meta rec - I probably shouldn't post about this, but... (Merlin fandom)

[seperis]

I probably shouldn't post about this, but . . . by linaerys regarding the Merlin fandom in response to thingswithwings post on Merlin (linked in entry).



This is pretty much a lot of what I wanted to say on the subject after reading thingswithwings's post, but a.) I am not even in the Merlin fandom and have only watched a little of the show, so authority, see I have none and b.) I'm not terribly objective since I was in comments there and being sane, I'm not going to post on something when my feelings are hurt or blah blah whineycakes.

It's more--I'm not sure I have the right to take it personally when I think there was actual escalation involved, and I'm not entirely sure I'm not to blame for getting frustrated with the concept that seemed to be running through the essay and much more specifically in comments regarding a social obligation not to be fannish on source text that's problematic. So, yeah. I'm still reading through it to make sure I didn't misinterpret, but it's still bothering me, because a.) really, no, fans are not now responsible for the creators actions and b.) I'm not comfortable fans themselves be judged by what they are fannish about. I know there are exceptions to this--I can think of several off the top of my head I'd find problematic, like fangirling Nazis, because it's not a good post unless I can Godwin it--but I'm also extremely wary of skating toward your kink is not okay.

Like I said, linaerys said it far better and more clearly than I can.

Comments

[liraelsays.livejournal.com]

Not to mention (and I hope you don't mind me ranting in your lj when you've already moved on to other things, but I couldn't stop thinking about this last night) that this really is one of those times when we're all sitting in glass houses. There are no "perfect" shows, only a lot of more or less "imperfect" shows and we all make compromises. We all tell ourselves that where show X is concerned the love I have for characters A and B outweigh the skanky issues re: /insert -isms and prejudices that I care about/ so I'll keep watching, but when it comes to show Y it doesn't matter how much I love ship C/D I still can't watch it because of its skanky issues, and so on. We all do this all the time, and just because other people doesn't make the same choices that I make that gives me no right to judge them because their compromises are different from mine. *fumes*