Fandom

Name Course and Section No. Professor’s Name Date Hype ‘Till We Drop: The Ethical and Social Implications of Fan Manipulation Once upon a time, believers assembling in social networks were not only able to protect their favorite TV series from cancellation but also to write its storylines; this is the modern Fandom. Michael Schulman's "Superfans: A Love Story," provides us an idea on the interaction between fans and popular entertainment institutions, where there is typically a directly proportional relationship, such that an increase in fan interest results to an increase in the power of these institutions. Nevertheless, it is essential to underscore that fans often meet certain limits to their actions even if they work within the framework of collective action because content producers' commercial and creative initiatives still regulate the fans' influence. It is for this reason that this essay posits that while fan communities' influence may consider some aspects of popular culture, these efforts are primarily controlled by the industrial considerations of profit-making and artistic vision. However, the power of fans and their enabled electronic media does not go without significant barriers they come across that are very hard to breach, especially within the dominant and well-entrenched business and creative world of the entertainment industry. As for the second case, Schulman is very relevant in his excerpt, where he writes about the illusion of fans’ control, which often remains an illusion. This is especially true with the “stans.” As Schulman mentioned, “Unlike regular fans, stans see themselves as crusaders, pledging loyalty and rushing to their idol’s defense against dissenters,” and this loyalty is detrimental when argued against. By building a narrative from a series of short episodes, Schulman captures the interpretive idea that even when fans mount campaigns and, in some cases, seem to be winning, the latent industry logic will likely prevail. For instance, a television program may be brought back to life after fans have demanded it. While this may have worked in their favor, the directions taken in latter seasons may only sometimes reflect the fan petition since production decisions are more influenced by market viability and the ability to turn a profit than by the petitioning of the show's fans. This discord demonstrates a finite limitation of fan power, making it apparent that fans can call for change, but they cannot dictate the final decisions over creative output. ...