sarren

*headdesk* And it's so obvious, really.

If I want to get a nice, early, productive start to the day, DO NOT GO ONLINE.

I just had a look at my 'resolutions' tag:
- In 2007 I decided I was going to try to at least alternate fandom posts with RL posts...I'm doing okay with that, though I could probably add more actual content. To make up for my crap memory.
- In 2005 I resolved to get at least six hours sleep a night. Done good with that one, these days mostly get about seven hours.

Earlier I was musing enviously on people who have time to rewatch their fave shows, like, entire series. There are quite a few shows I'd like to rewatch *SIGH* but life's too short.** Too much new stuff to watch!!!! Then for the hell of it, I made a list of ALL the shows I can think of off the top of my head that I am invested in watching more of. Not, obviously, watching them all now, or I would never leave the house, but all shows that AFAIK are still currently airing, or have been renewed. (several of these I'm seasons behind in, because I can only keep up with so many shows at a time, but I have serious intentions of catching up on them)

( Ooops, or possibly HOLY CRAP. Really? 34? REALLY?? )

**except when I'm in obsession mode, obviously. Then everything else gets put on hold. I think I watched the first Sherlock episode NINE times in a fortnight.

My interaction with the internetz has been to not engage in controversial matters, to not express an opinion that people might take ‘the wrong way’, especially in their own journals. Because fandom IS my happy place, I feel I engage on subjects that are important to me in real life quite enough.

When I started to see “signal boosting” (in order to draw attention to a single fan's ignorance) cross my friendslist it took me a while to realise why I found this whole idea so uncomfortable. After all, so many fans I respect do it, and obviously with the best of intentions, so why am I feeling so weird?

There have been many instances recently of fans and writers called to account by fandom. Most that I have seen have apologised. Their apologies have then been judged for level of remorsefulness, sincerity and whether they’ve learned their lesson. I have seen very few of these apologies accepted gracefully.

The last time I saw this happen was some fan had, presumably through ignorance and thoughtlessness (because I’m sure she wouldn’t have chosen to provoke fandom like this) written a Big Bang fic setting her romance in the emergency relief efforts in Haiti. The wrath of fandom descended upon her. Very shortly there were essays in blogs linked to, ‘constructive’ comments, even blogs where fans had helpfully deconstructed her entire fic to highlight every instance of racefail, horrified reactions to the inappropriateness of her setting her fic so soon after the tragedy, etc. I can only imagine she felt firmly put in her place.

I do not believe this ‘policing’ of fandom is a good thing. I believe signal boosting that does this is a form of bullying. When did fandom start organising en masse to tell people they've fucked up? No-one reacts well to being picked on, to being singled-out and embarrassed.

Kassrachel wrote an eloquent piece about generous listening in which she talks about fandom as a community. This is how I see fandom.

*wavy segue lines*

This semester I took a unit where they encourage you to think for yourself. I know – crazy!!! One of the topics was whether David Irving (a holocaust denier) should be allowed to speak in Australia. Up until recently I thought ‘hell, no.’ Because I’ve never really thought about ‘free speech’. I mean, I knew we didn’t have it, but I was happy with that. After all, people shouldn’t be allowed to say hurtful things, right? But maybe they should be. Maybe the way to deal with people who say things we disagree with is to engage with them, rationally and without attempting to shut them down. But that requires effort. Most of us (including me) can’t be bothered. Instead of saying ‘shut up, you’re wrong’, we could say, ‘tell me why you think this’.

So that’s my resolution.


Comments? (this is me attempting to engage On The Internet)


Edit I used the word 'lynch mob' in my post and inadvertantly hurt someone, therefore it was inappropriate. I am sorry for that. I have changed it.

My resolutions, especially the first one.

1. Absolutely, positively, six hours of sleep per night. No matter how obsessed I am by a particular fandom at any given time. EVEN if I'm the middle of the newest and best Speranza or Shalott story ever.

2. Finish compiling my Atlantis recs list. This is just going to be a list of all the writers I like, with links to their webpage or lj, and my favourite story by each one. And then remember to put in my memories so I don't lose it.

*is resolute*