On the Golden Age of fandom - a rant

[graculus]

One subject guaranteed to make my blood pressure peak is when someone (and isn't it always someone who's been in fandom since Gutenberg invented moveable type?) starts in on how much better fandom was before the Internet and how the invention of the computer has lowered the tone, yadda yadda yadda.

Apparently, way back when, everyone was nice to everyone else, there were more zines with better stories than anyone could shake a stick at, and the sun shone the live long day.

To which I say: bullshit.

The people I know who were in fandom pre-Net assure me that there were just as many shysters and morons around then as there are now. The exponential growth of fandom that the Internet has allowed means that though the numbers may appear higher, the proportion is doubtless the same.

Half the time, it seems to me, the driving force behind these kind of comments is sheer snobbery. The fact that the great unwashed can now access the former ivory towers of fandom really does not float these people's boats. Sure, I may (and do) kvetch about the quality of fic and moronic postings to lists I've seen over the past few years I myself have been around in fandom, but this is taking things to extremes.

Get over yourselves, guys. And stop playing the revisionist history game.

This rant brought to you courtesy of my need not to spout off on a certain list where someone is going on about how "younger generation internet fans are generally more resistant to ideas like 'canon', 'accuracy of characterization', and 'good writing' than older fans." etc. etc.

Comments

[graculus.livejournal.com]

I've been in fandom 30 years, and don't really see a great deal of difference 'tween then and now. There were ignorant wankers around then, and there are ignorant wankers around now.

Exactly. And what did we do before we had nostalgia?

The dumb folks have a faster voice now, that's one difference, they can get their comments out without editing or filtering. Previously, they had to work for it. ('They', I say, with my nose in the air, fully aware I've done my share of dumb things).

I think that speed is a major influence on the dumbness of interaction in fandom. How many of us have written and sent emails and then afterwards realised there were things in there we're not really sure we wanted to say?

Email and the Net gives us a great power to communicate, but it also gives us a facade to hide behind (thus empowering trolls and bullies alike) as well as enabling people to make enormous faux pas that might not have happened in the days of snail mail communication. With great power comes great responsibility, yadda yadda yadda.

Anyway, thanks for listening to my rant, as you can tell it really yanks my chain when me and my fellow bad 'Net fans get dumped on...