And also, yeah...SGA and the Keller situation was definitely one of the main things I was thinking about, because that got...tense. And some of it was satisfying but a lot wasn't, and if I could do it again...I don't think my opinion of the canon itself would change much, tbh; but hopefully the way I handled myself in the fandom would. It wasn't just me that soured that fandom, but I definitely didn't help, so.
Really I think cases of dealing with canon get difficult because for a lot of us, being critical of canon, or parts of canon, is crucial to how we fan -- I mentioned it in comment to Sheron above, but I've had fandoms that I hated the canon, and in fact the only reason I could stay in the fandom was by rejecting the canon, by viewing it as basically OOC nonsense.
Also with some canons, yeah, there is a level of bitterness that happens, when you get disillusioned with a show, that there is this impulse to drag others down too. It's weirdly painful to see people enjoying something you used to enjoy too but don't anymore?
Not to mention, as I've talked about before, I actually can really enjoy critical and negative takes on shows, especially the trainwreck pleasure of a show I'm not actually into (I enjoyed the downfall of GoT, I won't lie!) And you were reading my SPN rants. And that's a form of fanning too, and not one I want to give up!
But such negativity can at the same time ruin a fandom for some fans. And so I think it is important to keep it limited such that people who don't want to see it don't have to. Basically, to treat it like we treat other "problematic" content -- put it behind cuts, warn for it. Acknowledge that it can have a negative impact on other fans, and take care with it.
Though there are some platforms that make it easier than others, and Discord especially sounds like it's a nightmare as far as this goes, because there is no way to control the experience...and I don't know what to do about that, because yeah, there isn't one way to fan. But staying aware that what you say can spoil another fan's experience, even if you aren't intending that at all, I think that's important to remember. It shouldn't paralyze you or stop you from talking or expressing yourself, but it's something to keep in mind, too.
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And also, yeah...SGA and the Keller situation was definitely one of the main things I was thinking about, because that got...tense. And some of it was satisfying but a lot wasn't, and if I could do it again...I don't think my opinion of the canon itself would change much, tbh; but hopefully the way I handled myself in the fandom would. It wasn't just me that soured that fandom, but I definitely didn't help, so.
Really I think cases of dealing with canon get difficult because for a lot of us, being critical of canon, or parts of canon, is crucial to how we fan -- I mentioned it in comment to Sheron above, but I've had fandoms that I hated the canon, and in fact the only reason I could stay in the fandom was by rejecting the canon, by viewing it as basically OOC nonsense.
Also with some canons, yeah, there is a level of bitterness that happens, when you get disillusioned with a show, that there is this impulse to drag others down too. It's weirdly painful to see people enjoying something you used to enjoy too but don't anymore?
Not to mention, as I've talked about before, I actually can really enjoy critical and negative takes on shows, especially the trainwreck pleasure of a show I'm not actually into (I enjoyed the downfall of GoT, I won't lie!) And you were reading my SPN rants. And that's a form of fanning too, and not one I want to give up!
But such negativity can at the same time ruin a fandom for some fans. And so I think it is important to keep it limited such that people who don't want to see it don't have to. Basically, to treat it like we treat other "problematic" content -- put it behind cuts, warn for it. Acknowledge that it can have a negative impact on other fans, and take care with it.
Though there are some platforms that make it easier than others, and Discord especially sounds like it's a nightmare as far as this goes, because there is no way to control the experience...and I don't know what to do about that, because yeah, there isn't one way to fan. But staying aware that what you say can spoil another fan's experience, even if you aren't intending that at all, I think that's important to remember. It shouldn't paralyze you or stop you from talking or expressing yourself, but it's something to keep in mind, too.