Fandom
My main exposure the “fandoms” in their purest sense is on a little website called tumblr.com. Like most social media platforms, Tumblr works as a meeting place for fans to meet, discuss their idolised product/person/media and even generate their own content. It’s become very common for fandoms to have specific name usually derivative of what they’re a fan of, e.g. ‘Directioners’ are fans of One Direction, ‘Fleuremingos’ are fans of Laurina from ‘The Bachelor” Season 2 (better known as ‘dirty street pie’). I identify as a part of both of these fandoms. By having a name for the fandom, it elevates the level of involvement people experience. They’re no longer just a fan of something, they’re part of an organised group of people – a community even.
I don’t think being a fan of something has the same meaning now as it did say, fifteen years ago. Rather than just go along to concerts and purchase merchandise, fans now take their dedication to another level by generating their own content. From ‘fan art’ to ‘fan fiction’, fans actively immerse themselves in their dedication and in doing so create their own culture. After coming third on their season of ‘The X Factor UK’ it looked as though One Direction’s career was over. However fans of the band spread awareness of them internationally through social media platforms such as Twitter, Tumblr and FaceBook. Through this unpaid advertising, the band became the global phenomenon they are today. As Harry Styles so eloquently put it, “we owe our career to electricity”.