I think I'll rant a little...

[leethet]

...about how easy it seems for some people on the MFU channels to take a simple observation about fanfic -- a generalization, a personal impression, or simply a thought that occurred -- and take it as a personal affront because these "some people" don't agree with it. Man, you cannot say something like "I see a lot of stories in which Napoleon instigates the relationship" without someone going "I never see that; what a dumb idea anyway, I can't imagine anyone writing a story that way! Certainly I never would. It would be stupid."
This is a vague way of saying "sheesh people are sensitive and quick to misinterpret an observation as a statement of fact." No wonder people are hesitant to bring up a subject of discussion; someone almost always jumps down someone else's throat.
Is this common in other fandoms? I assume it is. I hope it is. I'd hate to think we old farts are more touchy and unreasonable than other fandoms.

Comments

[green-key.livejournal.com]

I dabble in a dozen different fandoms, but I'm only on lists for about six, so take this for what it's worth.

Yes, MFU seems touchier than any other fandom I'm involved in regarding list discussion of sexual preferences, sex in stories and such on. I've made an observation that coincides with this observation as well: the more open-minded fen are to the guys trying *anything* in bed, the freer discussion seems to feel on lists.

MFU is very rather "safe" with regards to what writers will have Illya and Napoleon do sexually; there is very little kink, very little outside of frottage (lots of), the sex act and fellatio. It feels as though there's a sort of fanon that the guys won't/don't do more than that. I know personally of two instances when a writer stepped outside of those bounds and received feedback that Napoleon and Illya would never do *that* -- it's out of character and "wrong". Whoa.

I don't mean to sound insulting toward the MFU fandom -- far from it. These are just my own personal observations from the fannish circles I participate in.

[st-crispins.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth, the gen side is even stodgier when it comes to sex :)

Touchy Fen

[dinahmt.livejournal.com]

I wish I knew what the problem with us was, Lee. Could it be that MFU fandom has been around a long time and there is a certain element of "We've always done it this way so it must be right?" I don't know. It certainly does seem hamper any discussion about stories or preferences, which seem to degenerate all too quickly into sniping matches.

But let us not be deterred. Let's continue to voice our opinions. If they are not directed personally at people, it is their own problem if they take offence.

Re: Touchy Fen

[leethet.livejournal.com]

I think you hit on it, Di. I was vaguely thinking that as I read Irene's post, thinking I always kind of thought because we were more mature we'd be, well, more mature. But is it that a lot of MFU fen have been in it and at it for so long that they've got that fossilized old-fart narrow minded superior thing going on, much more so than in a fandom that is mostly teens or 20-somethings?
And if so, bummer. To be sure there are fanfics I don't care for because they're WAY too far from how I see the guys (and I'm not sure that having a firm view of the guys is a bad thing in itself. Discipline is a good thing in writing, and it's possible that if we didn't have some general guidelines there'd be a lot more crap out there, a lot more stuff that really just is any two guys, without characterization at all) but hell, people shouldn't get slapped down for it. Or if they do get slapped down for it, I hope they won't let someone else's opinion stop them having some darn fun.
That reads like I'm of two minds. I guess I am. People should be able to play in the sandbox in whatever way they choose, yes. But I also will defend people's right to observe "Uh, you're not even IN the sandbox any more, pal."