KarenTraceySmith11
JA WestenbergI’m old enough to remember when being a fan meant actually liking stuff, not dedicating your entire existence to tearing it apart piece by piece. Like, imagine enjoying Star Wars in 2024 without a 7-part thread on why the sequel trilogy personally offended you. Wild times.
Serge 🔻@Daojoan part of this is the apparently persistent illusion some people have that the rest of the world cares about their opinion, even though many of them don't possess the required skills or knowledge to even have an opinion on whatever they are waffling on about.
Doctor Roo@Daojoan My first encounter with fandom was pre-internet, in the 1970s, and I was shocked by how awful some of it was even then. I remember there was a big difference between Doctor Who and Star Trek fandom. The Whovians I met were kind of bitchy and competitive, while Trekdom was welcoming and inclusive (I suspect the difference was because DW fandom back then was predominately male). When I started going to conventions, I mostly went to Star Trek cons because I knew I'd have more fun.
Roadskater, Ph.D.@Doctor_Roo @Daojoan WTF? There was Dr. Who fandom in the 1970s? I mean, that was something that maybe showed up on the PBS channel if you stayed up late at night.
OTOH, Space 1999. Say yes, or name your weapon.
@roadskater @Daojoan Ah, I forgot to mention, I'm in the U.K. Being English and really, really old, I was there for early Doctor Who fandom (and, as I say, not particularly taken with it).
P.S. Yes to Space: 1999... season 1.
Coeli@Daojoan also doesn't help that you're put in trial if you say you're a fan of something but cannot name all things a minor character did that was detailed in three sentences in some obscure novella that was accepted as canon. 🤷♀️
@Daojoan Enjoying Star Wars in 1978 was a F-ing treat. Seeing a re-release of Alien in 1980 scared the crap out of me. Seeing Terminator in 1984 blew my gourd every direction the compass spins.
Stuff that was totally original. No franchise background that I had to study beforehand. Uh-mazing.
Jima 
@Daojoan Wait, like Episodes 1-3? Who DIDN'T those offend? 😉
Alexander Knochel@Daojoan better times.... mainly, times before the sequel trilogy ;)
Brian Grinter@Daojoan I remember the bittersweet feeling after ROTJ as it became clear that was probably the last Star Wars I’d see.
Everything since then has been a gift and I’ve cherished each new film and series