My corner: Fandom and more
I grew up with the phrase ‘Books are our best friends’. Sitting in the fourth standard, when I was told by a teacher to write an essay on ‘Books’, I was at a loss for words, mainly because I had no experience. I was not a big fan of ‘Books’ as my knowledge was limited to the school textbooks.
So, when I read my first novel, in seventh standard, I got to know what the phrase meant. When I completed my first show in eighth standard, I got to know that a ‘best friend’ can be anything and not necessarily a person or a book, as in this matter.
Every piece of ‘matter’ entertainment, be it a movie, a show, a book or a song, it’s created so that people can enjoy it. It’s made so that people can take a break from their busy lives and enjoy themselves. Of course, the time varies, as a movie might take long hours, a movie might take a week, a show might take a month while a song might take a few minutes. But, the important part here is the effect they leave on us.
People become ‘Fanatics’ or ‘Fans’ of things. There are fanatics of novels, shows, movies, singers, sports, music, art, actors, basically everything. And if you are a fanatic, you belong to a fandom.
A fandom is a subculture composed of fans characterised by a feeling of empathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest.
Simply, a fandom is a group of people who come together to talk, discuss and enjoy what they have in common.
This ‘group’ of people does not meet every week to discuss theories, but is connected by a more practical and easy source, the Internet. Due to Internet two people on the opposite sides of the world can come together and talk about their common love.
Many major books or movie series have influential and mainstream fandom. Mainly, the fantasy world has the most interested and devoted fanatics as it gives them a whole new world to discover and a whole new time period to live in. Many people would happily trade places with any character of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ to get a chance to live in the middle earth. Fandom helps people to take a break from their lives. To live a different life, even for a few hours. People exploring the space with ‘Star Trek’ and solving crimes with ‘Sherlock’. Of course, we cannot always live in a fantasy world. We have responsibilities and duties to perform. But, a few hours can never harm anyone. A few hours living in an advanced world, of hoping, of imaging can never harm anyone.
Fandom helps us grow. We get to know and understand people better. Fandom helps you take care of your emotions. But, it’s not always the mainstream or fantasy fandom. Sometimes the ordinary sitcoms or drama series are so well written and executed that they attract a lot of people. Fans cry their hearts out with ‘This is us’ and cry out laughing with ‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S’.
Fandom widen your thought process and your creative skills. Fanatics think of various “theories” and many detailed discussions are a part of a normal fandom. But, as everything has its adverse effects, being in a fandom, is no fandom, is no exception. Many fandoms have been criticised due to their extreme dedication and obsession. Some think that these fanatics choose to avoid reality and instead dedicate their life to something that does not return anything productive to the society. The problem is not with being in a fandom but with losing control. Fanatics need to have some self-control and not lose themselves to fandom.
Fandom promotes a sense of identity and camaraderie; it’s a form of enjoyment that encourages happiness and optimism. Fandom is a form of escapism from real life. By identifying yourself as a fan, you become a part of something bigger than yourself. It gives you a feeling of belongingness. The sense of community and identity helps with self-esteem which should not be considered unhealthy.
In the most basic form, being a fanatic is something that makes you happy. Each fandom, although diverse in its own way, has the same ideal as its root in that people become fanatics because it provides an escape into another reality that our problems and hardships do not deal with. Live long and prosper.
Udhi Grover, Class IX, Delhi Public School, Kangra
