The Stigmatization Of Fandoms

Quick, what's the average age considered for someone to have an imaginary friend? Four years old? Six? At most, you'd probably guess that a child would stop believing in their invisible comrades' existences by the time they've reached their ninth birthday. Young age, however, doesn't seem to be a prerequisite for holding onto fantasies. Full-grown adults will don costumes and call them uniforms, outwardly denying any true significance it bears in their lives, and then actively try and gain recognition from their favorite modern gods. To some, entering a fandom is a slippery slope that leaves you alone, save for your new fictional family. Dr. Joli Jensen, a professor of communications and teaches several courses concerning media in today's
And for most, it stops there. Fandom isn't an inherently dangerous or crazy phenomenon, but that is not to say it can't get to that point. The stigmatization of fandom stems from a very real place. Fans who start to blur the line between character and colleague send out red flags to the media, usually starting off as the butt of a joke and as headlines aching to blazon pop culture news sources, but can end up treading dangerous waters. It is possible that these fans are the very same that commit acts like murder, stalking, and property destruction, so engrossed in a world where they may finally feel important. However, denoting everyone that elects to participate in a fan community as obsessive weirdos is inaccurate, and doesn't ever get to the heart of the issue. Excessive fandom does exist, but is often paired with neurodivergent tendencies that can be easily dismissed as "just another crazy fan". For many participants that are afraid of becoming a stereotypical "obsessive loner", Jensen prescribes some sounds advice, "as long as the fan shows ‘good common sense,’ remains ‘rational’ and ‘in control’, then he or she will be