Fan(atic)

Skanky Vamp

Skanky Vamp

Sniffin' the Slayer
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
26,460
Black Thorn
I have been wondering this for awhile and recently more over the last few days. Now, don't give me a literal translation as I know that fan is derived from fanatic. But how would you define them both? What/who is a fan, what are the actions of a fan? What or who is an fanatic and what are their actions?

Is there an invisible line that is crossed when a fan becomes a fanatic? When that line is crossed is there any going back?

I consider myself a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer even though I do not care for many of the characters that are popular; would I still be considered a fan or would there be another term? A lesser term for me than fan? Can you be a fan of a show and dislike arguably the two main characters?

EDIT: I have been studying the Furries and I have taken to looking at fans in a whole 'nother way, lemme tell ya whut! I thought Klingon people were bad
 
Taake
Taake
I can't read on cause I'm laughing too hard at 'furries' ;)
You can't post without bringing up furries can you?! I'm convinced that you are one now.

I would say a fan is someone that enjoys something, and will want to discuss it with other people. Possibly spend some spare money on whatever it is they're a fan of.

Fanatic I would see as being a little bit more serious about it all. More likely to let it lead their life I guess? Spend money that should be spent on other things on the fandom. Maybe have a tattoo.

So would you say you're a furrie fan or a fanatic Sco?
 
I am furry.. I needs a good shave.. but my hair is natural coloured and not blue with orange spots so I would say I am not a furry.

But it is easier to fall out of being a fan vs. being a fanatic, yes?
For instance, I no longer like Billy Bragg and I think you are a total loser for still being a fan of his. But if I were a Billy Bragg fanatic I do not think you could turn away as easily.

Ah! can you like something without being a fan? When, and at what point does your liking something turn into being a fan? Or are they synonymous? You say spend spare money as being a fan.. but would that mean DVDs, books, or would that mean for like memorabilia?
 
Hmm... I think it's all getting a little to deep for me. Yes, I do think that you can like something without being a fan. I like the couch I'm sitting on right now, but I wouldn't say I'm a fan. It's not something that I would think about at all (apart from, you know, this thread), but I still like it.

And what the hell is wrong with Billy? Sheesh.
 
Its soooo... just outdated!! He did not age well.. and cant really listen to New England anymore, can you? Sometime you have to grow up, but I just think he grew old in addition to up.

I was hoping more people would have had some comment!!
 
So is this a fan or a fanatic?
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzRAmoKtrZg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzRAmoKtrZg[/ame]
 
I see.. I must be a closet fan then.. if I am a fan at all. I have started to redefine myself I think. I mean, other than this forum there maybe was one or two people that knew I watched it. Can that really be considered a fan? Or IS that a fan and just I am confusing the actions of fanatics.
 
Scobro said:
I see.. I must be a closet fan then.. if I am a fan at all. I have started to redefine myself I think. I mean, other than this forum there maybe was one or two people that knew I watched it. Can that really be considered a fan? Or IS that a fan and just I am confusing the actions of fanatics.
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I don't think people need to be aware of what you are watching in order for you to attain fan status. If you watch and enjoy then on the most fundamental level you are a fan.
 
I remember once whilst in BBTV (that will give you an idea for how long ago) it was just myself and two other people. One was Buffy Summers; I remember complaining about poor writing and bad directing and she asked why did I even bother coming to the forum anyway? I gave a smart ass answer, but never really forgot that comment.

Maybe she knew something back then, that I am just now figuring out; that while I liked the story of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, that is all it was, liking a story; maybe I never was a fan.
 
Z
zobothehobo
I ask that question to myself about a lot of members.
Scobro said:
I remember once whilst in BBTV (that will give you an idea for how long ago) it was just myself and two other people. One was Buffy Summers; I remember complaining about poor writing and bad directing and she asked why did I even bother coming to the forum anyway? I gave a smart ass answer, but never really forgot that comment.

Maybe she knew something back then, that I am just now figuring out; that while I liked the story of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, that is all it was, liking a story; maybe I never was a fan.
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See I think that liking it enough to bring you to a forum categorizes you a fan. At least at one time or another.

Also, I don't think for a second that not liking aspects of a story makes you not a fan.
 
No dear.. boredom brought me to the forum!! having a job that I can do in an hour and spend 8 online playing brought me here!! (why I am hardly here when I am NOT at work!)
 
but still you chose a forum about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as opposed to, I dunno, the art of Stephenie Meyer or the lovely craft of knitting?
 
mayfever said:
but still you chose a forum about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as opposed to, I dunno, the art of Stephenie Meyer or the lovely craft of knitting?
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I am on all of those as well.. SERIOUS.. Stephenie Meyer, and (not knitting but) quilting.
 
Fanatics are more serious about things than fans. Fanatics are the regulars on the message boards devoted to just that one thing and their posts are generally well thought out as they spend a good amount of time thinking about whatever the thing they're a fanatic of.

Fans just like whatever it is and will talk about it and have opinions, but they're basic opinions and don't require a lot of thought. They might occasionally come online to a message board about it to see what people are saying, but as far as being regulars on those boards, they are not.

A fanatic can have a deep discussion about something and a fan would just skirt the surface. Example: Bangel vs. Spuffy. A fan will generally have an opinion on this topic (if they ship one of the two) and can say something like "I like Spuffy better because Spike was hotter than Angel and they had more sex" or something my sister said to be yesterday "I like Bangel better because Angel's hotter and Buffy loved him first, you never forget your first love." Now I've heard these arguments for Bangel on here... but they're coupled with more thought and complex reasons... Generally the support for Spuffy on the boards here is how Spike and Buffy's characters complement each other perfectly. David and James' levels of attractiveness aren't really brought up in the debate because we think about it beyond that basic level (although, that's really probably a big part of it... hmmm POLL TIME).

How easy it is to fall out of fandom is a question relative to you. How easy is it for you generally to stop caring about stuff? How easy is it for you to fall out of love? How easy is it for you to walk away when you fail at something? How easy is it for you to give up? These things all go into how easy it is to stop being a fan or a fanatic. And yes, you can go down from fanatic to fan. I mean, you'll still have your complex opinions you formed as a fanatic but you won't think about them and if someone asks you for them, they won't be nearly as nicely formed because you haven't thought about them in a long time. For me, it's not easy to let things go. I'm the type of person who gives myself completely to whatever it is I love. I would drop kick someone who told me I wasn't a fan of Buffy. And if I ever stop liking it (which will be a really long time from now, if ever), I'd stick around here in The Bronze and in VH because I'm used to it. And because I've made such wonderful friends, I wouldn't want to leave them. Also, I'd still probably try to comment in main boards sometimes so that my posts wouldn't be exclusively off topic.

You Sco, I would consider you a fan or a former fan sticking around because it's hard to let go.
 
I didn't know what Furries were til I watched an episode of CSI involving them. I have never laughed so hard in my life... AND been grossed out. :\

I consider myself a fan. My husband would probably argue that I'm a fanatic. But I'm not one of those people who, like, has cardboard cutouts of the characters that I talk to and stuff, and I don't get all crazy if someone tells me they hated the show.
 
I think all of us on the boards are fans, some are just bigger fans. Fanatic to me is when the show becomes the persons " real world ". Which I hope isn't the case here but if it is - I plead to those on here who are in graveyards at night staking people. Please stop!
 
frankie said:
Fanatic to me is when the show becomes the persons " real world ". Which I hope isn't the case here but if it is - I plead to those on here who are in graveyards at night staking people. Please stop!
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But HisMrs said she had full-size cardboard cut-outs and talked to them!! thats pretty bad unto itself.. how much further down the line is actually running out and staking?
 
I would probably call myself a fanatic... in fact I believe I HAVE called myself a Buffy fanatic before. I do take the show more seriously than I believe a regular "fan" of the show would. I truly believe that, in my life, this show has been good for me in finding my own strength and my own determination through watching Buffy and the gang struggle with theirs. BTVS and AtS were the only things I watched for a long time, and I loved every minute the show was on, cried when they were over, and studiously collected the DVDs (I'm still working on Angel seasons 2 and 4... soon though... very soon), watching the shows whenever I'm bored.

I feel like everything Joss wanted to say (morally, emotionally, and about humanity) were exactly what I gained from the shows and came across beautifully. I could also say the same about Firefly, and I truly wish that show had been given the chance to flourish and really resonate with people the way Buffy did. Firefly resonated for me, but I think Joss really had a lot more to say with that 'verse than he was allowed to before the show was canceled.

Another fanatic sign: I have Buffy dreams hehehe

Also I can get into WAY heated debates about Buffy with my ex (who also loves Buffy, thanks to me). We'll end up talking for hours about the show, what an episode was trying to say, characters and their relationships, etc.
 
I belive there is a big difference between a fan, and a fanatic.

Fan is someone who likes something, in this case tv show, for what the show is and what represents. A fan don't care about the popularity of the show, and to him it's not important do others like it, although he would like to have someone to discuss the show with.

Fanatic is someone who is crazy about something, but not in a good way. Obsessed I would say. He thinks things like that are easy to happen, and he thinks those characters are real. Most Twilight fans are fanatics in my book, especially the ones who write that vampires are real things and that they got bitten by one.
 
S
SlayerFae
I only disagree cuz I'm not all crazy like that... and boo on those Twilight freaks who act that way. Super immature. I'm a fanatic, but only because Buffy is a huge part of my life, more than a fan would say it is
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