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Gate Keeping
Aug. 14th, 2015 01:01 pmSometimes I worry that I have a gate-keeper attitude toward some fandoms, but I'm gating myself out of the fandom, instead of other people, but am still pissed at the other fans.
Doctor Who is THE prime example for me on this. It's the most saturated commodity on the market right now. And the young and hyper superfans are annoying as hell. They're what's kept me out of the fandom.
I used to really enjoy the new Doctor Who series. David Tennant was my first new Doctor (my original first was Tom Baker, introduced to me in the mid 90s by my dad on one of our few bonding experiences - I didn't like Sarah Jane as much as Rose Tyler, though). Chris Eccleston and Matt Smith took their time to get me to warm up to them, but I got there. Peter Capaldi, as much as I love the guy in general, seems completely detached from the rest of the series (no, not because of his age).
But the fanbase is what makes me not enjoy it now.
We live in the age where the Internet has removed many needs/desires to have hobbies or a life outside the computer/house. So binge watching happens, and repeated watching happens, and suddenly all these kids can quote every line and tell you which episode it came from, and if I don't place the line, or if I don't get some reference (for a while, I didn't know the Don't Blink reference, and still stammer in confusion when someone uses it), then I "must not be a real fan."
I enjoy watching the show; I enjoy watching many shows, but I don't remember every single little detail and line. I watch it for roughly an hour every week when it airs. I don't download it and watch it over and over until the next episode becomes available. I don't have time for that. Even if I did have time for that, I have a life outside this house. I have friends I see and talk to every day*. I have other things I can watch. I have podcasts to hear. I have a book to read.
Hell, I make super obscure Futurama references all the time (sometimes Futurama refs slip by me, too), but I'm not an asshole about it when people don't get it. It's okay not to get a reference.
*and I'm not bashing on people who only/mostly have friends on the internet. I'm not getting down on your friendships or the fact that you make a hobby of being a superfan. Just don't be an asshole.
The assholes make themselves too known, and really ruin it for everyone who isn't a turd about it.
Asshole rant time:
Even so much as lying about your first Doctor is annoying. Don't tell me, 16-year-old, that your first Doctor was Tom Baker just because he's the most popular original and you want to look like you were into it before it was cool. Last time they aired the Tom Baker episodes on tv, you were a toddler. Don't lie and tell me you got into it yourself thanks to YouTube. You watched the new episodes since they started airing, but also saw the originals on YouTube before that. Guess what, asshole. New Doctor Who was born BEFORE YouTube. Your lies are flawed and insulting, and unfortunately, you're influencing everyone else your age to be an asshole about it too.
/rant
I don't want to be like, "oh, you probably can't name the third original Doctor." I'm not an asshole. But when you're all high-and-mighty about your fandom that started before you or I were even born, and you're threading a major web of obvious lies, I'm sure as hell gonna think it.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO THINK IT. I WANT KIDS TO STOP BEING LITTLE SHITS ABOUT THEIR FANDOM. I want to be able to watch Doctor Who (or maybe even dress as a character on Halloween or at a con) without people calling me a Whovian, or without people chastising me for not getting a reference, even if I have seen the episode it came from. I want superfans to stop lying about their knowledge-base just to get street cred. It's not important. Having fun is important. Enjoying it without being an asshole or feeling inferior because of assholes is important.
Jeezus.
Doctor Who is THE prime example for me on this. It's the most saturated commodity on the market right now. And the young and hyper superfans are annoying as hell. They're what's kept me out of the fandom.
I used to really enjoy the new Doctor Who series. David Tennant was my first new Doctor (my original first was Tom Baker, introduced to me in the mid 90s by my dad on one of our few bonding experiences - I didn't like Sarah Jane as much as Rose Tyler, though). Chris Eccleston and Matt Smith took their time to get me to warm up to them, but I got there. Peter Capaldi, as much as I love the guy in general, seems completely detached from the rest of the series (no, not because of his age).
But the fanbase is what makes me not enjoy it now.
We live in the age where the Internet has removed many needs/desires to have hobbies or a life outside the computer/house. So binge watching happens, and repeated watching happens, and suddenly all these kids can quote every line and tell you which episode it came from, and if I don't place the line, or if I don't get some reference (for a while, I didn't know the Don't Blink reference, and still stammer in confusion when someone uses it), then I "must not be a real fan."
I enjoy watching the show; I enjoy watching many shows, but I don't remember every single little detail and line. I watch it for roughly an hour every week when it airs. I don't download it and watch it over and over until the next episode becomes available. I don't have time for that. Even if I did have time for that, I have a life outside this house. I have friends I see and talk to every day*. I have other things I can watch. I have podcasts to hear. I have a book to read.
Hell, I make super obscure Futurama references all the time (sometimes Futurama refs slip by me, too), but I'm not an asshole about it when people don't get it. It's okay not to get a reference.
*and I'm not bashing on people who only/mostly have friends on the internet. I'm not getting down on your friendships or the fact that you make a hobby of being a superfan. Just don't be an asshole.
The assholes make themselves too known, and really ruin it for everyone who isn't a turd about it.
Asshole rant time:
Even so much as lying about your first Doctor is annoying. Don't tell me, 16-year-old, that your first Doctor was Tom Baker just because he's the most popular original and you want to look like you were into it before it was cool. Last time they aired the Tom Baker episodes on tv, you were a toddler. Don't lie and tell me you got into it yourself thanks to YouTube. You watched the new episodes since they started airing, but also saw the originals on YouTube before that. Guess what, asshole. New Doctor Who was born BEFORE YouTube. Your lies are flawed and insulting, and unfortunately, you're influencing everyone else your age to be an asshole about it too.
/rant
I don't want to be like, "oh, you probably can't name the third original Doctor." I'm not an asshole. But when you're all high-and-mighty about your fandom that started before you or I were even born, and you're threading a major web of obvious lies, I'm sure as hell gonna think it.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO THINK IT. I WANT KIDS TO STOP BEING LITTLE SHITS ABOUT THEIR FANDOM. I want to be able to watch Doctor Who (or maybe even dress as a character on Halloween or at a con) without people calling me a Whovian, or without people chastising me for not getting a reference, even if I have seen the episode it came from. I want superfans to stop lying about their knowledge-base just to get street cred. It's not important. Having fun is important. Enjoying it without being an asshole or feeling inferior because of assholes is important.
Jeezus.
