On Adults, Kids and Hanson.net
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| Meta | |
|---|---|
| Title: | On Adults, Kids and Hanson.net |
| Creator: | Laura Motta |
| Date(s): | 2001 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom: | Hanson |
| Topic: | official website and agism in fandom |
| External Links: | brightandbeautiful.org/hanson/thelastleg.htm |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
On Adults, Kids and Hanson.netis a 2001 meta essay written by Laura Motta on her website Bright and Beautiful.
It deals with the way that Hanson's official forums are moderated and the line drawn between adults/kids and mature/immature behavior in the fandom.
Excerpts
I've tried very hard to keep quiet about Hanson.net up until now. Sometimes, when everyone has something to say on a subject, silence is the most compelling statement. But I can't do it anymore. I can't do it because something is assuredly rotten in Denmark, and it has nothing to do with the lack of moderation (in all senses of the word) over in that neck of the internet.
Since Hanson.net went live, (read: since everyone has been able to get in, not just those who figured out back-door urls) there have been various calls, petitions, battle cries, for an adult forum. It doesn't seem like a bad idea, a place for the older sect of Hanson fans to chat amongst themselves. But if you look more closely, the implications of an adult forum are dangerous, and would only serve to further divide Hanson fans rather than bring them together.
A lot of what happens at Hanson.net is inappropriate, no one is denying that. But what it needs is more moderators, not an arbitrary forum where all "responsible" conversation will be contained. (And what, after all, is responsible conversation? I talk about Hanson's body parts all the time. I just use spell check.) It's particularly wrong if that arbitrary forum is labeled an adult forum. It's not fair to the young fans who know how to behave in a public forum. I know. I've been there. I understand what it's like to be underestimated by adults who think that by having stood more years on the planet, their opinions are more valid, more interesting and more intelligent. In fact, I've heard many an "adult" use that very argument in prooving that Hanson can't be a good band. They'te too young. What of importance could they possibly have to say? Age is only a number. Until we can figure out the universal age of responsibility, there can be no adult forum at Hanson.net.