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[Ogodei]

They feel the need to be important among other fans of a popular thing. Can't just be one of the masses who like the thing, you need to be "that one guy." That one who was so dedicated that they waited line for the Szechuan sauce, drove all the way to New Mexico to throw a pizza onto someone's roof, the one who backed the right character ship, etc.

I guess it depends on the motive. To me, all of those things could just be fun things to do and you want to share that fun you had with others (absent the one that involves trespassing and making a mess on someone's private property, anyway).

But i guess if your sole purpose for doing them is to prove your own superiority, that's what makes it toxic.

 

[PdotMichael]

I hear way more about how annoying Rick & Morty fans are than I encounter actual annoying Rick & Morty fans. Many people just have too hard a time disengaging from the echo chamber of the internet and online "communities" and develop a warped view of what things are really like.


You are aware that the one video everyone keeps pointing to as an example of the "toxicity" of the R&M fanbase is of an Asian guy, right?

Adding white to everything is a GAF running gag.

 

[Cromat]

How about people stop defining themselves by the products, services and entertainment they consume? It's a testament to the absolute rottenness of this age.

 

[ClosingADoor]

How about people stop defining themselves by the products, services and entertainment they consume? It's a testament to the absolute rottenness of this age.

This. It is getting to a point where I see this stuff actually in real life. With some people the conversation is non-stop about the latest superhero movie, which one is better, what should be different, etc, etc. I never encountered it like that until a year or two back. I know it was there with things like Star Wars and people getting really heated about it, but it seems this behavior has become more mainstream these days. It's like this competition where they need to put the other down for not having the same opinion. And me going "I really don't give a fuck, just watch whatever you want" gets a strange look.

 

[timberger]

Certain properties unfortunately seem to just attract the worst types of people, and they in turn manage to sour the experience for the rest of us simply by the association.

I know shit like that is a big part of why I ended up developing a distaste for many US animated shows (Including Rick and Morty) and brands like Microsoft and Apple.

 

[KarneeKarnay]

The internet allows for people to surround themselves in a bubble. Everyone agrees with you and the more extreme views you develop, the more likely you are to surround yourselves with people who agree with you. You might not even realise how toxic your beliefs are becoming.

It was harder in the past for this to happen. Less available means of obtaining media, combined with lack of internet and the ability to only really socialise with the people around you, it meant to be a fan boy took dedication. It took a lot of effort to be a fan boy on the level that a lot of people are today.

I remember people causing arguments about whether han shot first. Now it's lawsuits other fucking rick and morty sauce. People got stabbed over that sauce.

There's not really a lot you can do to combat it at this point, this is more something you need to invest in with schools.

This toxic fandom is not a new thing though. In more recent years White Supremacy has arisen again for the same reasons. People living in a bubble, only exposing themselves to media that aligns with their conceptions. If you aren't challenged how can you evolve as as a person.

 

[Brakke]

Why does anybody think this phenomenon is new I guess they never heard of Bible fandom?

Ayyy try the veal, tip your waitresses.

 

[ElBoxyBrown]

I hear way more about how annoying Rick & Morty fans are than I encounter actual annoying Rick & Morty fans. Many people just have too hard a time disengaging from the echo chamber of the internet and online "communities" and develop a warped view of what things are really like.

The loudest Rick & Morty fans are the assholes, and the normal fans are letting them run free and define the fandom.

 

[The Fatal Englishman]

don't underestimate the destructive power of bored white 30-somethings with an internet connection

Someone hasn't heard of shipping communities. Case in point:

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/why-am-no-longer-steven-universe-fan

Incidentally, the pejorative term 'SJW' likely arose out of the shipping wars of the mid-late 00s on livejournal/tumblr.

 

[Ryouji Gunblade]

The loudest Rick & Morty fans are the assholes, and the normal fans are letting them run free and define the fandom.

If you have a specific suggestion for the non-toxic ones I'll hear it and share it among the ones I know. Seriously, I'd like an effective tool against abusive fans.

 

[brianjones]

the internet obsession with listing and ranking everything

grown men that are a little too into cartoons ��

 

[HarryKS]

The jocks were right the whole time.

 

[excelsiorlef]

The jocks were right the whole time.

Jock fandoms can result in riots... because of success

 

[ShowDog]

No one should treat fandom as a competition, and no one should treat new fans or female fans poorly.

At the same time, when something gets too popular it does change things for long time fans. Personally, I’m not a fan of your spending dictating your level of fandom. Hoarding shitty merchandise isn’t really something to be proud of. Goes for geeky endeavors and sports too. Or constantly bragging about your gear or that you saw the latest crap that was released first.

Personally, if I started to feel alienated with new fans in a group I would just recede and keep my enjoyment to myself. I won’t be missed by the group, and I won’t be missing the new crowd either. I guess it’s so important to some people they can’t do this, but it’s kinda sad to be so dedicated to some fanclub.

 

[Kai Dracon]

Fandoms have always had problems because people make problems. Still, in 1990 one didn't have to worry about hateful misanthropes using the internet and social media to start brigades that result in 5 years of harassment and death threats by thousands of terrible people.

In an earlier era, it was somewhat more feasible to create lunatic-free zones by physically ostracizing the occasional troublemaker. Today there can be more anxiety associated with trying to be an ordinary enthusiast of something.

 

[Truant]

Rick & Morty is the new Family Guy.

 

[marzlapin]

I think Franz Liszt had a pretty toxic fandom tbh. I do think the internet has amplified toxicity but people have been shitty about stuff they like since forever.

 

[Somnid]

I'd actually say certain types of fandom have become less toxic lately. I think a lot of it comes from the top. The creators and their creations must exude the values they wish to instill. In order to be the best fan, you have to adopt the PR and if your PR is all about inclusiveness it naturally changes the voice of that fanbase. The worst ones are still aimed at adolescent boys.

 

[Evil Monkey DTT]

Is it that fans are getting worse or people are getting worse and fanbases consist of those worse people? Because 2017 has been nothing but milkshake ducks and disappointments from people.

 

[Haly]

The internet has an amplification effect on the toxicity that was already there, because it allows previously isolated toxic fans to concentrate and then engage in a kind of fandom feedback loop that spins out of control.

 

[Slayven]

"I like something, therefor I own it and it must obey"

Shit has always been around, the internet just made it a 10000x more noticeable and someways worst. They can find others like them and feed off each other

Despite loving comics, I don't really fuck with comic communities

 

[lethial]

The people who go ape shit over video game character relationship\cartoon character relationships just boggle my mind. Weird shit.

 

[Acerac]

The loudest Rick & Morty fans are the assholes, and the normal fans are letting them run free and define the fandom.

It's because we have better things to do with our lives than monitor what other people are doing. -_-

That said, if you want to judge huge groups by what 1% of them are doing, be my guest. Seems to be a common trait in humanity.

If you have a specific suggestion for the non-toxic ones I'll hear it and share it among the ones I know. Seriously, I'd like an effective tool against abusive fans.

But then they wouldn't be able to shit on millions of people are feel all superior about themselves. Is best that all R+M fans are below them.

 

[Sapiens]

OK, here's the Tiny Toons thing I was talking about.

As the impressionable youth who watched a lot of TV and movies, seeing stuff like this and the similar character in Freakazoid put fear into my heart to never end up like that.

Seeing pathetic drug addicts also put a similar kind of dread and loathing into my mind - a fear of what kind of adult not to become.

Any way - I don't think fandom truly understand the impact and harm that the studios constant coddling and appeasement of their like has on popular culture. Sure, studios want to make money and they've focus tested things for decades, but the insanely short feedback loop that the fans have with studios these days means that these people are only every getting what they want.

And when they don't get what they want, they drive children to schizophrenia.

Now, the thing that is really getting equally as tiring is the whole, "[insert show's] fans don't understand they thing they love - but I, the article's writer, certainly does." pattern of article writing.

 

[Antiwhippy]

The jocks were right the whole time.

Never been part of a sports fandom?

 

[demon]

The loudest Rick & Morty fans are the assholes, and the normal fans are letting them run free and define the fandom.

Are we? I didn't know I was under some obligation to monitor the internet and keep fringe fanbases of shows I enjoy under check. I'd rather just watch the latest episode when it comes on, laugh a little, and move on with my life.

 

[Sapiens]

The loudest Rick & Morty fans are the assholes, and the normal fans are letting them run free and define the fandom.

The fact that some people have locked themselves up into the belief that I, as a regular guy who passively watches a TV show, chuckles, and then moves on with my life has ANY responsibility to speak out against people who get excited about McDonalds's sauce - is also a weird element of fandom I will never understand.

Am I being judged because of sauce? Really?

 

[timetokill]

Rick & Morty is the new Family Guy.

As somebody who hates Family Guy, you have no idea how deep this cuts me

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

The people who go ape shit over video game character relationship\cartoon character relationships just boggle my mind. Weird shit.

Overwatch community is a big one considering how people reacted to Tracer and her girlfriend when the comic came out. People were freaking out that she was a lesbian and also that she already had a girlfriend that wasn't another character in the game.

 

[MC Safety]

Rick & Morty is the new Family Guy.

We can discuss this fanciful notion when Rick eats Morty's feces.

Real thing, it happened in Family Guy.

 

[Unspeakable Evil]

The people who go ape shit over video game character relationshipcartoon character relationships just boggle my mind. Weird shit.

Its weird because it seems like this shit never changes. New fandom same old song and dance.

 

[AlexFlame116]

The people who go ape shit over video game character relationshipcartoon character relationships just boggle my mind. Weird shit.

Overwatch comes to mind. It can be terrifying at times.

Of course it's been done before but I've had the most experience so far with OW.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

As soon as I read the title I thought off Rick & Morty. And there they are.

Although this is not a particularly unique problem for that show, but it is the most notable ATM.

 

[Toxi]

We can discuss this fanciful notion when Rick eats Morty's feces.

Real thing, it happened in Family Guy.

Honestly, Rick eating Morty's feces wouldn't be out of left field for the show's style of humor.

 

[Rentahamster]

increasingly feels like pop culture fandom has gone rotten.

Key word "feels like". Fanatical fans were always a thing, you just have more ways of interacting with them now. Comic book guy's first appearance was in 1991, and that character is a parody of the most extreme and insufferable fandom that has existed since always.

 

[AlexBasch]

I know it is stupid but I dislike Game of Thrones a lot. Still, it's a series/books that deal with violence, sex and power. (I guess, never cared about it).

It's the toxic and vitriolic Steven Universe fans that I do nota understand. It seems like a cute animated series but holy shit, what is their problem?

 

[Heroman]

As soon as I read the title I thought off Rick & Morty. And there they are.

Although this is not a particularly unique problem for that show, but it is the most notable ATM.

I dont have you heard giant fans lately?

 

[Kolibri]

Rise? I've been watching Canon and Nikon fans fighting for decades lol.

It's just that there are more visable fandoms these days, thanks to the internet.

 

[Fj0823]

I can safely hay I hate the YuGiOh fandom despite my undying love for the game.

A fandom were your value as a person is definen by how expensive your pile of cardboard supposedly is

Pathetic.

 

[Madness]

Fandom has been toxic for decades. This isn't new. 'The rise of toxic fandom' implies that this is new. Sports, media and gaming have had this issue for years. No rise, not new.

 

[chrisPjelly]

Rise?

 

[Media]

Women have been in Fandom Since Star Trek. We wrote the first fanfic and made the first fan video. I think, personally, what happened was that when LiveJournal collapsed, which one was able to keep a pretty tight circle of Fandom friends, women geeks started looking for elsewhere to post and it looked like 'women were flooding Fandom' when in actuality we were just shoved into the open.

And since Twitter allows more 'access' to creators and stars, even women Fandom has gotten shitty. God the hell storm that would have erupted even a decade ago if someone directly spike of Fandom to a creator


Edit: if I ever get to chose a tag it'll fanthropologist because I find all this shit fascinating

 

[Sectorseven]

Does the hypothetical toxic fan just have too much free time on their hands?

 

[Ryouji Gunblade]

Does the hypothetical toxic fan just have too much free time on their hands?

Unfortunately they could still post some nasty stuff while on break. Not a lot of thought has to go into trash talk.

 

[Wingfan19]

OK, here's the Tiny Toons thing I was talking about.

As the impressionable youth who watched a lot of TV and movies, seeing stuff like this and the similar character in Freakazoid put fear into my heart to never end up like that.

Seeing pathetic drug addicts also put a similar kind of dread and loathing into my mind - a fear of what kind of adult not to become.

Any way - I don't think fandom truly understand the impact and harm that the studios constant coddling and appeasement of their like has on popular culture. Sure, studios want to make money and they've focus tested things for decades, but the insanely short feedback loop that the fans have with studios these days means that these people are only every getting what they want.

And when they don't get what they want, they drive children to schizophrenia.

Now, the thing that is really getting equally as tiring is the whole, "[insert show's] fans don't understand they thing they love - but I, the article's writer, certainly does." pattern of article writing.

I guess I've seen that episode of Tiny Toons when it aired, but it didn't resonate with me as much as the above mentioned Freakazoid episode about a similar thing. In fact, the first time I heard the term "fan boy" was in that Freakazoid episode. I thought it was funny, but it always stuck in the back of my mind to never be "that" guy when meeting celebs or talking about pop culture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3Ts6r1I2hc

 

[MC Safety]

Honestly, Rick eating Morty's feces wouldn't be out of left field for the show's style of humor.

Keep me posted on developments.

 

[Johnny Cage In The Shower]

Taking power away from the jocks, and passing it on to the nerds was a mistake.

 

[besada]

Nerd fandom can certainly be unpleasant and toxic. And what we're seeing really is just the magnification of behavior that has always existed in geek and nerd gatherings. The misogyny, the homophobia, the fucked up political opinions were all common as rain at cons in the 80's. The difference now is that the con never ends, and these people and their ideas have room to grow and capture others.

All that said, as awful as nerd/geek fandom is, when was the last time you saw a bunch of nerds overturning cars and setting fires because their favorite movie won an Oscar or their favorite comic got the Eisner? Not to dismiss the toxicity of nerd/geek fandom, but it's got a long way to go before it catches up with sports fandom.

 

[Triteon]

Another thing to consider is that creators/business actively try to get fans to connect to their work in this way now. It used to sort of happen organically, and that's not even considering those who essentially make their whole living off a very small group of people (the patreon/tuber types)

Creating a feeling of community and one way relationships is exactly what they want to do. live appearances, tweets, podcasts. So many ways to feel connected to your fave thing.



Some people who may be susceptible to this kind of marketing might actually think their one way relationship is two ways much easier than before.

 

[SciencePilot]

I don't agree that it is specially nerd/geek fandom that becomes toxic. Almost all fandoms of any sort become toxic.

I do my part and try to be respectful, reasonable, and generally positive while online. I think that's the best we can do. If each individual makes the choice to act responsibly, then we will have good communities.