Introduction:
Having recently read this book I was impressed by the way in which Henry Jenkins views fans and fandom as a separate subculture in modern society. What I found difficult, though, was interpreting some of the heavy sociological jargon and wordy passages.

While reading I began to take a few simple summary notes as a means of interpreting the text in a more manageable form. Later I decided that they would make a good précis of Jenkins's ideas and serve to dispel some of the stereotypical attitudes I encounter every day from family and friends who know of my involvement in the Tomorrow People fandom and TPDIS, the on-line discussion group, in particular.

Much of my article is my own direct interpretation of this book and I claim no copyright to the original concepts or ideas. Whether you are a member of the above mentioned fan group or just curious about what makes a 'Fan' then I hope that these ideas can help to overcome the prejudice and misunderstanding between those who simply watch TV and those who seek to become part of the fandom.

The fan stereotype:
What makes a fan? If you have watched films like 'Galaxy Quest', 'Cruise of the Gods' or 'Trekkers' then you will be acquainted with these common misconceptions about sci-fi fans in particular.

1. Fans are brainless consumers of any merchandise associated with their favourite show.
2. Fans devote their lives to the acquisition of meaningless factual material from the show.
3. Fans place inappropriate importance to material from the show.
4. Fans are social misfits with obsessive personality types.
5. Fans are infantile and both emotionally and intellectually immature.
6. Fans cannot separate reality from fantasy.

The question you, as the reader of this article, have to ask yourself is… Do I fit this stereotype? The answer is probably, no. No fans that I have ever met have been the nerdy, dim-witted social misfits that the media would like to portray us as.

So where does this stereotype come from? It lies in the origins of the word fan, which comes from fanatic. A fanatic is like a lunatic and has various associations with mental health problems and madness. These people are feared by society because they choose to believe in concepts that lie outside the accepted cultural rules and norms for behaviour. Fans reject cultural expectations about what they should be doing. As the fandom increases so does its strength as a group of consumers and therefore so does its power to influence producers, merchandisers and ultimately society. This has not gone unnoticed by those who perceive fans and fandom as a challenge to the cultural norm.

There is, in fact, no point to this fear. Fans do not set out to change society; however through the presence of this subculture, one that is becoming increasingly more recognisable, society is changing itself.

Are there different types of fan?
The simple answer is, yes. According to Jenkins there are two main types of fan for all TV and film based concepts.
a) There are those who poach ideas and ideals from what they watch and then create a fictional world in which they can live.

b) There are also those who like to belong to a social community of like-minded people where their own interpretations of the moral and social guidelines laid down in the show are fully accepted.

Within these two types of fan there are also a) fan readers: Those who just watch and read material associated with the show, and b) fan writers: These people go beyond the material produced by commercial TV companies and book publishers and weave their own tapestry of stories within the genre of the show in order to add something to the myth.

Why TPDIS?
If you are a member of the internet based discussion group you may have sat back one day and asked 'why did I join this group?' Was it simply to keep yourself informed of news related to your favourite show or something else, something more about belonging?

Fan groups like this provide thier members with the opportunity for gossip and, according to Jenkins, there are four types of gossip involved.
1. House-talk: An exchange of ideas.
An example of this on TPDIS is the recent discussion of the prime barrier, the basis for psionic powers and the nature of genetics.

2. Scandal: Judgements about moral dilemmas.
Aspects of the cast's relationship with one another, both on and off set, are mentioned in some TPDIS posts, as well as Big Finish's plans for the audio adventures and DVD commentaries.

3. Bitching: Expression of anger about various topics.
This aspect of gossip is heavily regulated on TPDIS, but there are still some topics such as breaking canon, and which episodes/story-lines are best, that cause some heated comments to be exchanged between members.

4. Chatting: Encouraging mutual self-disclosure between members.
A personal account of one's childhood memories of the show is one of the first things most newbies mention in their posts.

The whole picture
Broadening out my summary of this book to include other sci-fi and TV shows let me summarise the main characteristics of fandom in order that I can convey the whole picture of what it means to be part of this subculture living within today's society.

Firstly, a fandom has its own unique way of watching, perceiving and interpreting TV shows. Fans don't just watch; they absorb and assimilate the information into their own way of looking at the world. Such people have a mixture of emotional proximity to the content of each episode and critical detachment. They often watch and re-watch episodes trying to make meaning of even the smallest of details.

To become a part of any series fandom, be it Dr. Who, Blake's 7, Thunderbirds, Star Wars, Charmed, or indeed The Tomorrow People you have to first learn the preferred reading and watching practices of your group. You must learn and understand common abbreviations, concepts and interpretations of technologies used by other fans. You will have to work together with fellow group members to fill in gaps in content, derive canon and draw parallels with real life situations.

Secondly, once you become an accepted member of any fandom you realise that you have a certain amount of consumer power. This was never more evident than at the recent Memorabilia fair in Birmingham, where I saw hundreds of pounds change hands for certain items, many of which I owned in my childhood, but have discarded as I grew up as having no apparent value in my life, e.g. countless Star Wars figures, annuals, magazines and books, not to mention videos. (I used to own the entire ST Next Generation series, but practically gave it away to someone at work for a nominal fee because it held no more interest for me.) The more people crave such items, the more commercial outlets will produce them, but at the same time, once a series falls out of favour with the masses, these items lose their value overnight.

Thirdly, any fandom possesses its own cultural traditions and practices. We write fan fiction, poems, e-mails, make videos and music all associated with our favourite show. The production of such items adds to the genre by giving something back that the shows' makers never envisaged.

Lastly, fandom provides an alternate social community. It offers not mere escape, but an alternative reality more humane and democratic than society today. Real life falls short of the ideals many fans feel. Family values are disintegrating in society, but the 'family' atmosphere portrayed between Kirk, Spock and McCoy, or the three sisters in 'Charmed', fills that gap. Fans create for themselves a world that is more charitable and accepting of difference - and TPDIS is a prime example of this - where people do not act out of self-interest, but for the good of the group. And that can't be bad for society either!

Final thoughts
I hope that this article offers some explanation of fandom. Perhaps it will give you food for thought next time you hear of a Sci-fi convention and your immediate response is to cringe about the sad fans that need to 'get a life.' I'll finish with a poem from Jenkins's book which sums up the emotional feelings associated with attending a convention.

"Weekend-only world" by T.J Burnside Clapp. Fesorius Publications 1987.

In an hour of make-believe
In these warm convention halls
My mind is free to think
And feel so deeply
An intimacy never found
Inside their silent walls
In a year or more
Of what they call reality.

In my weekend-only world
That they call make believe,
Are those who share
The visions that I see
In their real-time life
That they tell me is real,
The things they cared about
Aren't real to me.

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