case: (Default)
Case ([personal profile] case) wrote in [community profile] fandomsecrets2025-08-23 03:48 pm

[ SECRET POST #6805 ]


⌈ Secret Post #6805 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 36 secrets from Secret Submission Post #972.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

(Anonymous) 2025-08-24 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
Idk, I'm guessing because people buy them?
You're kinda proving the point in and of itself by preferring one physical copy to another, as I assume both play equally fine, because for the same reason you were disappointed to get the black version, another would have preferred that instead of the coloured.

Still, I don't feel how this is dick measuring at all? I mean, they're producing multiple versions, one, for the money, but also because vinyles are very much showcasey, they've always done this as far as I know. Original versions will always be worth more, but where additional if not identical releases were once a thing, now we have both that and various art per release, per packaging. etc, etc.
It's consumerism by far, but not a dick measuring contest as for as I am aware?

(Anonymous) 2025-08-24 04:34 am (UTC)(link)
A lot of fandoms use “if you don't buy X, then you're not a true fan” as a way to gatekeep.

“If you don't go to the shows, you're not a true fan”

“If you don't buy the rarest pressing, you're not a true fan”

“If you don't buy all of the variants, you're not a true fan”

“I went into at least $800 of credit card debt this era, I'm a bigger fan than you.”

That's one way it becomes a dick measuring contest. Two actually.

ayrt

(Anonymous) 2025-08-24 05:45 am (UTC)(link)
Ah, out of touch as fandom as I am, I never even considered that. You are right though.

Still, a part of me wants to argue that OP might be a little unfair in calling it such. Since as rightfully disappointed as they were, and unless the record is in some way poorer than what they wanted, all of it is simply superficial at the end of the day. As they don't seem to take this to a level outside their own enjoyment. They aren't facing any Gatekeeping, or any fandom persecution, as far as I can tell by the secret itself.
Even the act of making the records is entirely separate from the fandom, right?

Re: ayrt

(Anonymous) 2025-08-24 02:06 pm (UTC)(link)
DA
The standard records usually are poorer quality than the special editions. And the resellers get most of them literally the second they’re released and flip them on eBay, marketplace, etc. so it does become a dick measuring contest between fans. Everything from ability to get it to how low or high a price or how long shipping took can all drown out any other discussions in the fandom.

Re: ayrt

(Anonymous) 2025-08-24 04:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Add in an exchange rate from a country with a shit dollar.

One of my favourite albums turned 25 this year - like, a “this album changed my life/made me love music/saved me” kind of album. They did a regular black pressing and a coloured special edition.

In theory, the album should've cost $US25. Sold out immediately. I relented and bought the black pressing for $AU140 from an Australian importer, but there's a part of me that wishes I had the coloured edition because *it’s such a special album to me* but to buy it, I'd have to pay $AU500.

Re: ayrt

(Anonymous) 2025-08-25 06:11 am (UTC)(link)
ayrt

Huh, that is so strange to me. Like, they're purposefully releasing poorer quality originally? It's not like the method would change that drastically between releases, right?
I mean my first instinct is to try and defend it, like do they actively advertise the processing in how each record is made? Even then that really is a shitty thing to do. Having a limited special edition is one thing, but purposefully holding back quality is just terrible.
I can definitely see how that would induce dick-measuring then. Yeesh.