"Corporate Rock Still Sucks"...and corporate fanfic even more so

[vulgarweed]

Here's a great post linked from metafandom on the FanLib controversy.

Hmm. A fanfic "company" that has a board of directors with no women on it? Riiiiiight. Who are they trying to kid? The gullible, clearly.

I've realized that the reason I felt so quickly comfortable in fan culture even coming to it later in life than a lot of people is this: my main subcultural background is in indie-rock/DIY-scene culture. Where news that a band has been signed to a major label is greeted not with unqualified congratulations but deep worry, trepidation, and morbid snark - it's been the beginning of the end for ten times more great bands than have ever found fame and fortune that way (and fame and fortune isn't all it's cracked up to be, is it, Kurt?). Lots of people in that scene feel it's better to keep the day job so that the music can stay among friends and on its own terms. Lots of small labels feel it's better to stay small and equitable than grow rich and rigid. And if it means that listeners have to work a little harder to find what they want rather than having it spoonfed to them on the radio and TV, well, that's fine. (The fans have a hunter-gatherer mentality anyway: they like the chase.)

Lack of money, career pressures, and recognition under my own name are the reasons why I enjoy fanfic so much. It's a feature, not a bug. It's freedom. And the "sisters doin' it for themselves" culture is what makes this possible--it's a potluck/barter economy, not a centralized one, and that's what keeps it free, in both sense of the word "free." And I much prefer a smaller, smarter audience to a corporatized one lured in by advertising. (If that makes me an elitist, so be it, but I think it's more of a natural human tribalism, related to the way folks naturally form affinity groups and carve small neighborhoods out of big cities).

Anyway, these are just random thinky thoughts, not any kind of coherent essay.

In other very sad news, Lloyd Alexander has died. bellatrys, tartanshell, and lixtetrax have written beautiful tributes to him in their LJs. Me, I just remember how he stirred my imagination and love of stories when I was very young (he and Evangeline Walton were directly responsible for my intense literary Cymruphilia). I hope he's gone where the stories go on forever and are dazzling.

Comments

[quantum-witch.livejournal.com]

Fanfic.net had its controversies too, but I think in the end it was safer for them to get rid of the NC17 stuff. Too many kids were on-site, no sense in attracting lawsuits. This one will probably attract the younger writers, because they think "ooh publicity!" But for the site to be making money off it? Wtf.

Tribalism. No wonder I feel like I'm trying to protect my campfire somedays...

Alexander: Pity 'Black Cauldron' sucked. I did recognise the Welsh-ness of it, though it wasn't a saving grace.

Walton: Never heard of her either, but may have to look into her works. And I also should make you a copy of this gorgeous CD I have - songs of the Mabinogion, sung in Welsh. It is transcendant.

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

WORD.

[hopita.livejournal.com]

I remember reading a really great article about They Might Be Giants and the DIY ethic once upon a time (in The New Yorker?). Maybe when I'm not at work and swamped, I'll attempt to track it down for you.

[use-theforce-em.livejournal.com]

I agree on so many fronts there. The only problem now, I would say, is that I feel like lately you just exchange one group of elitists for another in some fandom and/or music and/or art groups. With fandom you get lucky in some cases; the GO fandom is blessedly free of most of the wank you get elsewhere. My feeling has always been enjoy it, please, and stay away from the bs that crops up in situations like this.

It that's fear that everyone has about GO becoming a movie for instance; the fandom fills up with newbies and bad fic ensues and you're left there saying, "I liked this before I it was cool." And you still love it. But not in the way that all these new people seem to. (It's one of those terrible curses of being a Tim Burton fan, for instance. XD)

I guess also for me, part of that comes from having a family of artists, particularly musicians. I was raised with the idea that I should appreciate any kind of music I wanted simply based on my own damned opinion. So most of my music is old rock and movie soundtracks because I got into myself, not because I was pushed. But I do like some indie. And I do like some pop. The most annoying part of that becomes feeling like you have to explain that to other people for any stupid reason. The point is the freedom, exactly. Freedom to enjoy it because it's music, not because it's popular, or it isn't.

Well, there goes me being all wordy. XD

I agree with you

[jkb.livejournal.com]

I love fannish culture -- though I've tended to be too busy for much of it in the last 2 years, but I miss it terribly. I'm going to MediaWest next weekend to soak up more of the DIY, make-your-own-fun atmosphere. I love being around people who write stories, do artwork, etc. for no reason other than to have fun and be creative. I don't see where corporate sponsorship could possibly add anything good.

[stewardess.livejournal.com]

There has been a lot of worry that FanLib will change the flavor of fandom and fanfiction. But perhaps FanLib will create its own version of fanfiction that has nothing to do with the rest of us. Traditional fanfiction and the corporate version are too dissimilar to rub off on each other.

I've linked to this at life_wo_fanlib.

[archon-mentha.livejournal.com]

Very well said. :)

[ithilwen.livejournal.com]

Once fandom goes commercial, it isn't fandom anymore. Not that I'd expect corporations to understand that; they're blind to the reality that some things simply can't be purchased with money, but must be paid for in other coin.