Super Curricular

 Random Fandom

I read the article on fandoms; I found it really interesting as to how a fandom can grow and evolve far from what a media creator could ever expect. the article used the two examples: Rick and Morty, and my little pony - 'Bronies'. fandoms can be a creative force and really good fun but these two provided examples of a darker side of fandoms. Rick and Morty had a throwaway joke about the discontinued Szechuan sauce from McDonald's. (I have seen a clip of this, and the mention of this sauce lasted no longer than two minutes) this joke sparked something in the community. people began demanding the sauce be added back to the menu; and McDonald's complied, giving each location up to 80 sauces. this was not enough as fans drove for hundreds of miles to get this sauce. people made a spectacle of themselves and screamed quotes from the show and one man even claimed to have been stabbed whilst waiting in line. this is a small example of the problem of toxic fandoms. the Rick and Morty fandom became notorious for self-importance, misogyny and hostility ( I used to watch this tv show and as a woman when I watched fan made content I always felt uncomfortable at the amount of comments and jabs aimed toward female characters and writers of the show , typically complaining about the mention of any female experience.) the tv shows fandom had become obsessive and reclusive causing an incredibly toxic community. 

    

 The other fandom mentioned was 'Bronies' (usually) grown men who watch my little pony. though unusual it would be ok for them to enjoy this tv show ; the issue lies in the fact that they frequently produce adult content (including violence and pornographic content) using the likeness of these characters, this means that it was a fear that little girls (the target audience) would stumble into these adult spaces. this community is symbolic of how a fandom can take over even the creator's intended vision for a piece of media. the article discusses the issue that the inappropriate, harmful content generated by some overshadowed actually good work within the fandom (charity events and actually well-made art).  

there was nothing wrong with either of these shows. they are relatively well written and fine shows, but people are reluctant to interact with them, and they have a bad reputation, nothing to do with the show itself. fandoms can evolve into something darker. this article highlights to me how shows can be taken over by political and hostile fandoms that make people so ashamed that they will steer clear of the show altogether. 

 Link to my studies: Henry Jenkins fandom theory discusses how fandoms are no longer just consumers but are now producers of content and how this change has led to the possibility of a fandom reshaping media texts. The article poses an excellent example as to how a fandom can modify perception of a media product through fan made creations. 

Mark Dixon book on Judith butler 

Judith butler challenges previously accepted orthodox ideas of gender formed by people such as Claude Lévi-Strauss and Freud. She claimed that femininity and masculinity are not naturally given states, but they are maintained by everyday rituals. The media provides a template of masculinity and femininity of which we conform to. The media shows us conventional images of these gender roles and portray them as desirable as a result people conform to the societal ideas of gender. 

Butlers' principal objections to Freud are as follows: 

1. Male and female identities are not naturally configured 

2. Gender does not exist inside the body 

3. Gender is not solely determined by primary experiences during childhood. 

4. 
   

Butler produced an alternative view of our gendered identities: 

1. Our genders are culturally formed rather than naturally formed. 

2. Our genders are not stable but are constructed through repeated actions. 

e.g. ‘gendered’ clothing or wearing makeup. 

 

Heterosexuality and cisgenderedness is the dominant identity so homosexuality and being transgender is a subversion and this subversion takes ‘a great deal of effort to maintain. The dominant identity is so interwoven into the fabric of our society that being subversive in this way could be seen as painful 

 In 2018 only 8.8 per cent of American prime time television shows regularly broadcast non-heterosexual characters 

2 theorists who may challenge this 

Gauntlett – more positive view of subversion 

Van Zoonen – women internalise male power 

This further reading has supported my learning by giving me a deeper knowledge of butler and other theorists related to her.

shelter advert

Our House. It's not a home | Shelter - YouTube 

this advert was really touching because it used the perspective of a child to show the struggle of poor housing. it really represents the innocence and helplessness of homelessness and it challenges the stereotype that all people in poverty are there due to their own actions. moreover it parodies a popular British song 'our house' so it shows people that homelessness and poor housing is an issue here in England too, not just in a far away country . in a short , one minute advert , many aspects of poor housing and its effects are shown. the title our house its not a home shows how temporary and poor homes can cause extreme mental and physical affects. the advert ends with an appeal to donate thus making it clear that the target audience is people with the means to help. this reflects altruism and pro social behaviour as the advert starts by presenting the issue - the traumatic affects of poor housing, then presenting the solution - donations. this encourages people to be altruistic and donate