Too many fans think the movie they thrill to learn everything about are made just for them. They are wrong. These productive films are made to sell tickets and for the producer's likes. Even the creator of Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry, has corrected this fanatical idea at past Star Trek conventions. He strongly corrected them saying, 'I make this for me!" There is a lack of context and prespective from childish vocal combative fans, so this Creed content is to wake-up and clear-up fandom.
The Fan/Fandom 'Sanity' Creed..
I. I admit and affirm that fandom can, has and will exist without me. I am NOT important to it. What fannish things that I can do, someone else could very easily take over. Even if the fandom is tiny, there are probably many more fans of whom I simply have not heard of that video produce/write/draw/dream things better that would impress & surprise me. Fandom would NOT fall apart without me.
II. I admit and affirm that NO matter what I've contributed to it, fandom owes me absolutely NOTHING. I will NOT look for fandom fame, nor will I expect a certain special type of treatment from anyone else in the fandom. If people are pleased with me, let them; if people dislike me and my fannish works let them. I certainly will NOT threaten to leave fandom and nor expect anyone to care.
III. I admit and affirm that NO matter what sort of "credentials" I have in the real 'mundane' working world, but in fandom, I am merely just another "fan". I might be a fan video production crewmember, a published author, a famous artist, or hell, Brad Pitt, but in fandom, if I am NOT the original creator of the genre canon materials, I am merely a ordinary follower and I will always remember that matter.
IV. I admit and affirm that fandom is a thing created and kept alive by more than one person. People will disagree with me; I will disagree with people. Although I reserve the right to leave the premises or disagree/rant/make snide comments in private, I will never flame someone publicly or personally for their fandom opinions. If there is discussion in public, it will be civil and I will keep the peace without off topic personal attacks.
V. I admit and affirm that there will always be parts of fandom that I dislike; I also admit and affirm that there will always be parts of fandom that dislike me; these parts, I will choose to ignore and allow to be heard. There will always be people who will never see things my way, NO matter what anyone says or does, and there will always be people who keep producing lackluster fandom works with which I completely disagree. Again, although I reserve the right to leave the premises or disagree/rant/make snide comments in private, I will make NO move to actually stop them or their freedoms. They have the right to imagine their versions of characters, just as I have the right to imagine mine.
VI. I admit and affirm that, just as fandom owes me NOTHING, neither do other fans. It doesn't matter who I am; just because I created a community or some people who agree with my portrayal of 'Character A' does NOT give me rights to anything special in the fandom. If I receive praise, I will always remember that it is given freely, NOT expected or due; if I receive criticism, I will take it and remember that criticism, too, is freely given. Regardless of which it is, I will always feel thankful to others.
VII. I admit and affirm that fandom is fandom and how certain people act/how certain people's tastes run in fandom might have NO relation to them in real life. Although I reserve the right to like or dislike someone based on their OOC/non-fandom-related comments, I will neither judge nor form opinions about someone as a person purely through fandom persuits. Just as slash writers are not always homosexuals and RPers are not always self-inserts, I admit and affirm that the fandom image I know and the real life-person that I do NOT, may be completely different people.
VIII. I admit and affirm that there will be other fans that I dislike personally; I also admit and affirm that there will be other fans that dislike me personally; these fans, I will learn to ignore or be considerate of. Again, although I reserve the right to leave the premises or disagree/rant/make snide comments in private, I will make NO move to actually confront them if they have done NO confrontation. Even though I have may have them kicked out of communities, bulletin boards and forums, but I will always remember that they have as much right to be in the actual fandom as I do. And I will always remember that I do have that right.
IX. I admit and affirm that just as I am in fandom to have fun, other people are in fandom for the exact same reason, and I will try to remember that. I will NEVER do anything to actively try to stop other people's fun, regardless of how much I may disagree with what they are doing. Clause reserving the right to leave the premises or disagree/rant/make comments in private still holds here, but I will never tell another fan to stop having safe fun in the way they want to have fun. And I will never pay any attention when someone tells me to stop having fun myself.
X. I admit and affirm that just as everyone else is a person, that I am a person, too. No matter what other fans may think of me from what they have seen in fandom, I will never let that persona/image/reputation get in the way of being myself if/when I should communicate with them outside of fandom. If they respect me, I will thank them, and if they dislike me, I will accept it, but these things I will strictly keep in fandom only and will NOT allow them to interfere with my friendships or my real life.
XI. I admit and affirm that there are people uninterested in my fandom and I will NOT press my fandom issues upon them. I will NOT speak of certain fandoms to those that have no interest in them, nor will I pressure anyone to look at/read/otherwise be forced to come up with reactions to things that they couldn't care less about. I know that fandoms are very specific things, that being pressured into looking at them are highly uncomfortable, and I will NOT impose that way upon others.
XII. I admit and affirm that, in the end, real life is real life and fandom is only fandom. If fandom begins to affects my real life in negative ways, I will remember that I have the option to simply leave and if it gets bad enough, I will. If I am truly unhappy or depressed with a certain fandom or the way a certain fandom is going, I will remember that I have the option of simply creating another community for people who share the same interests as me, or the option of just staying and refusing to go with the flow. I will remember that fandom is a simple trade of time with fun, and that if the fun is not worth the cost, I will remember that I am merely wasting time. Above all else, I will remember that remaining in fandom is an entirely voluntary action.
