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What are the advantages and disadvantages of fandom culture? What are the advantages and disadvantages of fandom culture?
Yes, there are advantages to being a part of fandom culture Yes, there are advantages to being a part of fandom culture
No, the disadvantages associated with fandoms outweigh the advantages No, the disadvantages associated with fandoms outweigh the advantages
Fandoms are good because they create a sense of community Fandoms are good because they create a sense of community
Fandoms are good because they can help boost a person's self-esteem Fandoms are good because they can help boost a person's self-esteem
Fandoms are detrimental because they can foster toxicity around a given figure/franchise Fandoms are detrimental because they can foster toxicity around a given figure/franchise
Fandoms have more control over content than content-creators Fandoms have more control over content than content-creators
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of fandom culture?
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Yes, there are advantages to being a part of fandom culture

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Fandoms are good because they can help boost a person's self-esteem

When a person is part of a fandom, this can inspire a greater sense of self-esteem. Since they are reinforced by the people around them who also share the same adoration for a given subject, the reinforcement they receive positively affects their mental health.
Paul Booth Daniel L. Wann
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The Argument

Fandom culture is enriching to its participants because it affords them the ability to build upon and even improve their self-esteem, as well as contribute to sound mental health. Fans can experience greater levels of happiness as a result of their devotion to a figure or franchise. The happiness they feel serves to act as a barrier against depression and estrangement. For example, take being a fan of a sports team. If the fan is far from home, identifying with a sports team can help them feel less estranged, bringing about a positive sense of self-esteem and well-being. [1] The relationships fandoms create are fundamental since participants are not as lonely, helping them feel more satisfied with their lives compared to those who are not into things like sports. Fans are also able to enjoy more access to beneficial resources such as social support. [2] Access to resources like social support is facilitated by the other fans who also participate in the fandom culture. Since they all share the same passion for an entity or organization, this creates a built-in connection to them that allows fans to access beneficial resources. [3] All in all, a fan's devotion to a subject of their choosing can lead enhance their self-esteem and also contribute towards better mental health as a result of being part of a collective group that shares their passions.

Counter arguments

On the other hand, fandom culture might be more detrimental to a person's mental health than previously thought. Participating in fandom can lead to obsessive behaviors, even resulting in taking part in actions that threaten the safety of others (for example, when a Harry Potter enthusiast stabbed someone for saving a seat at a Marvel panel). [4] As one might see, having deep devotions to a figure or franchise can elicit violent behavior over seemingly trivial occurrences. Though it predominantly has to do with a fan's level of investment or interest in the subject, these are the kinds of behaviors fandom culture can foster.

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Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.inverse.com/article/7120-science-explains-why-being-a-fan-is-good-for-you
  2. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/23/why-being-a-sports-fan-and-rooting-for-a-team-is-good-for-you.html
  3. https://www.cnn.com/2012/04/13/health/side-effects-sports-fan/index.html
  4. https://www.vulture.com/2012/10/is-being-a-fan-psychologically-unhealthy.html
This page was last edited on Friday, 27 Nov 2020 at 23:00 UTC

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