The Okal Rel Universe in evolution and in the world.

 
Puttering at my delicious bookmarks today I spotted the fan word on their page as per the image here and made up my mind once and for all - I gotta let go of my squeamishness about the word 'fan'. I'm a fan of any site I bookmark or group I join! It's that simple in web 2.0. My balky feelings about the word spring from my discomfort with what I have dubbed the "pro-speak" culture of my early days as a published writer. In pro-speak, a fan is a mindless wallet whose role is to buy whatever commodity a creative entrepreneur is hawking and to stroke the ego of the artist but keep the hell out of the business of being creative herself. I hated the blind arrogance of the usage. I wanted a word for my readers that expressed my respect for their good taste and my acute awareness that they were complex, inspiring people who happened to like my books as well. If any of the creatively talented ones wanted to write or do art in the ORU, I especially didn't want to use a word that would put them on the wrong side of the pro-speak divide between those who 'can' and those who 'buy'! I believe the line is blurring and the branding of products and aggressive categorizing of people integral to pro-speak is melting down under the egalitarian influence of the web. No change comes without a price, and there is always the challenge of navigating the surplus to locate the materials of choice for you. But 'fan' in web 2.0 is not the same word as the 'fan' of pro-speak. In pro-speak, fan and pro are hard and fast categories. In web 2.0 we are all fans and all creators, taking on different roles in differet contexts. And that's a usage I can snuggle up to and embrace without feeling icky.

Labels: fan, fandom, pro-speak, semantics

posted by Lynda at 07:29   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

With Garth's permission, from his latest edition of BCSFAzine. Reproduced here because it made me laugh and sympathize. There seem to be forces of [pick-your-favorite-evil] in the world that are destroying habitat for the "literate, intelligent gang" in many quarters. Could it have something to do with the decline and fall of western civilization? The rise of bread and circuses? Cultural adoration of the dumb, mean and pretty? Or mere obsolescence of the breed. Kudos to Garth for a morale-raising whine.

Why Garth Here If Garth diss BCSFA, and Garth diss VCon, maybe you ask what Garth expect? What fans say fandom be? Way back when, like before 1980s, many fans think fandom be community. You savvy community? Whole buncha people have something in common. Even in 1980s, Garth not only fan who think fandom be community. Yes, this look stupid now. Garth not only smart fan think stupid thing. What community do? People blong community do lots of things together. What fandom do? People blong fandom do lots of things, not do things together. Not always. Not all fans. Way back when, fans say fandom be literate gang, intelligent gang, original and creative gang. This why Garth came here. This not what Garth find. Where those fans go? Fans out of town do some good stuff together. Ottawa fans still do APAs. You savvy APAs? Garth explain APAs sometime. Ottawa and Montreal fans do theme meetings, have guest speakers, do movie previews. What we do? Fans in town do some good stuff sometime. Maybeso fans not tell Garth. Why for fans not tell Garth what happening? Maybeso Garth talk wrong, dress wrong, smell bad? What? Maybeso fans here be cliquey. Still could * talk * to Garth. Least they could do. Garth too old for high school crap. Maybeso you wonder why Garth write like Tarzan? Because when Garth talk to you all like normal person, very few listen.

Labels: BCSFA, community, fandom, Garth Spencer

posted by Lynda at 07:10   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post