Comments, Interactions, and Fandom
I feel like there has to be a really succinct way to say that there's less interactions (reblogs/asks) in fandom spaces lately because everyone is stressed the hell out.
We're more connected on a global level than we've ever been and everything is big and bad and AWFUL and people are latching onto anything they can to find some sense of comfort, but since it's easier to fall for bad faith ideologies when you're stressed they're falling into TERF shit and Purity shit and Fascist Shit, and they're lashing out in anger and demanding PERFECTION - specifically their very precise and completely non-negotiable version of PERFECTION - or you're just a complete and utter waste of time and life.
And people who aren't falling that far are still afraid of saying the wrong thing, or liking the wrong thing, or phrasing something the wrong way, and instead of sending in an ask, or leaving a comment, or sharing a story, or reblogging something, they hesitate.
They fear someone coming to them and saying "You did that WRONG."
So, I mean, I don't think interactions are going down because people feel entitled. I think they're going down cause people are base-line stressed the fuck out, and they're scared.
Even if you can push past the fear, it's hard to be social. It takes energy to be social. Even if you LOVE being social, it still takes energy, and when you're STRESSED it's not there, so it's harder.
I don't know, I think I'm going to try. I'm going to try and reach out more, I'm going to try to be more active as a form of defiance.
Joy is rebellion, and so I will do my best to rebel.
And here? My blog? My immediate vicinity - I can't accommodate everyone, I'm not perfect, but I'll do my best. You can interact awkwardly with me, imperfectly, and repeatedly. Maybe we can find a little mote of joy and carry that to the next person, on and one, and maybe it's what someone needs to get to the next day.
