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Lecture 14:Lecture 14:Super-Participation:Super-Participation:

Professor Victoria Meng

Why should we care about fans and gamers?Why should we care about fans and gamers?

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Introduction to Lesson TopicIntroduction to Lesson Topic

Serious fun: using media to approach serious topics in a fun way.

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Introduction to Lesson TopicIntroduction to Lesson Topic

Serious fun: taking fun activities (such as watching tv) too seriously?

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Introduction to Lesson TopicIntroduction to Lesson Topic

Fans and gamers: increasingly important but still misunderstood groups

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Lecture OutlineLecture Outline

• Focus on fans, not gamers

• Ann Kustritz, “Slashing the Romance Narrative.”

• Mark Wolf, “The Video Game as a Medium.”

• Screenings and websites.

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““Slashing the Romance Narrative”Slashing the Romance Narrative”

Romance: a “feminine genre?”

Conventions:• Powerful man• “Independent” woman• Overcoming odds• Happily ever after

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Romance and Sexism in the MediaRomance and Sexism in the Media

The “romance narrative”is a part of many mainstream Hollywood movies

intended for adult audiences.

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Romance and Sexism in the MediaRomance and Sexism in the Media

The “romance narrative” can be seen as a “universal” way to fulfill a desire for love and security

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Romance and Sexism in the MediaRomance and Sexism in the Media

The mainstream “romance narrative” that we find in the media tends to show the man as being more powerful than the woman.

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““Slashing the Romance Narrative”Slashing the Romance Narrative”

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Some TerminologySome TerminologyFans: people who have a strong interest in

or admiration for certain media works and/or personalities

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Some TerminologySome TerminologyFans: people who have a strong interest in

or admiration for certain media works and/or personalities

Fandom: the group of people involved in the fan activities surrounding a particular media work and the texts that they produce

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Some TerminologySome TerminologyFans: people who have a strong interest in

or admiration for certain media works and/or personalities

Fandom: the group of people involved in the fan activities surrounding a particular media work and the texts that they produce

Fan activities: activities that fans engage in to express their love for certain media works and their identities as fans

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Some TerminologySome TerminologyFan fiction: “…the practice of using

characters from a professionally published text (a source product) in an original story.” (371)

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Some TerminologySome Terminology• Fan fiction can be both an homage and a

critique.

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Some TerminologySome Terminology• Fan fiction can be both an homage and a

critique.• Fan fiction can be considered both

derivative and original.

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Spock/KirkSpock/Kirk

For more background on “slash,” see Kustritz, p. 371-372

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Batman/SupermanBatman/Superman“…slash offers its own particular challenge to normative constructions of gender and romance, as it allows women to construct narratives that subvert patriarchy by re-appropriating those prototypical hero characters who usually reproduce women’s position of social disempowerment.” (371)

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Jacob/EdwardJacob/Edward

“…slash fan fiction seems to be fulfilling a desire that is either extremely extensive or cannot be fulfilled elsewhere…” (372)

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Mona Lisa v. Marge SimpsonMona Lisa v. Marge Simpson

What is art and how do we relate to it? (372-375)

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““Slashing the Romance Narrative”Slashing the Romance Narrative”“Fans discuss the narratives and characters provided for them by the mass media, and then alter those hegemonic messages to reflect their own needs, experiences, and desires.” (374)

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Frodo/SamFrodo/SamSlash fan fiction (fic):• Challenges the dominant, patriarchal romance

narrative• Pays homage to the original works• Critiques original works’ conception of

maleness

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““Coming Out”Coming Out”

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Fan StereotypesFan Stereotypes

Fans? Not a fan?

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Fan StereotypesFan Stereotypes

“Both the news media and the entertainment industry would have us think that we know exactly what fans are like. They provide us with a very limited interpretation by insisting on infantilizing, patho-logizing, or criminalizing fan activities.” (375)

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Fan StereotypesFan Stereotypes

1. Fans are too devoted to the objects of their affection, and they therefore cannot separate fiction from reality.

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Fan StereotypesFan Stereotypes2. Fans are infantile: they are young or socially inept adults who have not developed “normal” interests.

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Fan StereotypesFan Stereotypes

3. Fans are obsessed sociopaths who are likely to hurt other people.

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Media Fans v. Sports FansMedia Fans v. Sports Fans

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Why We Should Care About FansWhy We Should Care About Fans

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Why We Should Care About FansWhy We Should Care About Fans

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Going too far?Going too far?

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Why Should WeWhy Should WeCare About Gamers?Care About Gamers?

• What stereotypes do we hold about gamers?

• Why do we have these stereotypes?

• To what extent are they accurate?

• How do these stereotypes impact our society?

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Why Should WeWhy Should WeCare About Gamers?Care About Gamers?

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Super-ParticipationSuper-Participation

End of Lecture 14End of Lecture 14

Next Lecture: I and We: How do

digital media situate us in space and time?36