Fandom Families
A fandom is a community or subculture revolving around a person, group, or series. From Pokemon, to Supernatural, from Super Nintendo, to Sherrilyn Kenyon, there's a fandom for pretty much everything. Love Harry Potter? There's a fandom. Doctor Who? Yep, fandom for that too. Obsessed with Deadpool? Most definitely a fandom for that one.
So what is it about these things that bring people together into their own little kingdom of fans? What is so special about them and about the resulting fandoms? Why are people so moved to declare their involvement in the fandoms as to wear buttons, hats, and shirts with the various logos, characters, and quotes on them?
Simple.
Everyone wants to feel like they belong, everyone wants to feel understood, and most importantly, everyone wants to share their love and passion with someone.
When you find something that you love, something that excites you, you often want to share it with the world. You want them to find the same thrill in that thing as you do. When you find people with this same topic of passion, it's easy to forge a connection over it. When you find many, it's easy to feel like you have found another family of sorts.
It's kind of like when you see someone reading your favourite book and you get a little excited inside, only on a bigger scale. Rather than smiling and keeping it to yourself while you walk on by, being part of a fandom means you are usually more willing to put yourself out there and share your love with the world, to reach out to all other fans and discuss just why it is you love that book.
Anyone who knows me, knows I am a huge fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon and her work. I just love her book series' and everything about them. I adore the paranormal and mythological world she has created, as well as her emphasis on perspective and acceptance.
This love of her work, and the internet, has allowed me to connect with some amazing people that I might otherwise have never known. We often share our love of her various book series' through online posts and discussions, we compare opinions, we express our like or distaste for the various characters, and together, we further explore the world she has created and the messages she shares.
Another fandom I hold very dear to my heart is that of Supernatural. There's a very special warm fuzzy feeling to be had when you hear someone using, or responding to, popular catch phrases from this fantastic television show. Insults become a tool of laughter when you start lovingly calling someone an “idjit” or an “assbutt”. Lights flickering suddenly results in sharing made up stories of demons or ghosts, and if there is a member of the Supernatural fandom around, you are almost certain to hear “Get the salt!”.
Therein lies another reason fandoms are so special. Fandoms allow you to be confident in the fact that yes, you are weird but ''You Are Not Alone'' in your weirdness. In fact, despite what most people may think, it's not Orange is the New Black, it's the Fandom that is the new black.
So why are fandoms so special? Because fandoms are the friends you have and have not met yet. They are the family that, despite having no blood connection to you, despite possibly never having even met, will still connect with you, share with you, and support you. Fandoms are acceptance.
Are you part of any particular fandoms? What is it you love most about that fandom or that fandoms focus? Feel free to share in the comments below or to email them in.
Shout Out to my Menyon family and their families and a very special Hooray and Congratulations! goes out to one particular Menyon who has recently gotten engaged to a lovely young woman and soon to be Menyon herself. You know who you are! Much love to you and yours!
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Simple.
Everyone wants to feel like they belong, everyone wants to feel understood, and most importantly, everyone wants to share their love and passion with someone.
When you find something that you love, something that excites you, you often want to share it with the world. You want them to find the same thrill in that thing as you do. When you find people with this same topic of passion, it's easy to forge a connection over it. When you find many, it's easy to feel like you have found another family of sorts.
It's kind of like when you see someone reading your favourite book and you get a little excited inside, only on a bigger scale. Rather than smiling and keeping it to yourself while you walk on by, being part of a fandom means you are usually more willing to put yourself out there and share your love with the world, to reach out to all other fans and discuss just why it is you love that book.
Anyone who knows me, knows I am a huge fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon and her work. I just love her book series' and everything about them. I adore the paranormal and mythological world she has created, as well as her emphasis on perspective and acceptance.
This love of her work, and the internet, has allowed me to connect with some amazing people that I might otherwise have never known. We often share our love of her various book series' through online posts and discussions, we compare opinions, we express our like or distaste for the various characters, and together, we further explore the world she has created and the messages she shares.
Another fandom I hold very dear to my heart is that of Supernatural. There's a very special warm fuzzy feeling to be had when you hear someone using, or responding to, popular catch phrases from this fantastic television show. Insults become a tool of laughter when you start lovingly calling someone an “idjit” or an “assbutt”. Lights flickering suddenly results in sharing made up stories of demons or ghosts, and if there is a member of the Supernatural fandom around, you are almost certain to hear “Get the salt!”.
Therein lies another reason fandoms are so special. Fandoms allow you to be confident in the fact that yes, you are weird but ''You Are Not Alone'' in your weirdness. In fact, despite what most people may think, it's not Orange is the New Black, it's the Fandom that is the new black.
So why are fandoms so special? Because fandoms are the friends you have and have not met yet. They are the family that, despite having no blood connection to you, despite possibly never having even met, will still connect with you, share with you, and support you. Fandoms are acceptance.
Are you part of any particular fandoms? What is it you love most about that fandom or that fandoms focus? Feel free to share in the comments below or to email them in.
Shout Out to my Menyon family and their families and a very special Hooray and Congratulations! goes out to one particular Menyon who has recently gotten engaged to a lovely young woman and soon to be Menyon herself. You know who you are! Much love to you and yours!
The Bra Street Rambler
P.S. Speaking of fandoms, a musician friend of mine, Kristen Karma, has asked that I invite readers to check out her music. Below is a link to the acoustic version of her song Believe. It is a beautiful song that she holds close to her heart as she wrote it for her mother who was battling cancer at the time.
Enjoy: Believe by Kristen Karma
Enjoy: Believe by Kristen Karma
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