(no subject)

[swatkat]

I should not be online. I have Things To Do. But I am online, and I read this on today's metafandom and I just... don't know what to say. I don't want to argue with the OP on her LJ, because she isn't exactly being inflammatory or crazy, just stating her opinion. So I'll just rant here. Because this is my LJ, and that's allowed, right?

So. Lilac Day. Some Discworld fen got overboard with the celebration. Others were annoyed. There was wank, as I'm sure you must have seen. But what I don't understand is all this hostility towards celebrating a fictional holiday by fans in fandom. Again I repeat: fans. Fandom. This is how it goes. I say happy birthday to Harry Potter and argue over whether Ron Weasley makes a good Pisces (he does. trust me). We wank because JKR got Bill and Charlie's birthdates mixed up and spend days discussing the House timeline. Why do I do this? I don't know. Maybe because I like to? Maybe because I'm a fan and because these characters somehow touched my heart and I'm expressing my love for them this way? And it *annoys* me that I'll be criticised for this in *fandom* of all places - RL yes, they're mundanes, they don't understand. But in fandom? Where our primary purpose is obsessing over the sex lives of fictional people? It is alright to argue whether Remus is gay or not (he's bi), but it's not to celebrate a fictional holiday?

I'm perfectly aware that Sam Vimes doesn't exist. I'm perfectly aware that Night Watch did not happen and no one ever died. I KNOW. But the book made me laugh and cry, like most Pratchett books do. And we show our appreciation for it in fandom by using our lilac icons and saying 'Were you there?', though I'm perfectly aware of the fact that I wasn't there and I will never be there because it's fiction. How is that creepy and crazy? How is that wrong? *Why* is that wrong? And why do I have to be criticised for it in *fandom*, of all places?

There's something I'm missing in here. Or maybe I'm just, you know, obsessed. But hey, guess what? I'm fine with it. That's what I'm here for. *shrugs*

-

All this drama over Discworld. What would Vetinari say? *sigh*

Here, read some House pr0n: Hot Lesbian Sex and Other Misnomers by ijemanja. House/Cameron/Cuddy. Hot and fluffy, with perfect banter. I just went to a very happy place. [she says in her best House voice]

Comments

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

And why do I have to be criticised for it in *fandom*, of all places?

I think that's really the heart of it. I've never even read Pratchett and this sort of attitude makes me want to celebrate May 25 just for the hell of it.

[delle.livejournal.com]

that's what makes me boggle. I don't get a lot of things that go on in fandom (don't get me started on RPF again...) But ... fandom? Ya know, where 'YKIFIJNMK*' is supposed to be the be-all and end-all?

Please don't let me start ranting about fans that consider themselves "better" than other fans because they're "not crazy that way". 'Cos we ALL be crazy, in our own fashion. That's why we're in fandom.

*your kink is fine it's just not my kink

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

'Cos we ALL be crazy, in our own fashion. That's why we're in fandom.

Well said! *g*

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Word. If I was feeling melodramatic I'd say 'But...but...you're supposed to *understand*!!1!'

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

I think that's really the heart of it.

It's not right, you know? This is *fandom*. I here *because* I'll not be laughed at the way I'd be in RL.

[elaran.livejournal.com]

/signed

Fandom is the one place where I can be WHOMEVER I want to be. I can admit to liking whatever I like and and yeah... YKIFIJNMK! It's FANDOM.

pah.

[septemberrains.livejournal.com]

I think the OP and the other people who were criticising are just bitter because they can't understand the pleasure of enjoying a book (or film or tv show etc.) so much that you want to celebrate it with like-minded people.

The whole lilac thing epitomises what fandom is about for me. It's the interaction, the in jokes, the fun games - the stuff you can't do with your RL friends because they probably wouldn't know what you were talking about. I don't think it's crazy at all. I just think it's a shame that all the wankers had to spoil it just because they didn't agree.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

The whole lilac thing epitomises what fandom is about for me. It's the interaction, the in jokes, the fun games - the stuff you can't do with your RL friends because they probably wouldn't know what you were talking about.

Word. And it was just a few *icons* and *posts*. They could've scrolled past. They could've defriended the comm for a day. But no, they had to post over and over and over again about it.

[sangerin.livejournal.com]

All I can say is that it did annoy me to have friends of mine forget my birthday, but remember something from a fantasy novel. Way to make me feel loved.

Besides - I thought Discworld didn't have the same months as us?

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Ack. That's sucky. 25th May was your birthday? *sheepishly offers belated birthday wishes*

Besides - I thought Discworld didn't have the same months as us?

No, I don't think they do. But unless it's possible to figure out which day it is, we're stuck with this.

[sangerin.livejournal.com]

So, how did Discworld fandom decide on 25 May in that case? A Discworld fan friend of mine (who couldn't work out what I was talking about when I mentioned lilac, not that I was probably explaining it well) thought it was something from the Diary/Almanac.

*is curious*

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure how they decided, really, but I suppose they went by my logic and used our 25th May. *g*

[lyras.livejournal.com]

Using 25 May icon for the last time in solidarity.

Most of the wank seems to be from people taking either themselves or the 25 May celebrations too seriously. To me, the 25 May thing was an opportunity for me to show my love for Discworld - something I don't get to do very often as I'm not particularly in the DW fandom. And that is really all it was. I had a lovely time, and it was gorgeous to see other people I hadn't known were Pratchett fans come coming out of the woodwork. It was just something nice to bond over briefly, you know?

As you say, it's fandom, and that's why most of us are here.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

To me, the 25 May thing was an opportunity for me to show my love for Discworld - something I don't get to do very often as I'm not particularly in the DW fandom.

Exactly. I'm not much in the fandom either, so I loved this opportunity to flaunt the icon. I was hoping for Night Watch discussions, not crazy wankey. *sigh*

[ms-artisan.livejournal.com]

Why do I do this? I don't know. Maybe because I like to?

Enough said. You made me smile with this, thanks. :)

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

You made me smile with this, thanks. :)

My pleasure. *g*

here from metafandom

[wingstar.livejournal.com]

Thank you! You expressed my thoughts perfectly. The original essay... of course she was very polite and it's her opinion and her livejournal anyway, but - I thought fandom was where it was okay to go a little bit crazy? I thought that was the point, actually. We devote so much time to a source with our writing and art and vids and meta for no other reason than that we love the source dearly; why not celebrate a fictional holiday?

Re: here from metafandom

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

The original essay... of course she was very polite and it's her opinion and her livejournal anyway,

Oh yes. I felt slightly embarassed ranting over it, but I couldn't help myself. *g*

We devote so much time to a source with our writing and art and vids and meta for no other reason than that we love the source dearly; why not celebrate a fictional holiday?

Yes. Exactly. It's just a way of being fannish. What's so wrong about that?

[ataniell93.livejournal.com]

I think the OP has a valid point, which is that she was offended to see so little attention given to Memorial Day (during a war, no less!) while everyone was celebrating a fictional holiday. I know jack and shit about Discworld--I've never wanted to read more than a few pages of one of those books--but I don't think that's an unreasonable thing to be bothered about.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

But here's the thing - it was in the Discworld comm, where we post about *Discworld*, not our RL events, no matter how important they might be. Also, not all of us Americans. I'm not. A huge number of Pratchett fen aren't. Isn't it a bit unreasonable to expect us to remember a day we don't know jack about?

I agree with you, though - she does have a valid point in the sense that people *should* remember Memorial Day, which is certainly more important than a fictional holiday. But again I'm wondering, how much can we judge someone's RL interests by their actions in fandom? How do we know that they *haven't* remembered the day? What if we choose not to bring up RL in fandom? Every year, during Independance Day (that's 15th August for us. I'm Indian), I wear a pin with the flag colours on it. I sing the national anthem. I think about the time. Sometimes I pray. Then I go out and celebrate. But I don't talk about it in LJ - I've never felt like it. So I'm wondering, can we really tell?

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

Your comment triggers another thought for me. One thing that's rather odd about the OP is that she seems to be assuming that people are literally celebrating the 25th of May as a holiday, when what they're actually doing is merely using an icon or posting a simple comment (or a few) on a comm. That isn't "celebrating" -- that's just a once-a-year shout-out to fellow fen. It's the equivalent of a secret handshake that allows you to spot other Pratchett fans and say to yourself, "Oh, cool, someone else who shares my taste!"

The idea that this is somehow on the same level as celebrating a RL holiday strikes me as ridiculous. Does she think fen are going out and draping their houses with lilacs?

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

That isn't "celebrating" -- that's just a once-a-year shout-out to fellow fen. It's the equivalent of a secret handshake that allows you to spot other Pratchett fans and say to yourself, "Oh, cool, someone else who shares my taste!"

Again I say, word. I had a bloody exam that day - not like I could go out and find some really hard to find lilacs and drape them all over my house and sing 'How do they rise up?', lol!

I'm wondering, is the anger because it's somehow 'frivolous' to even lament the death of fictional characters on a sombre day like Memorial Day? Is that the problem? Because again, why do we necessarily *have to* bring up RL issues in fandom?

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering, is the anger because it's somehow 'frivolous' to even lament the death of fictional characters on a sombre day like Memorial Day?

Going back and rereading the original post, I'd say that was actually her secondary criticism. Her main one was just that it seemed silly and annoying. *Shrug*

Mind you, it wasn't even the same day as Memorial Day. The "traditional" Memorial Day used to be May 30, and these days it's observed on the last Monday of May, which this year was May 29. (I guess it must fall on May 25 upon occasion, but not this time.) So...would the argument be that it's insulting to mark the deaths of fictional characters within a week of Memorial Day? Within the same month? Who knows?

Because again, why do we necessarily *have to* bring up RL issues in fandom?

We don't. On a comm, especially, that would be an OT intrusion and rather rude, in my opinion.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Re-reading the post: you're right, that was the secondary complaint of the OP. And I feel slightly embarassed talking about her, because she was being quite sane, though I completely and thoroughly disagree with her. The original wank, though, had quite a few people complaining (vehemently) why Memorial Day and Towel Day (BECAUSE IT ISN'T A DOUGLAS ADAMS FAN COMMUNITY, THAT'S WHY?) wasn't being mentioned.

So...would the argument be that it's insulting to mark the deaths of fictional characters within a week of Memorial Day? Within the same month? Who knows?

It's just weird. Heh.

On a comm, especially, that would be an OT intrusion and rather rude, in my opinion

Very, very rude(I even find introduction posts annoying, but that's just me speaking). But all posts are generally Discworld-related, so yeah, pretty OT and rude.

[carlanime.livejournal.com]

Isn't it a bit unreasonable to expect us to remember a day we don't know jack about?

Yes, thank you. I'm glad Americans have their own Memorial Day, and that they treat it respectfully, but the suggestion that the rest of the world drop everything on that day is a bit much. We have our own real holidays, including memorial observations, thanks. I agree that American fans might have wanted to pay more attention to the real, serious holiday than they did to the fictional one,* but what with Terry Pratchett being British and all, there are lots of non-American PTerry fans.

*I'm pretty sure many of the Americans who were off-handedly acknowledging the fictional holiday online were also appropriately observing the real holiday, anyway.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Yes, thank you. I'm glad Americans have their own Memorial Day, and that they treat it respectfully, but the suggestion that the rest of the world drop everything on that day is a bit much.

Or as I've heard many people say: the internet is not America! *g*

I'm pretty sure many of the Americans who were off-handedly acknowledging the fictional holiday online were also appropriately observing the real holiday, anyway.

I would've been extremely annoyed if people filled the Discworld comm with OT posts on how they're celebrating the Memorial Day. That kind of thing goes to your personal LJ.

[nell65.livejournal.com]

Well - especially b/c, as Jaybee pointed out - this year Memorial Day fell the following Monday, the 29th - and not on the 25th at all.

I thought the whole idea was mostly a shout out to fellow fen of the book - and if you are fen - the lilac is all about the pointlessness destruction of bloody street revolution, and not about how great it is....

But then, I'm not on the comm or in the discworld fandom, so maybe people were taking a less in the spirit of the books and more in the spirit of meaning something to the reader. As far as I know, no one is claiming to *be* the current RL incarnation of Sam Vimes - which would definitely by the time to get all worried about the crazy fen. But up to that? It's a fen thing. *g*

BTW - on another post - lets talk about Carpe Jugulum.... I've got some ideas.

n

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

But then, I'm not on the comm or in the discworld fandom, so maybe people were taking a less in the spirit of the books and more in the spirit of meaning something to the reader. As far as I know, no one is claiming to *be* the current RL incarnation of Sam Vimes - which would definitely by the time to get all worried about the crazy fen.

There was no crazyness. A lot of posts, sure, but no crazyness. Everyone was showing off their icons that said something like 'Were you there?', or 'How do they rise up?' etc. The anti-fen began the crazyness.

And let's talk about Carpe Jugulum! See my latest post!