addendum

[maygra]

back in 2003 I wrote a rant about fannish entitlement that was prompted by an entirely other incident...but the end of it was rather weirdly echoing of what's going on both in regards to my previous post and of several discussions I've taken part of post the Asylum convention regarding fannish behavior.

The old rant is [[here]].

It's not flocked.


Whether its the hither and yon of asking actors and studio execs about fan fiction, the reposting of vids on you tube, the righteousness of fans telling other fans what they should and should not write, whether you think fanfic is willful but ultimately harmless infringement (I do) or a prime but untested case of "fair use", (I do this also) nobody but nobody can best us or top us when it comes to doing damage to each other both personally and culturally.

To some extent, that's a good thing, because social pressure, peer pressure can be a good thing when done in moderation. We have a loose social contract formed by a mostly common interest -- the extension of media sources beyond what is authorized and promoted and yes, part of a legal framework of ownership and economic viabilty. We are, collectively, mostly moderate and conservative in our ventures beyond the realms of fandom. We have worked for years to get fan fiction and fan culture into, not the mainstream of public consciousness, but into the somewhat more removed halls of academia and cultural studies. Some of us take our fan interactions very, very seriously and some of us flit and dance and don't take it seriously at all.

Usually, the commonality of being fans actually provides the ground zero for at least the basis of mutual enjoyment and if not actual friendship, at least civility.

But not always.

Basically, it comes down to this: despite every bugabear about studio smackdowns, despite every actual case of a C&D letter delivered and observed: in the end we are our own worst enemy.

And for those of you in denial about the frequency or efficacy of those C&D letters, please, get a grip. Corporations are perfectly capable of enforcing their copyrights and trademarks without any help from us. I'm sure they all know how to use google, and they can be completely arbitrary about where and when they choose to enforce those rights --I give Fanlib.com six months.

Really. We are. One fan has no more legal or moral or ethical authority than any other. And I'm not in any way missing the irony of me posting this, or any other rant I've posted, with that in mind.

Fans stepping into a situation and deciding to act on behalf of fandom, isn't anything new. Sometimes it's a sincere but misguided attempt to provide some benefit or even protection for fans. Sometimes it's a lot more personal and selfish. Sometimes it really is altruistic, and some times it's merely vicious.

But really, if you're going to do it? I've got a request of you, just two questions I want you to ask yourself:

Who or what are you trying to protect, and who and what are you trying to help?

And if neither of those questions actually apply to your intervention, then seriously, what are you doing? And why?

You'll notice I didn't ask anyone not to do it.

This post is not flocked.

Note: Also, please to be reading cesperanza [[here]], for lo, she is smart and her words are tasty.

Comments

[oh-mumble.livejournal.com]

I've been completely off the radar during finals, what did I miss? :/

[maygra.livejournal.com]

Fans being....kind of self-serving, mostly.

[oh-mumble.livejournal.com]

In the bad way, I take it?

[maygra.livejournal.com]

mostly. Just...unthinking.

[oh-mumble.livejournal.com]

Sigh. :( Hope it all turns out okay, honey.

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

Again, thank you.

[maygra.livejournal.com]

It sucks, baby, but your work was and is fabulous.

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

::blush::
Another heartfelt 'thank you' coming your way.

In Latin, they say "Qui Prodest?"
Who's going to benefit (from X action)? I think that's a significant question too, and its answer important and revealing.

Some days, fandom is really hard. At least it's Thursday *weak smile*

[stele3.livejournal.com]

Baby, we'll get it out there somehow. Not publishing, I think, but people should be able to see your shit.

We need to find an archive or a website or something. Maygra, could we use assignations? I'd love to have the fic up there as PDF, plus phantomas' lovely cover.

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

Anything that works for you, it's okay by me, cover or no cover. I made the art for you and your story, as a way of saying thank you for giving me so much reading pleasure, and that hasn't and won't change, and that's what matters to me.

[maygra.livejournal.com]

you may absolutely use assignations. put your link in, upload your pdf (or send it to me and I will.) Me case es su casa.

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

OK, let me know when you want to do this. I'' rework the pdf of the novella into 8 1/2 x 11 format so people can download it and print it.

[stele3.livejournal.com]

I'd love to do this whenever. Right now I'm a little too stressed out, and I wanna enjoy the finale properly... but we'll talk about it tonight.

[adonnchaid.livejournal.com]

*sigh* Since I work all day without internet access, I have no idea what went on, but it doesn't sound good.

Also, I'd never heard of fanlib.com before, and I wandered over and had a look. Looks like they're trying to be the "outlet" for the few "approved" fanfic contests, etc, that have been done over the years. Certainly not a place that appeals to me as a venue for my fic... In their FAQ, under the "aren't you for profit" thing, they claim that fanfiction.net makes money. I admit cluelessness about that, but I do know they aren't what I'd call an exceptional site for reading fic *g*

[girlguidejones.livejournal.com]

I am whelmed under by the concept of fanlib. I think that fanfic falls into the realm of fair use and involves enough (generally) creative effort to have it considered not an infringement on but an expansion of a root, or source, story. But none of that means I think it's acceptable to try and make money off of what is essentially someone else's brainchild. I don't get people who think this necessary, beneficial, or that they are entitled to it. Which ever the case may be.

shrug

[girlguidejones.livejournal.com]

I hope it goes without saying that I'm not referring to charitable causes and that you knew I meant that. I suppose sometimes it has to be spelled out. I don't actually equate "fundraising" with "profiting", since the money is eventually "lost". But just thought I'd be clear, since there apparently was some earlier wank.