Aarna Wadhwa

With technology growing rampant and the digital age upon us, fandoms have stitched the fabric of passion together. They are a community of people who share the same interests, desires, or activities. The digital revolution has made these groups more popular than ever. Common interests give a basis for people to add on information or to elaborate on ideas to create an engaging conversation. These fan bases also help people communicate efficiently and contribute to creating everlasting friendships glued by passion. A broad range of them exist globally, ranging from anime, K-pop, comics, and cinema. Sometimes, these groups even share websites to communicate their thoughts, ideas, and views on recent news surrounding the group. 

These communities not only allow people to share their ideas and interests but also provide a sense of belonging to a larger group. Individuals are given several platforms to share their ideas and perspectives. For instance, fan art is created and posted on the community websites to illustrate how they might view a certain book character. Fandoms are also incredibly popular due to the inside jokes developed through the community. They also create traditions and celebrate their unique identity. These groups give people a basis to expand on existing ideas and develop thought-provoking conversations that can lead to new topics. They also play a crucial role in challenging common ideas about a certain topic, energizing more people to voice their opinions or change them. All in all, one’s opinion is unique to their perspective and apprehension of the topic.

Although these fan bases can foster a sense of belonging and companionship, they can also lead to various problems within the community. Fans can become toxic and create negative energy, tearing down other fans or opposing groups. If an individual criticizes a particular topic, they could be attacked and shunned from the community. This often leads to isolation and loneliness, discouraging that same person from ever speaking out again. Furthermore, complete reputations could be ruined if an individual voices ideas different from those of others, leading to a shift of focus; the conversation might drift away from the group’s original purpose (fostering community) and suddenly become personal. 

These groups are an incredibly fast-growing community of like-minded people who contribute to the well-being of others, most of the time. They serve a critical role in collaboration and social engagement and encourage people to speak out and voice their opinions. Although they can get toxic at times, most are encouraging and benevolent. Fandoms are the principal definition of the digital world, connecting individuals across the globe on digital platforms and contributing to productive interactions amongst like-minded individuals.