Step one: enjoy/love/like the show, book, movie, and/or band.
Good job, that's it, you're a true fan.
One thing that just never fails to annoy me is when someone tells me (or another person honestly) that they aren't a true người hâm mộ of whatever it is they are a người hâm mộ of for having a certain opinion.
One of the most common things I get is 'you're not a true người hâm mộ because bạn like the villains more'. Okay no let's talk about this for a second; the villains are a crucial part of the story. Villains are what essentially gives the show/book/movie its plot. Without villains there is no conflict and without conflict, sure there's a story/plot, but it wouldn't be a very exciting one.
So of course people are going to like the baddies and that's okay. Why? Because villains can be and are well written, interesting, and complex. Why? Because they help make the story fun. I just don't get how one can tell another they aren't a real người hâm mộ of something for liking a character critical to the story line.
I can't speak for everyone but I personally (as a villain fan) tend to hate the mains. This is another biggy for people pulling the 'you're not a true fan' card.
People it's possible to not like the main character and still like the book hoặc hiển thị hoặc whatever. While, yes, the main is a huge huge part of the media in question, he/she isn't all of it. Harry Potter for example; I think he's kind of boring but I still enjoy the sách due in part to a fascinating plot and the other characters around him. "I don't like the main" =/= "this book/show is boring". It simply means that the main doesn't appeal to bạn and that bạn enjoy the show/book for other reasons. The main character is not everything.
Hand in hand with this I've seen "you're not a true người hâm mộ if bạn like this character better than this character. Fandoms are diverse in opinions, of course someone is going to think character A is better than character B and vice versa. I don't know why this is even a cause to tell someone they aren't a true người hâm mộ with such a vast assortment of characters to choose form. Moreover I usually see this the most when character A is a villain and character B is a hero.
And in the musical case; if bạn like this singer better than this one. For instance Nightwish; I've seen "you're not a true người hâm mộ if bạn prefer Annette hoặc Floor to Tarja (the band's first vocalist). Different vocalists are simply thêm pleasing to some people's tastes than they are to others. People can't help what vocals are thêm pleasant to them. It's like trying to choose to become left handed when you're right handed.
In general having a different and/or strange headcanon hoặc perspective of a character than someone else is okay. Different life experiences make way for different ways of seeing the story and the characters in it and how relateable the characters are. That in mind someone can very well see something bạn don't in a character and the other way around. For example over on the Once spot (way back when spoiler Regina was still evil) I always though she had a lot of good left in her. Person B disagreed...and disregarded my points, telling me I wasn't a true Regina người hâm mộ for believing she could turn good again and that she truly loved her son. End spoiler. Don't tell someone they aren't a true người hâm mộ of a character because they view him/her differently from you; for one it's rude, for giây they're ideals could very well turn out to be true in canon.
How about dubs? Guess what someone can be a người hâm mộ of something for liking dub X thêm than dub Y. This is mostly a thing I've seen in the Winx fandom since we have like 3 versions (4kids, Rai, and Nick--Rai being the original). I have gotten so much crap for liking 4kids to the original. I've also seen the reverse. And with anime like FMA that have two versions; bạn can like the 2003 version thêm than Brotherhood and the other way around and still be a fan.
Along the same lines (and this is thêm of an anime thing too) I think people get way too butthurt when someone says "dubbed is better than subbed". bạn can be a true anime người hâm mộ and prefer an English dub to the English subtitles. Some people don't like trying to read the subs while trying to take in the actual imagery at the same time. It can be kind of a pain. bạn don't have to watch the Japanese version of anime to be a true anime fan.
Another thing that gets me every time is when that crazy mega-fan starts freaking out because someone doesn't know every little plot detail, character name, actor name, etc. So what? Are all the people new to a fandom not real những người hâm mộ then? Let me tell you; I couldn't even name all the main and re-occurring characters when I first started watching Naruto (honestly there are so many characters in this one I still don't know all of them). Hell I confused Lydia for another character when I first started watching Teen Wolf. It takes time and getting used to. It takes time to start putting names to faces flawlessly and easily. Eventually bạn start get the hang of it and it just comes naturally.
And then there are people who simply don't have the time/patience/capacity to memorize line, important date, character name, and what not in the show.
Some people are just casual những người hâm mộ and casual những người hâm mộ are true những người hâm mộ too. And some people simply aren't obsessed with the show/book. Liking something should not be a chore. Your shouldn't have to do a butt ton of research to be recoginzed as a fan.
In the musical sense bạn don't have to know all the lyrics nor all the track names and hoặc albums. If bạn like a bad you're a true fan. Nor should bạn have to know all the band members' names right away--or ever if you're only interested in hearing the âm nhạc (which is perfectly okay too). bạn also shouldn't have to be able to say who is who right on the spot. With k-pop bands like SNSD (that have like 9 singers) it's hard to tell who is who right away because they don't have different rolls so bạn can't just be like; 'oh so and so is the guitarist' bạn actually have to--like a teacher with new students--get used to which face belongs to which name. Basically it's the same as the above. bạn don't have to be a super người hâm mộ to be a real fan.
Much like the preceeder; one doesn't have to have seen every episode/read every book/listened to all the songs on every album. Again, listening to music/watching a hiển thị shouldn't be a chore...it's entertainment, something bạn do for fun. If bạn have the time to read every book, see every episode, hear every song, thêm power to you. That's awesome. But not everyone can and that doesn't make them any less of a fan.
The same goes for not watching every interview; be it a band interview hoặc cast interviews. Particularly cast interviews, there's such a vast amount of them, it's hard to keep track.
Shipping is another huge one; someone can ship, ship X and not ship Y and still be a fan. bạn can prefer ship A to ship B and you're opinion still makes bạn a genuine fan. I really just don't understand how someone can tell another that they don't truly like a show/book because they like/don't like a certain pairing--especially if the shipping is just a subplot...which it usually is unless you're talking about the romance genre.
Hell bạn can not ship and all and still be a real fan.
Speaking of likes vs dislikes a person doesn't have to tình yêu every. Single. Aspect of a show/book/band to be a real fan. No matter what form of media we're speaking of, it has flaws. There are positives and negatives to everything one likes. bạn don't have to tình yêu every single character, plot, hoặc subplot in your yêu thích show. bạn don't have to tình yêu every song, lyric, album art, hoặc member of your yêu thích band. A person can see the flaws in their faves and still be a true fan.
A person is allowed to prefer the adaption to the original as well. Be it bạn prefer the movie to the book hoặc the tv hiển thị to the book hoặc the other way around. You're still a true fan. It doesn't matter if bạn like the adaptation thêm than the original nor if bạn prefer the original to the adaptation. I just don't see the need for people who like the original media thêm to have such a superiority complex.
Finally bạn don't need to own all the merch hoặc any at all to be a true fan. Some people just aren't interested in fangear others don't have the money to blow. Likewise with cosplay. Cosplay is expensive shit. Whether bạn make your own costume hoặc not, it's expensive and sometimes time-consuming.
I lied...this is the finally. To go with cosplay are Cons. A person doesn't have to attend any cons to be a real fan; like cosplay cons are expensive shit (especially if they are out of state hoặc country). Or--for all bạn HP fans--you don't have to go to the Wizzarding World of HP ever in your life if bạn don't have the money. You're still a fan, end of story. Excessive spending doesn't make bạn any thêm of a người hâm mộ than the tiếp theo guy.
And these points are just scratching the surface; these are only a few of the things I've been told and/or seen around the net.
bạn can totally be and are a true người hâm mộ of something if bạn hold one hoặc thêm of these opinions. Why? Because everyone has a different perspective; everyone has gone through different things and has different knowledge levels and therefore everyone has different points of view of the same show/book/movie/band. Just because someone holds a different view point than your own, doesn't mean they are any less of a người hâm mộ than you.
To sum up; the notion of a 'true fan' and the very term 'true fan' is bullshit. :)
Good job, that's it, you're a true fan.
One thing that just never fails to annoy me is when someone tells me (or another person honestly) that they aren't a true người hâm mộ of whatever it is they are a người hâm mộ of for having a certain opinion.
One of the most common things I get is 'you're not a true người hâm mộ because bạn like the villains more'. Okay no let's talk about this for a second; the villains are a crucial part of the story. Villains are what essentially gives the show/book/movie its plot. Without villains there is no conflict and without conflict, sure there's a story/plot, but it wouldn't be a very exciting one.
So of course people are going to like the baddies and that's okay. Why? Because villains can be and are well written, interesting, and complex. Why? Because they help make the story fun. I just don't get how one can tell another they aren't a real người hâm mộ of something for liking a character critical to the story line.
I can't speak for everyone but I personally (as a villain fan) tend to hate the mains. This is another biggy for people pulling the 'you're not a true fan' card.
People it's possible to not like the main character and still like the book hoặc hiển thị hoặc whatever. While, yes, the main is a huge huge part of the media in question, he/she isn't all of it. Harry Potter for example; I think he's kind of boring but I still enjoy the sách due in part to a fascinating plot and the other characters around him. "I don't like the main" =/= "this book/show is boring". It simply means that the main doesn't appeal to bạn and that bạn enjoy the show/book for other reasons. The main character is not everything.
Hand in hand with this I've seen "you're not a true người hâm mộ if bạn like this character better than this character. Fandoms are diverse in opinions, of course someone is going to think character A is better than character B and vice versa. I don't know why this is even a cause to tell someone they aren't a true người hâm mộ with such a vast assortment of characters to choose form. Moreover I usually see this the most when character A is a villain and character B is a hero.
And in the musical case; if bạn like this singer better than this one. For instance Nightwish; I've seen "you're not a true người hâm mộ if bạn prefer Annette hoặc Floor to Tarja (the band's first vocalist). Different vocalists are simply thêm pleasing to some people's tastes than they are to others. People can't help what vocals are thêm pleasant to them. It's like trying to choose to become left handed when you're right handed.
In general having a different and/or strange headcanon hoặc perspective of a character than someone else is okay. Different life experiences make way for different ways of seeing the story and the characters in it and how relateable the characters are. That in mind someone can very well see something bạn don't in a character and the other way around. For example over on the Once spot (way back when spoiler Regina was still evil) I always though she had a lot of good left in her. Person B disagreed...and disregarded my points, telling me I wasn't a true Regina người hâm mộ for believing she could turn good again and that she truly loved her son. End spoiler. Don't tell someone they aren't a true người hâm mộ of a character because they view him/her differently from you; for one it's rude, for giây they're ideals could very well turn out to be true in canon.
How about dubs? Guess what someone can be a người hâm mộ of something for liking dub X thêm than dub Y. This is mostly a thing I've seen in the Winx fandom since we have like 3 versions (4kids, Rai, and Nick--Rai being the original). I have gotten so much crap for liking 4kids to the original. I've also seen the reverse. And with anime like FMA that have two versions; bạn can like the 2003 version thêm than Brotherhood and the other way around and still be a fan.
Along the same lines (and this is thêm of an anime thing too) I think people get way too butthurt when someone says "dubbed is better than subbed". bạn can be a true anime người hâm mộ and prefer an English dub to the English subtitles. Some people don't like trying to read the subs while trying to take in the actual imagery at the same time. It can be kind of a pain. bạn don't have to watch the Japanese version of anime to be a true anime fan.
Another thing that gets me every time is when that crazy mega-fan starts freaking out because someone doesn't know every little plot detail, character name, actor name, etc. So what? Are all the people new to a fandom not real những người hâm mộ then? Let me tell you; I couldn't even name all the main and re-occurring characters when I first started watching Naruto (honestly there are so many characters in this one I still don't know all of them). Hell I confused Lydia for another character when I first started watching Teen Wolf. It takes time and getting used to. It takes time to start putting names to faces flawlessly and easily. Eventually bạn start get the hang of it and it just comes naturally.
And then there are people who simply don't have the time/patience/capacity to memorize line, important date, character name, and what not in the show.
Some people are just casual những người hâm mộ and casual những người hâm mộ are true những người hâm mộ too. And some people simply aren't obsessed with the show/book. Liking something should not be a chore. Your shouldn't have to do a butt ton of research to be recoginzed as a fan.
In the musical sense bạn don't have to know all the lyrics nor all the track names and hoặc albums. If bạn like a bad you're a true fan. Nor should bạn have to know all the band members' names right away--or ever if you're only interested in hearing the âm nhạc (which is perfectly okay too). bạn also shouldn't have to be able to say who is who right on the spot. With k-pop bands like SNSD (that have like 9 singers) it's hard to tell who is who right away because they don't have different rolls so bạn can't just be like; 'oh so and so is the guitarist' bạn actually have to--like a teacher with new students--get used to which face belongs to which name. Basically it's the same as the above. bạn don't have to be a super người hâm mộ to be a real fan.
Much like the preceeder; one doesn't have to have seen every episode/read every book/listened to all the songs on every album. Again, listening to music/watching a hiển thị shouldn't be a chore...it's entertainment, something bạn do for fun. If bạn have the time to read every book, see every episode, hear every song, thêm power to you. That's awesome. But not everyone can and that doesn't make them any less of a fan.
The same goes for not watching every interview; be it a band interview hoặc cast interviews. Particularly cast interviews, there's such a vast amount of them, it's hard to keep track.
Shipping is another huge one; someone can ship, ship X and not ship Y and still be a fan. bạn can prefer ship A to ship B and you're opinion still makes bạn a genuine fan. I really just don't understand how someone can tell another that they don't truly like a show/book because they like/don't like a certain pairing--especially if the shipping is just a subplot...which it usually is unless you're talking about the romance genre.
Hell bạn can not ship and all and still be a real fan.
Speaking of likes vs dislikes a person doesn't have to tình yêu every. Single. Aspect of a show/book/band to be a real fan. No matter what form of media we're speaking of, it has flaws. There are positives and negatives to everything one likes. bạn don't have to tình yêu every single character, plot, hoặc subplot in your yêu thích show. bạn don't have to tình yêu every song, lyric, album art, hoặc member of your yêu thích band. A person can see the flaws in their faves and still be a true fan.
A person is allowed to prefer the adaption to the original as well. Be it bạn prefer the movie to the book hoặc the tv hiển thị to the book hoặc the other way around. You're still a true fan. It doesn't matter if bạn like the adaptation thêm than the original nor if bạn prefer the original to the adaptation. I just don't see the need for people who like the original media thêm to have such a superiority complex.
Finally bạn don't need to own all the merch hoặc any at all to be a true fan. Some people just aren't interested in fangear others don't have the money to blow. Likewise with cosplay. Cosplay is expensive shit. Whether bạn make your own costume hoặc not, it's expensive and sometimes time-consuming.
I lied...this is the finally. To go with cosplay are Cons. A person doesn't have to attend any cons to be a real fan; like cosplay cons are expensive shit (especially if they are out of state hoặc country). Or--for all bạn HP fans--you don't have to go to the Wizzarding World of HP ever in your life if bạn don't have the money. You're still a fan, end of story. Excessive spending doesn't make bạn any thêm of a người hâm mộ than the tiếp theo guy.
And these points are just scratching the surface; these are only a few of the things I've been told and/or seen around the net.
bạn can totally be and are a true người hâm mộ of something if bạn hold one hoặc thêm of these opinions. Why? Because everyone has a different perspective; everyone has gone through different things and has different knowledge levels and therefore everyone has different points of view of the same show/book/movie/band. Just because someone holds a different view point than your own, doesn't mean they are any less of a người hâm mộ than you.
To sum up; the notion of a 'true fan' and the very term 'true fan' is bullshit. :)
