fucking god this was a joke. please help.

How To Live Better In Fandom Spaces

[42-wear-a-mask-greylizards] I'm all for this. I also think that its healthy to explore what is upsetting you. This doesnt mean that you need everyone around you to bend to your will when you enter into their space and find it not to your liking. Engage by observing and exploring, and if it's not for you, disengage.

[xhttpjinx] Remember this: No one owes anyone a damn thing. You don't like something? That's your own problem. No one has any right to dictate what others enjoy, whether you agree with it or not. The problem with social media is that everyone is far too concerned with making sure that others feel exactly the same way they do

[tickingpocketwatches] And this applies to everyday life as well. Stop seeking what feeds your hate, and spend your time watering the blossom of your happiness. It’s thirsty, give your heart a drink. You won’t regret the peace it gives you.

[grammarmancer] This is incredibly true. When I made myself stop* responding to things that made me mad, and I started skipping content that I really disliked because there was no point in watching/reading it because I couldn’t respond, and my mood really significantly lightened and I enjoy social media way more now.

Fandom Is About The 'Feels

[shigures-house] I think the issue is that people like to *feel* things when they consume fanworks, and it isn't important if they're good feelings or bad feelings, as long as they're *strong* feelings.

And it’s easier to feel things strongly when we’re hating on something.

[thedemonsurfer] You can absolutely get addicted to being mad, and getting your own panties in a twist over discourse is one of the safest, most anonymous ways to get your hit of adrenaline for the day.

[silverhand ] I think the larger problem is that Fandom seems to have become about finding things to be upset about.

For Some It Is About The Trolling

[old-type-40] I've long suspected this has nothing to do with wanting to feel happy or unhappy. It's about people wanting to feel superior to others and this kind of fandom behavior is just a tiny step below being a troll. Those who do this are probably looking for a way to feel good about themselves by finding a reason to throw disdain and sneer at other people. And they're probably vocal about it because they hope others will jump on their bandwagon. Because nothing makes it easier to behave in a crappy way than being in a group of people all doing the same thing.

[frontier001] And there’s now some minor level of “fame” and “fortune” involved in being a toxic anti-fan.

People had problems with the TMP movies. And then with TNG. And DS9! And Voyager! But they burned themselves out. They complained to whoever they knew in real life, until those people told them to shut up. Maybe they complained on early net BBs, but inevitably there was an expiration date on their grumbling and grousing. People only tolerated it so long.

Now? It’s a cottage industry. You can make money or get some peer admiration if you complain in the right way about the right things in the right circles.

[robuttsinyourthighs] Fandom is only truly fandom when FANS gather and nurture their mutual interests. If your fandom experience is to actively go after things you dislike, you're not a real fan - you're a troll looking for a fix.

Stop draining people emotionally because they draw/write/SHIP your “NOTP” and focus on building up the people whose content you DO like.

When you focus on the negative, you’re taking time away from the positive. You could have been that one hype comment that encouraged an author to add a chapter after 5 years, the mutual who encouraged someone to go for that doujinshi they’ve been wanting to make, or even stumble into a hub of new friends just because you all really like the same hero/villain in a show.

You’re not only dragging down others, but you’re wasting your own time making yourself miserable.

Please don’t squander your time in fandom. Enjoy it.

[et-in-umbra-mortis] THIS. That's the big difference between fans & stans. Fans are doing their own things happily & just ship whatever TF they like. They don't hate on others. Stans troll others about it. Honestly, just ship whatever the hell crazy ass thing & stop giving others grief because of having a small, narrow mind. It's so dumb, toxic, and a tweeny thing to do. Total waste of time that changes no minds.

For Others It Is The Bullying And Othering

[homie-koyomi] It's not about the content, it's about othering people because it's the only way they can feel morally superior. Modern liberalism requires being morally perfect, and being angry at things that aren't, but it's impossible to be angry all the time, so in order to maintain it people slingshot from one random thing to the next just othering so that they can be compared and better.

[la-vie-en-lys] Bold of you to assume those people are here for entertainment. To an extent, perhaps they are, but it’s mostly about bullying. They’re here to exert control and displays of power, not to have fun and create a community.

[ben-barnes-is-my-husband] To piggyback off of the OP, stop harassing shippers. Don't like a ship? Just leave it alone. You do you. Let others do the same. It is not making any difference in your world what other people ship. Block tags if you don't like it, and for the love of all that is holy, don't post in their tags!

[homie-koyomi] It's not about the content, it's about othering people because it's the only way they can feel morally superior. Modern liberalism requires being morally perfect, and being angry at things that aren't, but it's impossible to be angry all the time, so in order to maintain it people slingshot from one random thing to the next just othering so that they can be compared and better.

[jayden-drawsworld] Yeah, it’s called mob mentality, nothing makes you feel more on the high ground then a bunch of stupid, loud people agreeing with and backing you up against one single person who didn’t want to ask for the discourse. It’s all over twitter and Tumblr, It’s in what cancel culture is down to it’s base form. I try to make my tumblr a safe, neutral place for anyone who decides to follow me, I won’t judge you for what you like ship wise, because at the end of the day I understand it’s a fictional world and ship that people has many personal reasons to ship the ways they do. I might not agree with it all the time but that doesn’t mean i should go out of my way to consume it and hate on it in their tags. It’s just basic human respect, I know ya’ll like to forget that the person you’re hating on mob style is a human being and all, but They ARE a Human being and deserve at least the respect to be left alone.

[icanfuckthescalenetriangle] you dont have to get mad about fictional characters yall, we're literally living in a time with neonazis and trillionaires and republicans and shit theres Plenty to be mad about without bullying well meaning content creators on twitter

Sometimes It Isn't About Seeking Out What You Hate

[tieriastar] I agree when it comes to not searching for things you hate of course. But it sucks when the things you hate find their way into the things you love.

For instance, trying to find cool pics of the character you love by simply googling their name but instead come across many pics and heartless memes about your favorite character being dead. It’s really hard to avoid that stuff. Of course blocking certain accounts on Tumblr helps a little but only when you are on Tumblr.

But the other issue is that ppl these days do not respect the “don’t tag you hate” rule on Tumblr so when ppl get on my case about it I just ignore them because no one really follows those etiquette rules especially when it’s about the things I love so it’s whatever.

Also, sometimes it’s not posting your hate. It could be a post making a critical opinion about a ship, character, etc and if someone doesn’t like it they will repost and say this is a hate post when it’s not.

[moodymelanist] I hear this but there is an important distinction to be made between “stop focusing on things that upset you” and being bombarded with racism, ableism, and other kinds of fuckery that are rampant within this fandom no matter what you like

Other Deep Thoughts

[chocolatemoosey] Quick addition that purposefully looking for or at things that upset or trigger you is a form of self-harm and if you do this you should genuinely seek help. Please take care of yourselves ♡

[afleetingindecency] Also, they probably have some weird interest that makes them feel bad about themselves, so they project that on everyone else. They're mostly American, right? So, the weird interest is likely just sex which they've been told is bad so when they come on the internet and see people enjoying it without boundaries they freak out and have to make up a reaaon that it's still bad somehow. Especially since most of those people are women and they're typically objectifying men. Tags: #FANDOM WOULDN'T BE FANDOM IF SOMEONE WASN'T CRYING ABOUT SAVING THE CHILDREN #MEANWHILE THEY'RE NOT REALLY SCREENING ANY OF THE PEOPLE TAKING CARE OF KIDS AT THE BORDER SO IT'S A PEDO PLAYGROUND #IMAGINE IF YOU USED YOU ANTI POWER TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT INSTEAD OF SAVING IMAGINARY KIDS ON THE INTERNET #OR IF YOU WANT TO STAY ON THE INTERNET GO PROTECT THE KIDS ON TIKTOK GETTING CALLED VANILLA AND BEING PRESSURED FOR NOT BEING INTO KINK #FANFIC DIDN'T DO THAT ACTUAL INTERNET PORN DID

[shadowsevilfish] Don't worry about what other people are doing. None of them, they are not you

[danikoshi] I think people just want an outlet for existing problems and things that make them upset on the internet is a good substitute or maybe it’s like that thing when we were kids where we actively start arguments with our parents to show them how ‘big’ we were or smth

[flamboyantanime] You can even make your own site. AO3 is open source and you can copy the basics and make your own changes and terms of service yourself. Most people just want to complain about something good rather than put in the same time, work, and money as AO3 volunteers, though.

[spiritarrow] I agree. I was essentially off all creative media/online community for the last five years due to work, life, etc. When I returned, the whole dynamic had shifted. I’m surprised by this, because I have always found it to be detrimental to self to seek out things I don’t like. It just makes me more upset. It’s easier to let people have their ship or character and avoid upsetting stuff. I am a product of a different era of internet. I guess I’m old fashioned now?