Hey guys,
While preparing for my presentation tomorrow and reviewing what I've done so far for the practicum project, I have found that most of my research on a media fandom website (ladygaga.com) is centered around the idea of community. Watson's article also made me contemplate the notion of online communities and trying to assess whether the message board that I am participating in should be considered a community or not. On one hand, this forum serves as a meeting place for Lady Gaga's fans from all around the world to discuss her music and influence she's had on different people, as well as personal experiences relating to Lady Gaga. However, there also appears to be a number of people who join the message board that are not fans of Lady Gaga, and who instead only criticize and mock her. Do you guys think fan websites such as this should be considered an online community? Additionally, why do you think that non-fans join message boards that are specifically intended for fans? Lastly, why do people join fan forums in the first place? What do people get out of such message boards?
I think fan websites are definitely a community. They have a common interest, and go to the site to talk about and fuel that interest. I don't know why non-fans join the message boards. It seems like a lot of work just to bash an artist or a group of people. If they do join the community though, they must have very strong opinions about the artist or the followers. I think people join these forums because obviously it the topic/artist, etc. is important to them and by joining this type of community, they will find people whp have the same level of appreciation and admiration. Plus I bet it's interesting to meet someone across the world who loves a certain song or lyrics or topic as much as you do and your local friends probably don't want to talk about it 24/7. It's a place where you can constantly talk about it. It's also a place where you can hear experiences and learn more about the artist and what it means to be a fan. Like you said in your presentation, when members were telling each other about concert experiences.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I want to say good job on your presentation! I think the idea of online communities is super interesting, and I think that they are more prevalent that we may think. I think the fan site is a great example, especially Lady Gaga's because her fans even have their own identity of "Little Monsters." As iconic as Lady Gaga is, I have seen so many examples online or on TV of her fans just freaking out about her, and they defend her controversiality to the max. I feel like her fans (especially the hardcore ones) see her as a pioneer figure who is almost non-human. I actually checked out one of her fan sites after your presentation and people talk about her like they know her, or as the leader of a movement. I think it's strange that people would join these communities simply to bash her because it reveals a strange obsession. The reality is that she is a musician who is different, so I don't understand why people would take time out to verbally bash her.
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