Geek, Movies, Trek, TV, Twin Peaks

The “Real Fan” Debate: A meaningless tiering of fandom

This past week I was reading Twitter feeds, which is my favorite way of wasting time, and I saw this post:

I guess this was in response to the newest Star Wars movie, which has continued to divide fandom. Me, I’m not seeing it… but if people do and enjoy it, good for them! I’m not going to take that away from them.

As I said on social media after seeing this post, reading people debate whether someone is a “real fan” of a particular entertainment franchise is the stupidest, most time-wasting thing ever. It’s a thing intended to entertain. Like it? Good for you. Hate it? Whatever. You’re either a fan of a thing, or not.

This type of “tiering” of fandom is… well, a form of judgement. It is all about separating people from each other and separating them from the shared experience of the things they love. Some people call it “Othering”.

A classic episode of Star Trek referred to this: “You are not of The Body.” If you are the least bit critical of an entry in the Star Wars franchise (produced by a company that BOUGHT said IP from the original creator and then IGNORED his ideas), well… You are not a True Fan.

Retroblasting just did a video on this, one that is exactly right:

Here’s a crazy notion: A multi-decade entertainment franchise can have multiple things they release. Some of them you may like, some of them you may not. If you say a “Real” fan has to not criticize some of the things that are not so good, then you are 100% wrong.

As you can see from the content on this here blog, I love Star Trek. LOVE it. I have three bookshelves filled with Star Trek collectibles acquired over many years (much to my wife’s chagrin). The collective value of all of it may be equivalent to a single house payment, but I wouldn’t part with any of it. It’s precious to me, because every item reminds me of a series (the original, BTW) that I love.

But I’m never gonna say that it’s all good. Oh HELLL no. There were clunkers in the first season of the 1966 series. Since I just posted that, I guess I’m not a “real fan.”

I’m a fan of Twin Peaks. I figured out who BOB was before the reveal was first aired. I’m a pal of Mark Frost, mostly online. I have visited the shooting locations multiple times. BUT… I haven’t gone to Laura’s Log. So I guess I’m not a Real Fan of Peaks, then. (Rolls eyes)

The idea that there are “thresholds” that you have to “level up” so you can achieve the “Real Fan Badge” is SOOOO Ready Player One. And I very much dislike that movie because I’m allergic to NostalgiaBerries. Guess I’m not a “Real Fan” of Ready Player One (spoiler: You bet your ass I’m not).

This whole type of discussion is unproductive. Like what you like, dislike what you don’t. NO ONE CARES. And if they do, then we are living in a Golden Age where all of society’s needs have been taken care of and utopia has been achieved.

So, to finish my rant, this whole Real Fan thing is a bunch of stupid debating about a stupid thing on the Internet and social media. And I feel I dropped a couple of IQ points just by posting about it. But, anyway… Happy New Year, to fans both real and fake!

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