fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2393 ]

[ SECRET POST #2393 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2393 ⌋

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

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 03 pages, 052 secrets from Secret Submission Post #342.
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.

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02. http://i.imgur.com/liZo8jR.jpg

Just read the books and avoid the annoying fans? You don't even have to tell those people you read them.

...But the explained why they don't want to read the books? Then said that it didn't explain why they didn't want to watch the movies?

(no subject)

(Anonymous) - 2013-07-23 03:18 (UTC) - Expand

well, if you want to bring yourself to enjoy the books/movies, you can just be all like "fuck you, [obnoxious elitist fan], I'm going to enjoy this and you can't stop me"

and use that feeling to fuel your voracity for the story I guess

[Picture is a box set containing the books "The Hobbit" and the "The Lord of The Rings" trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien.]

I tell myself the reason why I haven't read The Lord Of The Rings is because of Tolkien's long-winded writing style, but that doesn't fully explain why I've never attempted to watch the movies. I also tell myself that I'd try to at least watch the movies or read The Hobbit one day, because I'm still curious.

But I think another reason I'm not eager is because I find certain fans I know in real life to be pretty obnoxious and elitist. I can sort of ignore those types when I just read about them, but encountering them personally leaves a worse taste in my mouth.

It's ok not to like Tolkien, or even to not read Tolkien.

Just don't rant about how he ruined all of fantasy fiction.

The problem in the fandom is not the issues between people who hate Tolkien all together and those who love him - that's a fan/non-fan fight. The in-fandom fight is between people who love the movies and think they are a good translation of the books, and those who think the movies fail big time for changing details, like Tom Bombadil, who rescued Frodo and got him to Rivendell, who said memorable lines that PJ swapped around, the fact that the movies left out the Scouring of the Shire (the vision in Galadriel's Mirror notwithstanding).

It's the fight between movie fan and strict book fan.

(There's also the fight between people who stubbornly use bad Elvish and people who will not back down about properly learning Sindarin before you even think of using it. I saw one of those fights back in '04.)

Unfortunately it's easier to enjoy something before you know some of the people who like it are hateful, mean, or just very poorly behaved. :( *hug*

If you wait long enough, maybe you can enjoy this without the reminder of annoying people. But if not, don't worry about it. There's lots of things you can enjoy.

Personally I read the trilogy long before the movies, but it didn't do much for me. Everybody's different.

Just because you read the book/watch the films does not mean you have to interact with the fans (or interact with them more, since you say you've already encountered some annoying fans - which, by the way, aren't all the fans.)
Which is not to say that you can't not read the books/watch the films, but it's still an odd reason. I don't even know why you need a reason anyway.

Just ignore the elitist fans and like what you like. You don't have to be super knowledgeable or been a fan for the last 20 years to be a fan.

I know several people are saying you don't have to get involved in fandom, but that's difficult if fandom is part of the enjoyment of consuming media for you.

I got into Tolkien fandom back when the movies started coming out. I used to frequent a pretty popular message board. I stuck around as long as I did because, amid all the hate and elitism was some pretty interesting discussion about the movies and the books.

It wasn't just "PJ ruined the books!" type stuff, either. If you didn't like Tolkien at all, some people questioned you intelligence. A young man was quoted as saying he enjoyed the movies more than the books and from that one sentence, they determined that he was a loser who did nothing but play video games all day. One poster was boggled at how an "otherwise intelligent person" he knew could not like Tolkien and was asking the board for advice on how to get him interested (I guess the cognitive dissonance was too much). One person flat out said she could never be friends with somebody who didn't like Tolkien.

I didn't last very long after the last movie came out and when I poked my head in as "The Hobbit" news stared coming out and was quickly reminded why I left in the first place. I know I could probably find another hangout, but it's not really worth it for me at this point. I'll just enjoy it in peace.

TL;DR: I think I get where you're coming from, OP. I probably would have been the same if I encountered people like that before getting interested in the Tolkien books/movies.

Accurate.

Vocal minority? Sure some fans are absolutely elitist and snobby, but there's a lot of people who just enjoy it (but might be less active in fandom). It's a nice universe if you like high fantasy.

Have you ever thought that maybe you really just don't want to read the book or watch the movies? It has been a long time since they've both been available to read/watch. I know fans can destroy things you once loved (I have taken fandom breaks because of it). But if you haven't summoned up the energy to read it yet, maybe you never will.

And that's okay :)

I also keep meaning to watch the movies but never have, and it's mostly because I don't really like watching movies, especially long ones. It's kind of boring tbh. There are a few exceptions, but as a whole I don't watch movies very often at all - maybe a half dozen in a year, some in theaters and some not. I liked what I saw of LOTR 1, but halfway through I stopped because I was tired of just sitting there watching it.

I'm not sure why this is. I can sit down for hours and do other things that entertain me - but they are usually more engaging, so maybe that's it.

I have zero patience for long movies, but the LOTR movies just really hooked me in.

(no subject)

(Anonymous) - 2013-07-23 05:56 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

(Anonymous) - 2013-07-23 13:17 (UTC) - Expand

I saw all three and was bored in all three. Especially endless battle scenes and that awful tree business in the second film.

Not even sure why I watched them all TBH, just for completeness I think.

That sort of thing was part of what kept me away from Tolkien for a long time. Those kind of fans left a bad taste in my mouth, too. If you really are curious, maybe find a friend who's a casual fan and not so elitist to watch with you, or just decide to fuck the snobs. Or decide you don't want to watch/read them after all, it's not a requirement.

It's okay not to want to read the books or watch the movies, OP. It seems like that's actually the issue here, because it isn't that hard to avoid the obnoxious fans.

Two acquaintances of mine are largely in the LOTR fandom, and have really made me want to stay away from LOTR fandom. (A fandom I was in, HEAVILY, in 2002.)

I still adore the books and movies. They're excellent.

I read the books as a kid and loved them and then the movies, and to this day, have absolutely no desire to participate in fandom. I just feel (borne out by reputation) that it would be full of One True Fandom types.

Just watch or read them if you want, OP, if you're curious. They're popular for a reason. Maybe marathon them on a cold rainy day. But don't worry if you never get round to it.

I'm not really in the fandom, but... in The Hobbit at least, can a fandom that produces a lot of stuff like http://24.media.tumblr.com/35a9b719b26a6610174782f4dd05b7ea/tumblr_mj1rratJ2f1r6oycjo1_500.jpg really be that elitist?

(no subject)

mimi-sardinia.livejournal.com - 2013-07-23 14:27 (UTC) - Expand

There are definitely two sides to the fandom. From afar, I can tell you that I have seen some of the most genuinely nice people as well as the complete pricks and idk, man.

The love I hold for this world is so massive that I cannot be disheartened by anything negative people have to say about each other or the content of the works. I love both the films and the books and cannot recommend them enough. I don't involve myself in the fandom outside of the fanart I do for it and it's worked out well for me. You don't have to involve yourself in the social aspect of something you like just to get maximum enjoyment (I find that it actually decreases my overall interest in the subject every single time).

Also, as far as reading goes, you should be able to breeze right through The Hobbit since it's very light and easy. LOTR is a different beast altogether and I think most people have a tough time with it... still thoroughly enjoyable though and if you just want to toss it aside and watch the movies, well, that's mighty dandy too. :)

I do find it a bit funny when people take a work as inspiring and enthralling as LOTR and go so far to judge and fight others over the most minor shit. Tolkien spent the majority of his life developing this beautiful world and it makes me sad that some can't just sit back and enjoy it for what it is and discuss it with others in a non-aggressive way. I mean, the stories are both so optimistic and full of hope even in the darkest moments it just makes me feel like all of those people missed the entire fucking point of them.

I hope you decide to read and/or watch them, OP. My favorite fictional realm. <3

Honestly, I totally agree with you about his tedious writing style (which is the reason why I haven't read the 'Lord of the Rings' series either), but 'The Hobbit' is completely different. It's not even comparable to Lord of the Rings in terms of his long-winded writing style. The action starts immediately and it is very succinct and to the point. Give it a try, you might like it. C: I'm a huge Tolkien fan (of the world and its history, not of Lord of the Rings), and I hated the LoTR books, but I loved The Hobbit.

Edited 2013-07-23 12:18 (UTC)

(no subject)

(Anonymous) - 2013-07-23 13:19 (UTC) - Expand

I find there's different levels of involvement in a fandom one can get into.

You can totally submerge yourself in the social aspect of a fandom, getting into serious debate communities, but I have found that doing that runs the risk of running into the elitist types you wish to avoid.

You can find yourself a small corner where there's a group of like-minded folk, though that does not guarantee that you haven't fallen in with a group who are just elitist about things you agree with.

You can stay back, absorbing the fanfic and fanart, commenting to stuff you like, but that can be isolate you from a good deal of the fandom even while it protects you from the elitist types.

Or you can be a fan of the books and/or movies and not get involved in the fandom at all.

All those options have their pros and cons.

I still encourage you to at least watch the movies, though I'd suggest the extended edition, not just for the extra scenes, but for the convenient break to change discs, where you can go to the bathroom, get food, or just plain tale a break before watching the rest.

I will also say that if you do get around to reading the books, give The Silmarillion a try as well.

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