The Rise of Fandom Culture in the Digital Age
People are always talking about different forms of media, and whether that consists of movies and tv shows or books and music, there is always something to discuss when it comes to it. Sure, there are people who, say, casually watch a movie that they find interesting, but in the end, that’s all there is to it. However, many people have found that one (or more than one!) piece of media that they just cannot stop thinking about. So, they actively seek out more to do with it. Maybe they find a group of people with their shared interest or they look up more information online, or they enjoy analyzing it on their own. Either way, that is fandom culture.
The word “fandom”, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, was first coined in 1903 to describe a group of people who were fans of something. It has been used to describe sports fans, movie lovers, and music enthusiasts alike, though those are not the only categories that qualify as fandoms. In the past century, the word has spread quickly into the vernacular of many as more and more people began identifying with certain fandoms. Now, with the added bonus of digital technology, fandom content is more widely accessible than it ever was before.
With social media at its prime, it is very easy to stumble upon different fandoms or to immerse yourself into a specific one. There’s fan art, video edits, cosplays, and more, all scattered across apps like Instagram, X, Tumblr… and TikTok. TikTok is filled to the brim with short form content, ranging anywhere from a few seconds to ten minutes. And it has so much fandom content. People talking about their fandoms, people editing their favorite characters or cosplaying them, film reviews, and promotional content from production companies. There are so many wonderful creators on the app that continue to share their love for their fandoms, continuously bringing new people in the mix.
Now, when thinking about fandoms, many people’s minds go straight to fanfiction. Fanfiction (affectionately known as “fanfic”) - written works created by fans, inspired by a specific fandom - are a notoriously known aspect of fandom culture, due to the often odd tropes that it is so widely popular for. However, it is a crucial part of fandom that brings different types of fans together. Whether one prefers romance or extensive worldbuilding, there is always some fanfic that would please them. People who like certain aspects of their fandom would generally look to others who like the same thing, looking for fanfic recommendations, or maybe bonding over their shared love for a specific work.
As fun and exciting it can be to be a part of a fandom, there is certainly a stigma that comes with it. Many people are criticized for liking specific things due to it being not very popular or if the fandom has had a bad reputation in the past. No matter the reason why they are criticized, people still feel the need to not express that side of themselves because of that fact. Fandom is a big part of who many people are, and they should not have to fear being scrutinized for it.
Fandom culture has been popular for a long time, and it is not going away any time soon, especially with the rise of social media and the internet being so expansive. There is a lot of engaging content for fans to enjoy, including fanfiction, and fandoms are generally amazing communities to be a part of.
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