It occurs to me that we are seeing more and more an intolerance of of folks that have well a *different opinion* than what would be considered the "norm" for a fandom.

I suppose when a lot of people think of Online Fandom they think WOO HOO, I can go someplace online and SQUEE in happy joy joy delight about the show I just love love love (grin) ok that may be an exaggeration. However, my point is a good number of folks have the opinion that only people with a good opinion overall of a TV show would go to AND STAY in an online fandom. THIS is so far from reality it just is not funny anymore .

Most folks do seek out an online fandom because they do really enjoy a show and they find they don't have very many folks around in real life that may want to talk about it as much as they do. However, enjoying a show doesn't mean that you don't get to be "honest" about your own thoughts about each episode as it airs and it doesn't mean that you don't get to voice your thoughts on how the actors do their job (portray the characters) or comment on how well or not well the episode was written.

Part of fandom is being able to do both. If you are the type of person that likes to just discuss the positives in life, chances are you are going to be that way in fandom. Looking for all of the "good stuff" and shying away from the more negative stuff. In fact you actually have a really hard time understanding how "those people" think. For some they are more neutral and can see both sides of the coin, they understand that there is some stuff that isn't all that great about this or that episode but they just prefer to not discuss it and focus only on the positives. Others can discuss all aspects pretty freely either way and float around all over a fandom. And for some the show that once held a lot of promise has seriously diminished in their eyes but they still enjoy the folks they talk with in the online fandom and they actually do like many things about the "early years" of the show and are quite happy to talk about that if asked. But will also be quite honest about what they think about the here and now as well. For some the show has just lost it completely but they have made friends that they really like to talk with, for whatever reason, they really don't understand how anyone can like the show at all anymore and they just don't understand how "those people" think (grin).

Regardless of where you fall in the grand scheme of things every single type of person is what makes "Fandom...Fandom" It is a myriad of people who have diverse opinions not only about the shows but about fandom itself.

I have a tag line that I use a lot for folks that like to think they *know* what another must be thinking when they post. ....I say "When you can show me your Membership Card along with a dues receipt for the Psychic Friends Network" I will put stock in what you say someone else is thinking and feeling. Until then I am gonna go with what THEY say THEY think and feel " (grin)

Fandom is open to every single person. There is no such thing as a *true fan* and I get a laugh out of folks that try to enforce their narrow vision of what they believe that is on folks. That is like saying there is only one type of *True Woman* or *True Man*. It is ridiculous for any of us to impose our labels on how others should think and feel about something as subjective as a TV show.

So...rather than sit there and see the labels you may be placing on a person in the Fandom...why not take a minute to just see the PERSON and go from there. You might find out that dealing with the actual person is a whole lot different than causing them to deal with you as the persona you have labeled them with................

try it on for size...you don't have to buy anything that doesn't fit (wink)
see ya on the flip side gaterites ...........

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