What It All Boils Down To...

[moonshayde]

I'm talking about ships.

I've noticed that in multiple fandoms (Smallville, Stargate, X-Files, and Harry Potter for example) there may be discussions about plot, character, themes, and story, but in the end it all seems to boil down to ship. (Defining ship here in the broad sense - het or slash.) Sure, there are people in fandom that are there just for characters and plot. But those that are mainly focused on shipping is by far the majority. Once you weed through the hearty discussion of character arcs and plot, you'll see that people are arguing for "who ends up with who." Out of everything, this becomes the main focus and the most passionate for fans.

Take a look at any forum or discussion area. Doesn't matter which fandom. Most of them mirror each other.

So, I ask why? Why do we (in general) abandon everything else about the story, making it secondary to the ship? Why is it so vital to have the end goal be "so and so ends up with Clark" or "so and so ends up with Mulder" or "so and so ends up with Jack?" Why does that becoming the most defining attribute of the story or the characters? Why are we defining them by their romantic entanglements? Why are we defining them by their prize at the end of the day?

And is it the woman who is the prize in the end? Or the man? I've seen this go back and forth and it may depend on the fandom.

It happens across fandoms. I've noticed it a lot lately. As stargazercmc mentioned, is this something inate or does fandom perpetuate it? I wonder does this feed some basic human need or is something else going on here?

Comments

[hoperomantic.livejournal.com]

I think you have to take a lot of things in context here actually.

For one, I do think that sometimes it depends on the ages of those in the discussion. It is a large generalization, but sometimes younger folk tend to be a little bit more focused on 'ships due to their stage of development. Though, as I said, that is a generalization, and certainly not always true by any means.

Also, I think it depends on the community or forum of course. For example, I do believe that you can find more generalized discussions in certain forums, whereas obviously, in a 'shipper forum, you are going to find discussions of that nature. *grin*

I think also that a lot of people don't necessarily discuss the deeper points of artworks in casual fandoms, not because they don't necessarily appreciate that aspect of things, but because it can be fun to focus on 'ships instead in a casual forum. It can be a matter of playing around with things in a less serious manner.

I think you have to take into account the medium of communication as well. While of course the internet can lend itself to more scholarly communication, it is often not as effective as face to face conversation. It generally does seem much easier to discuss things in person, than through text via the internet.

*shrug*

Those are just some thoughts off of the top of my head, though I will quit now so I stop taking up so much space. *grin*

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Oh don't worry. I always think in context. Fandoms vary as much as shippers vary. That's not the point I'm trying to make.

I'm zeroing in on patterns I have seen in several fandoms I've encountered, whether they be active fandoms or where I happen to lurk.

I'm talking about the groups or individuals that see everything just through the lens of their ship, ignore canon, and even sacrifice character becase at the end of the day, it's just all about the ship.

I don't even mean this is a bad or good way. A person can be extremely invested in a ship for one show and not care in another. I've done this before.

An example are the Harmonians from Harry Potter fandom. Some fans of this ship see the end goal of the entire series to be Harry should be with Hermoine or that hermoine should end up with Harry. Everything about the series is seen through that scope.

I just wonder about the psychology behind it.

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

I don't think it depends at all on the ages of the fans involved. Some of the most rabid shippers I've ever met on line or at conventions are middle aged women with children.