Post originally by S. John Ross at 2003-04-09 17:01:26
Converted from Phorums BB System

My experiences differ, but only slightly.

I'm a convention hound. I've been invited to speak at dozens of cons, and I've attended quite a handful on my own nickel back in the day ... And with no exceptions worth mentioning, every experience I've had meeting that side of fandom (which is, pretty much by definition, a "hardcore" side, since most fans don't bother going to cons) has been really fantastic. From my anonymous days as one of the throng to my still-pretty-anonymous days as Some Game Designer on a Panel, I've met lots of fascinating people, and even the ... socially challenged ones ... have been an enriching experience. Cons made me fall in love with fandom, far more than I've ever been with any of the things I'm a fan of.

The internet, by contrast, slaps my affection for fandom around and kicks it in the balls pretty much every time I'm dumb enough to stray into a public forum.

A lot of folks say this is because people behave differently online, or because plain text is cold (lacking vital social cues of timing and inflection and whatnot), and both of those things are certainly factors.

But I also think that the worst fans are the ones hardcore enough to go to a con, but so antisocial they can't or won't. The Ultimate Fanboys, with all of the extreme affection for what they like that makes a nice fan amusingly weird, but all of the social ineptitude, need for geek coup, etc. that lies behind the unfortunate stereotypes that mar fandom.

I think those fans find a home online, and they tint the colors rather a lot, contributing to what's usually an inescapable spiral of negative vibe.

Anyway, I ramble. Just my personal vote for "fandom continues to rule, and continues to be poorly represented on the Internet."

Just like any other thing that rules, sadly.

S. John Ross
www.cumberlandgames.com