Author: Savina Hui
Artist: Yasmin Yong
Editor: Sarah Gu
Art is a medium for communicating with other people, whether by sharing knowledge in an easily digestible format, or through bonding with other people over emotions evoked by a piece of media. In an era where the internet has simultaneously allowed the widespread broadcast of concerts, TV shows, and sports events, as well as the means for like-minded people to chat about their favoured media across time zones, communities of fans—colloquially known as fandoms—have cropped up in essentially every social media to ever exist.
Historically, fandoms have garnered questionable reputations, though that has gradually improved in recent years. Nonetheless, contrary to the doubt of naysayers, studies show that being part of a fandom is not only a natural outcome of intersubjectivity, but can also contribute to our mental and physical well-being.
Why do people form fandoms? It is for the very same reasons individuals gather to form communities. Humans are inherently social creatures who enjoy meeting others with perceived similarities to us. Due to affinity bias, people often seek out others with similar interests to themselves, therefore affirming themselves with consensual validation. By conversing with another person who appreciates the same anime, for example, one feels affirmed that they are ‘correct’ to enjoy that anime. They are more confident that their company will be appreciated, and hence feel more at ease around people who share similar interests.
The phenomenon of fandoms can be further explained by social identity theory. It is a field developed by social psychologist Henri Tajfel, which analyses the connection between the individual and the community. Belonging to social groups helps people assign meaning to their lives and interpersonal relations. They redefine themselves based on characteristics shared between members of their community, hence gaining a sense of belonging and identity. Ultimately, being in a fandom is the same as being in any other community, only differing in that the individual’s sense of belonging is centred around a common interest rather than alternatives such as living in the same neighbourhood.
Participating in fandoms can improve people’s well-being, both mentally and physically. By partaking in activities that evoke positive emotions, one can potentially stave off stress and depression. This not only improves mental but also physical health, resulting in effects such as lower blood pressure and a stronger immune system. Of course, it is also important to exercise and eat healthily—any health benefits you might get from engaging in fandoms will surely be eroded if you sit in front of a computer twenty-four seven.
Additionally, being in a fandom may incentivise one to create fan content. Expressing one’s creativity through mediums such as fan art, fan edits and fanfiction can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, evoking peace and calm with effects similar to that of meditation. It improves cognitive function by strengthening neural pathways of the hippocampus. Analysing TV shows and films can strengthen one’s critical thinking, allowing one to overcome cognitive biases and make critical choices in real life. Of course, refusing to consider interpretations other than one’s own may also cause someone to stumble into the pitfalls of perception bias in real life. As with many topics in real life, perhaps it will be worthwhile for fandom friends to discuss interpretations of their favourite media with an open and calm mind.
Considering the benefits above, it is safe to say that there is nothing inherently ‘problematic’ with fandoms. Nevertheless, like many communities, they are not immune to the presence of toxic individuals. This issue is especially prevalent online.
So, what does online toxicity encompass? Toxic behaviour often involves wielding offensive and humiliating words against other people in chatrooms and forums. Such actions can vary in severity, from degrading language to hate speech, or even culminate in cyberbullying.
The most intriguing aspect of such behaviour is that the perpetrators are often otherwise decent individuals in real life, who would never behave this way with people they meet face-to-face. The question then arises: why do they behave differently behind a screen? This can be explained by the online disinhibition effect, a term used to describe the anonymity and disconnect the internet affords people. The distance of the world wide web allows people to don a mask, lowering their inhibitions such that they display behaviours inappropriate in real life. This is exacerbated by asynchronous communication–the time gap between one person sending a message and the recipient reading it, as well as the lack of visibility and eye contact between the two parties. They allow the sender to type incendiary messages without considering the recipient’s reaction.
While the internet may appear divorced from real life, what happens online can still impact our daily lives. Undue harsh criticisms of TV shows and movies not only put off genuine fans, but also damage the confidence and reputation of the creator, especially if they are an artist posting content without the backing of a company. This is doubly true with regard to fan content, in which content creators share the fruits of their labour without compensation or pay.
Fandoms are meant to be a stress-free place to bond with people over a common passion. When faced with toxic fans, it is important to disengage, take a step back, and distance yourself from your fandom until the storm has passed. If your fandom is causing you undue stress, it is probably time to log off.
To conclude, it is not unusual for fandoms to be a crucial aspect of your interests and even your social life. However, like all other things, one must be careful not to overindulge in fandoms, lest it overtake real life with detrimental effects to your health and social circle.
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