So, one of my friends from school writes a summer blog for a club we're in and this week it was about a conversation she had with a friend from home of hers about how the Star Wars prequels are pretty much crap but he likes them anyways, but only for nostalgic reasons. As we were discussing this, it evolved into a conversation about how nerds need to own their love and dislike for things, and fans that know everything about their fandoms.
These kinds of fans can be really annoying. They may need to have the last word on everything about a topic, or may not respect your opinion on something because you don't know as much about it, or they may shoot down your thoughts on something. They can be intimidating to someone who is new to a fandom because they can create a fear of being criticized. Sometimes these people don't even realize they do it (I know the specific person I'm thinking of probably doesn't realize it at all). They just get so caught up in their love of something that they forget other's feelings and thoughts. They know what they know, and they want everyone else to know it.
Nerds can also be very protective of their favorite things. They don't like to see people jump on the band wagon after something becomes "popular" and this can lead to some negative interactions too. I'll admit that I've been a late bloomer with a lot of nerdy things. I didn't have access to them before I had my own laptop and that is the primary reason, and I'm doing my best to get back in the loop. I've knocked out Modern Who (not an easy feat), Sherlock, I have three episodes of Merlin left and then I will be moving on to Game of Thrones and Firefly. It pains me to admit that I haven't been in on these things from the beginning, because I've always prided myself on that kind of thing. And I've encountered a little of the "protective fan hostility". I know I'm guilty of it myself.
The most important things is for everyone to own the things they love and don't as well respect everybody's else's feelings. Nerds can be outcast enough, we don't need to alienate each other anymore. Take care of each other.
So here are my confessions: I read and loved the Twilight books when I was in middle school. I hate Martha as a companion. I have really fond memories of the Star Wars prequels from when I was a kid, and yes I hate them (mostly) as movies now, but I still love them. I'm a Who bandwagon fan. I think Spiderman is whiny and annoying. I love being a Slytherin, and I love all my friends from the other houses because Hogwarts house shouldn't determine who your friends are. I have only read Deathly Hallows once because it ripped my heart apart the first time. I've never seen all of Starkid's Me and My Dick. I have been a Gleek since the beginning and I'm not stopping even though the show may not be what it used to be. I get way too emotionally invested in everything I like (it's exhausting sometimes).
None of these things make me a better or worse fan than anyone else. There is not enough time in the world to devote to every fandom and to know everything about them all. I try to know a little bit everything so I can talk to any nerd I meet. I love being a nerd, and I have met the coolest people because of it. It all comes down to respecting each other. Share your ideas, listen to each other, and spread the love. Be who you are, own that and love what you do. Be good to each other.
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