In all honesty – my mental health has been all over the place as of recent. I mean … the state of the world, anyone? It has gotten too much for me to bear. That is also something that comes with being an empath – soaking up emotions and all like a sponge. Therefore, I have decided a while ago already that I will legit pull the plug here. As in, I do not really follow the rapid onslaught of news anymore, scroll by political posts on my respective timelines and just am here for the shits and giggles that I find in between.
That is not to say I am ignorant or oblivious to what’s going on. On the very contrary – I was caring TOO MUCH about it, following the news of the state of the world in a constant influx eventually took its toll on my mental health. And in order to protect my mental well being, I decided to make a cut. I need this to not go entirely apeshit.
Instead, I am over here in my fandom bubbles and enjoy myself. Including being entirely obsessive, annoying, cringey and everything in between. And y’all know what? It helps me cope. It’s some kind of escapism as well.
And if you know me at all (and if you’ve read some of my previous posts in this cute lil corner of the internet), you will know that being a fan is essentially also who I am. I was born being a fan, grew up being a fan and will die being a fan. In all of my four decades I have been gracing this planet with my presence, I’ve been in plenty of fandoms. Some came and went, others are in for the long haul. I also outgrew some, and added new ones along the way. Some have been on and off for ages. Hell, I have also met awesome people, some of which have become close friends, through being involved in fandoms!
Once something or someone tickles the fancy, I dedicate my whole self to what-/whoever it is. Because we don’t do things half-arsed here, we go full throttle!
Like, traveling across the country on a whim to see my LORDS AND SAVIORS in BAND! again? Why the fuck not?
Raiding eBay for material on whichever person is the current flavor? Check.
Watching “Top Gun: Maverick” five times on the big screen and a bazillion times at home? Guilty as charged.
Waltzing in at my doc’s on zero sleep and having breakfast at McDonald’s after the Pats won the Super Bowl? Been there, done that.
It helps me stay afloat. Even more so in these trying, dark times.
However, as much as I love being a fan, there are some things I have seen on social media lately which definitely rub me the wrong way. By that I mean that there have been folks sorta “attacking” others for their respective fandoms. Because said fandom might include someone …problematic. (That being said, I am still a bit surprised that certain people didn’t come after me with pitchforks and tiki torches when my ass went to watch “Top Gun: Maverick” five times in the cinema, and just y’all watch out once July rolls around and we’ll finally get “Dead Reckoning Pt 1” *rubs hands* I’ll move in at Zoo Palast again!)
But yeah …
Fandoms being attacked.
Case in point: Johnny Depp.
Like, yes, I get it – “Believe survivors!” yadda yadda, and I shall not deny that JD has a past with drug and alcohol abuse, and those accusations Amber Heard made probably were justified. Not going to deny any of that. However, as especially the defamation trial revealed, AH was NOT as innocent as many believed her to be (I actually followed the trial on Twitter, got Tweets from BOTH sides on my TL) and got caught telling some lies here and exaggerating things there. But yeah. Let’s blame Johnny Depp and Johnny Depp ONLY.
Next thing I know is there are legit people out there trumpeting they’d unfollow / block someone if they were still fans of Johnny. Uhm …seriously?? (I even saw one incident where someone was called out on someone else’s insta story, so their bubble went and bullied that person into deleting a like they had left on Johnny Depp’s statement.) That just doesn’t sit well with me. And I wonder if there ever was a ‘real’ friendship?
I mean, I don’t fucking care whom you’re stanning. I care about YOU as a person. I don’t care which actor you love, shows you watch, films you like, bands you listen to. I may not like them, but fucking PUH-LEASE! If I were to end friendships whatsoever with everyone who enjoys something I cannot stand, I could start with my godson right away because he loves FC Bayern in general and Manuel Neuer in particular. But you know what I did? I put that 1000 pieces jigsaw FCB puzzle together last time I visited. I did make jokes about how my dignity had just comitted suicide and all, but everyone knew that I was just doing that – joking. The boys were happy, and there’s that.
I mean, I get that folks love to bicker, for the lack of a better word, and trust when I say that I am no angel when it comes to sports. I LOVE razzing fans of opposing teams. But at the end of the day, I wouldn’t hate them for their terrible taste! š Because they are fans, too. And HUMANS.
It does make me wonder what the everloving fuck happened to “Live and let live”? Why can’t folks just let others be happy? Why do they have to shit on their fun? This is also what I meant when I said I was a bit surprised that no one came for my ass in regards to “Top Gun: Maverick”. And yes, I LOVE Tom Cruise. There, I said it. I’ve been on and off that Cruise since 1996, and the whole mess got a bit out of hand recently. Yes, I know, you don’t have to mention THAT to me. But you know what? He may have taken a wrong turn in his life at some point, but that doesn’t change the fact that a) he has made some incredible films and b) risks his fucking life for his films. I know full well that folks love to hate on him, but … the man has become my Happy!Place lately. Just watching some interviews with him or his films and I can leave the world behind for a while.
So. There.
If someone wants to unfriend me because of it – be. my. fucking. guest.
But it says MORE about YOU than about me, because I am still capable to see the PERSON behind the fandom. /humble brag
Also, nobody forces you to watch his films. Just don’t go to the movies then! It’s that simple.
Don’t like Johnny Depp or Tom Cruise? Don’t watch their films.
Don’t like Nightwish or Electric Callboy? Don’t fucking listen to them.
Don’t like something you read? Just scroll by.
That’s it. Plain and simple. But for crying out loud, don’t attack others for their preferences when it comes to their fandom! This world is shitty enough, so LET. PEOPLE. FUCKING. ENJOY. their fandoms and escapisms.
You never know, but that very fandom you hate with a passion might be the VERY thing that brings them joy, gives them something to hold on to when they’re hanging by a thread.
So why be judgmental? I just don’t get it. It makes me sad, too. š¦
Whoops, this turned into a real rant, but I guess I also had to vent a little. Yes, I love being a fan. It brings me joy. Makes and keeps me happy. And I don’t fucking CARE if you hate TC, one of my fav bands or what-the-heck-ever. We can still be friends!
It’s called respecting someone else, allowing a different opinion, even if it is the polar opposite from me. Agree to disagree. Plain. And. Simple.
Alright, this got a bit long, but whatevs.
I’ll catch y’all on the flipside!
Ocean Soul 