"Fandom is first and foremost a community. It has a shared lexicon that includes in-jokes and rapidly evolving language that would be difficult to keep up with from the outside. Like any community, it has norms and values and standards of behavior. Fandom is also a marginalized community."
"Fandoms are communities, providing a safe space for fans to express their real selves, feelings, and desires. Genuine interaction within fandom provides what Yalom called "disconfirmation of uniqueness." Outsiders who are unaware of fandom norms can violate expectations of privacy which threaten that safety."
Fandoms serve as communities providing safe spaces for fans to express their true selves and feelings. Within these communities, genuine interaction creates what Yalom termed "disconfirmation of uniqueness," helping members feel less alone. Fandoms develop their own shared language, norms, and values that distinguish them from outside groups. The Heated Rivalry fandom, centered on the popular hockey romance series, exemplifies this dynamic. While internal disagreements occur naturally within the community, external threats to privacy—such as intrusive media coverage or articles that violate fandom norms—unite members in protective response. The fandom's reaction to a New York Magazine article demonstrates how outsiders unaware of community standards can inadvertently threaten the safe space that makes fandom valuable.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]