Quote:
Originally Posted by Zigūr
I don't quote this because I dislike the 'Tolkien fandom', given that I really have little engagement outside the Downs, but at the same time I'm a touch sceptical about fandom in general. A shared or mutual interest can give people a sense of community and belonging, which in the right circumstances can be a very positive and healthy thing. On the other hand, I think it can also, in the wrong circumstances, enable the entrenchment of opinions, defensiveness and obsessive behaviour. Fandom worries me when it becomes an in-group, a shared self, hostile to non-fans, the out-group, the other. On a place like the Downs, where reasoned debate is the order of the day, this isn't an issue. On larger forums and elsewhere I think it's more noticeable. I could present some slightly more involved armchair psychology but that's basically the gist of my feelings. I like to think of myself as an "enthusiast."
On a related note, it's hard to pin down a fandom, isn't it? Take Tolkien as an example. I think the 'fandom' here is a touch different to the 'fandom' which posts gifs of Richard Armitage on tumblr.
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I would call that the PJ fandom,
Zigūr.
You make some very good points about fandom becoming an 'in-group...hostile to non-fans, the out-group, the other'. I personally like to differentiate between a 'fan' and a 'fanatic'. "Enthusiast" is so erudite.
