For my last post, I am going to bring up a thread on the Lady Gaga forum that I continually check back on, as it is constantly being added to and updated. The thread is titled "What makes people hate Gaga, I don't get it?" and can be found at http://www.ladygaga.com/forum/default.aspx?cid=454&tid=461269. This thread is one that I find compelling because not only does it demonstrate the fan's devotion to Gaga, but it also displays how loyal the fans are to her. For instance, one user posted a negative opinion of Lady Gaga, and countless users wrote back defending her. I think this demonstrates a central aspect of this forum in general, the idea that the majority of users are incredibly loyal to Lady Gaga, and they will not tolerate anyone talking badly about her. This can be a bad thing, as I've discussed people being violent on the thread, but it also is a good thing because it represents how tight-knit an online community can really become. Lady Gaga's "monsters" feel like they are part of a group, and anyone that goes against Gaga is on the outside, and is treated as such. However, if you outwardly support Lady Gaga and say positive things about her and her music, people are very cooperative and usually only post nice and welcoming comments.
An example of this support from other users is displayed in the thread that I started when I first joined the forum, titled "Never Seen Gaga Live-Tell me What it is Like!" (http://www.ladygaga.com/forum/default.aspx?cid=595&tid=449026&cmid=2958347). When I started this thread I was unsure if anyone would respond, and about what kind of responses I would receive. I was worried that people might criticize me for not being a "true" fan since I haven't been to a Lady Gaga concert, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that all of the responses were nice and helpful. Some people gave details about the show itself, " Its almost like a Broadway show with all the outfit changes, set changes, and theatrical performances.", and other people wrote saying that they had never seen her live either, and expressed how much they wanted to. This thread really reinforced ideas of personal identity, through users' expression of interest in and devotion to Lady Gaga, and community, by the way people interact and seem to connect with one another, and prove that such things are very evident on fan websites online.
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