Fandom facilitates a culture of entitlement in which the way consumers connect with popular culture serves as an extension of their overall identity impacting their behaviour in social environments (Fiske, 1992). Pop culture audiences consume content and interpret its content meaning based on personal values and opinions. Mass entertainment has attached itself to fandom partly because of the emotional resonance it has with fan bases since the content consumed is no longer just a media product, but instead becomes an affirmation of self-identity. This, in turn, strengthens fandoms as an extension of a person as it shapes the way these fans interact with one another. However, a person’s allegiance to a fandom can often be questioned and evaluated, which creates distinctions between who a true fan is and who is not (Fiske, 1992). The prerequisites for fandom require one to educate themselves on the content they are interested in and give up their free time to promote the content they consume.
Fiske divides understanding the effect of fandom into two approaches, the first being semiotic productivity, which identifies how pop culture forms social behaviour in fans (Fiske, 1992). The second is textual productivity, which relates to fan-made productions, such as fan films and fan fiction, which are created independently as a response to popular culture (Fiske, 1992). Semiotic productivity involves wearing and buying products that positively show your dedication to the fandom, and how social groups have formed based on the products you enjoy. Textual productivity relates to fan-made productions that are made independently as a response to popular culture. Textual productivity occurs when fans not only consume content, they also produce work based on the fan groups that they see themselves in. Textual productivity helps distinguish the levels of engagement that fans put into the subcultures they intertwined with( Fiske, 1992).
Social media and the internet have drastically changed the production of pop culture and have given fandom’s the ability to speak directly to the producers of the media they enjoy through social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Social media has resulted in Fiske’s message becoming outdated as he did not imagine the control fandom would eventually have with social media and how over time products based on popular culture served a more minimalist function. In my life, pop culture is often representative of different fan communities through merchandise, such as statues and toys, ranging from comic art to video games. Most of these products can be found online, in comic shops, and at fan conventions. However, the line that distinguishes fan groups begins to fade with a variety of audiences seeing the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe films, while also having no interest in the source material.
Fandom today extends past niche subcultural groups and has become mainstream in today’s culture. Since there are many levels of engagement had by fans, I am more aware of how much someone is into a particular intellectual property based on their online activity. With access to the internet and various social media platforms, fandom has become more aggressive than ever as fans are no longer prevented from communicating with the curators of famous works. Instances such as #ReleaseTheSnyderCut: a fan movement spawning from Zack Snyder’s unfinished version of Justice League (Based on DC Comics line of the same name) when he left the film citing personal matters. Release The Snyder Cut spurred from fan dissatisfaction with the version of Justice League, that Joss Whedon completed and released in 2017 (Douglas, Witten, 2019). Fans also have lashed out over Star Wars: The Last Jedi publicly targeting the stars and director of this film over their dissatisfaction with the character of Luke Skywalker and the newly created character Rose Tico. Resulting in verbal attacks through social media over the film and not meeting fan consensus of where the franchise should go. (VanDerWerff, 2017). As a fan myself, the intense nature of fandom has separated me from my allegiance to fan culture. However, I still feel drawn to seeing and discussing creative works, my engagement in fandom does not fall under a straight line. In other words, “I know this steak doesn’t exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious” (Silver, 1999, 1:03:51).
References
Douglas, J, Witten, S. (2019, November 24). Release ‘The Snyder Cut’? Why Warner Bros. won’t give ‘Justice League’ superfans what they want. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/24/release-snyder-cut-sorry-justice-league-fans-warner-wont.html
Lewis, Lisa A. The Adoring Audience: Fan Culture and Popular Media. New York: Routledge, 1992.
Silver, J. (Producer) & Wachowski, L &L (Directors) (1999). The Matrix [Motion Picture] USA: Silver Pictures
VanDerWerff, E. T. (2017, December 19). The “backlash” against Star Wars: The Last Jedi, explained. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/12/18/16791844/star-wars-last-jedi-backlash-controversy
