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Every time I read something about kids being “too weird” in this newest generation of fandoms, I get a burning hatred towards how “cringe culture” made us start feeling about having a genuine enjoyment of media.
Hello buglovers! I’m here with another blog :3
Sorry for the kinda-depressing topic but hasn’t the internet become more and more aggressive since the years went on? It went from “cringe culture is dead!” to “bring back bullying!!” in a period of 3-5 years, and I’m just wondering… why?
With the growth of AI being a replacement for actual human contact, spaces for weird children being constantly terminated and/or being extremely dangerous for them to navigate in, and online spaces like fandoms devolving into a toxicity that only existed in the 2015 tumblr/deviantart fandoms, it seems like no place online is safe anymore. Instagram is just a joke for bigots, twitter is a constant battle camp and “alternative” places like bluesky are getting FILLED with the most horrid people on the planet. Hell, even Spacehey had a moderation problem with users posting gore and many being way too young to be on the site!
Every person everywhere acts extremely aggressive towards anyone with a different opinion on the media they enjoy, there’s a huge duality between people trying to be as “problematic” as possible and others turning into purism and not being able to experience media that treats dark subjects, which sucks!
I could call myself a “cringe kid” that grew up with unregulated internet access (lucky for me, I didn’t end up in horrid places, just your average cringy stuff). I loved Warrios and Harry Potter, I would watch animation memes 24/7, and I played Pony Creator V3 on deviantart ALL THE TIME! I enjoyed a certain type of media without having the knowledge that it existed in certain spaces. I indulged in discourse and watched many, MANY videos discussing how my favorite shows were problematic, and I could play the Pacifist route of UNDERTALE with my eyes closed just from the amount of times I replayed that game on my old cranky computer. I was a chubby kid, I grew up with a lotta self-image issues, I have 7+ years of experience in roleplay spaces. In 2021, I had an online relationship with someone I met via an OC ROLEPLAY DISCORD that lasted for over a year, and I pretty much have a visceral response to historical figures because of a Clone High obsession that went on for Way Too Long.
Sorry for the kinda-depressing topic but hasn’t the internet become more and more aggressive since the years went on? It went from “cringe culture is dead!” to “bring back bullying!!” in a period of 3-5 years, and I’m just wondering… why?
With the growth of AI being a replacement for actual human contact, spaces for weird children being constantly terminated and/or being extremely dangerous for them to navigate in, and online spaces like fandoms devolving into a toxicity that only existed in the 2015 tumblr/deviantart fandoms, it seems like no place online is safe anymore. Instagram is just a joke for bigots, twitter is a constant battle camp and “alternative” places like bluesky are getting FILLED with the most horrid people on the planet. Hell, even Spacehey had a moderation problem with users posting gore and many being way too young to be on the site!
Every person everywhere acts extremely aggressive towards anyone with a different opinion on the media they enjoy, there’s a huge duality between people trying to be as “problematic” as possible and others turning into purism and not being able to experience media that treats dark subjects, which sucks!
I could call myself a “cringe kid” that grew up with unregulated internet access (lucky for me, I didn’t end up in horrid places, just your average cringy stuff). I loved Warrios and Harry Potter, I would watch animation memes 24/7, and I played Pony Creator V3 on deviantart ALL THE TIME! I enjoyed a certain type of media without having the knowledge that it existed in certain spaces. I indulged in discourse and watched many, MANY videos discussing how my favorite shows were problematic, and I could play the Pacifist route of UNDERTALE with my eyes closed just from the amount of times I replayed that game on my old cranky computer. I was a chubby kid, I grew up with a lotta self-image issues, I have 7+ years of experience in roleplay spaces. In 2021, I had an online relationship with someone I met via an OC ROLEPLAY DISCORD that lasted for over a year, and I pretty much have a visceral response to historical figures because of a Clone High obsession that went on for Way Too Long.
My point is, I was a cringe kid. And I am, very proudly, a cringe adult. These things made me who I am now, and I wouldn’t change the times I spent with them for anything in the world. I’ve been on many, many different spaces and communities that are popularly considered “toxic” or even extremely cringy, and I have met both incredible and horrible people stemming from said places online, but I would NEVER consider the time that I have spent online like something that "ruined me", or made me feel worse about myself. It made me... me! And that's wonderful, as silly as it sounds.
--Spaces online have suffered a ton from not having safe spots for children to roam in. In fact, most children spaces have become pedo-infested holes filled with predators and groomers. Like Roblox! Many of the games made in the site have their own fandoms, but there's a HUGE predator problem that doesn't seem it'll be resolved soon. The deletion of old games that could offer these safe spaces for children (or the abandonment they suffered, making them less attractive for kids) to have normal interactions online severely damaged the perception of children on the internet, and the ways people should act when accessing fandoms.
For example, shipping culture. Since Darkshipping/Proshipping became a Notorious Thing People Do on Twitter, the simple joy of making two characters be a couple has been ruined for the sake of constant, dragged out and horrid discourse on EVERY FANDOM EVER. Sometimes ships are very obviously wrong, but deranged people decide it's okay to ship two siblings together! It's not about coping mechanisms or freedom of speech! It's just weird! And subjecting children, not only to the concept that these type of pairings are "okay", but to be a PART of these discussions that should be handled by adults... it's just horrible, man. It makes me so, so sad to see kids engage in discourse and fight for their lives against zoopedololilover25 on twitter because they feel like it's THEIR responsability to make their fandom a better place... I can certainly say we have failed them.
Even worse, children are even being lured into these places! Grooming has been quite the buzzword lately, but it's incredible how easy it is to manipulate a gullible kid into thinking it's okay to enjoy zoophilic or pedophilic content. Exploiting children's mental illnesses just so you can justify your disgusting beliefs of relationships and media is horrid and disgusting and I genuinely hope all the kids on Proship spaces can find better ways to cope and heal. It sucks out there.
I'm not blind though, and I understand that "those" types of people (we, in the fandom culture, like calling them the loud minority) have and will always exist, especially on online spaces. I just think that there's been a derrailing from what's acceptable in a fandom and what's not, and we should start thinking about those parameters, so it's easier to educate kids online and avoid their interactions with genuine predators. I believe we should have more open, welcoming fandoms that focus on creating safer spaces for kids, and having a HUGE focus on educating them on safely navegating online.
Don't talk to strangers just because. Don't share personal info. Don't lie about your age to access 18+ stuff. Don't post NSFW while being a minor. BE CAREFUL!!!! You can say ANYTHING on the internet!!!! DO NOT INTERACT WITH ADULTS WAY OLDER THAN YOU OUTSIDE OF SIMPLE FRIENDLY COMMENTS! Know the red flags of grooming and emotional manipulation!! Etc. Etc...
And adults, PLEASE KEEP YOUR 18+ SPACES INACCESIBLE TO CHILDREN!!!
Okay, long trailing of from the main topic, but you get the point. Currently, the state of the internet is an agressive, annoying, whiny and complicated hole of mostly secluded people that can barely afford to pay the bills at the end of each month. At the end of the day, we're all just weirdos trying to fit into a niche that complies with our personal interests, and, maybe, try to make a friend with a similar worldview in the process.
We all enjoy to feel wanted, to have friends, to feel like we belong somewhere that isn't the real world. Escapism plays a huge part in fandom culture, and for a good reason! Most media tries to drift away from reality, creating worlds that bring us comfort, that make us think about or place on all things. The creations of others help us create, find likings and interests... hell, I wouldn't even be writing a blog on English if it wasn't for the piles of oc fanfics I made for my friends online! So many projects were inspired or began on a fandom of something. Characters that are currently beloved were probably some weirdo's original character at some point! Wherever you see online, you can find the joy of creating and sharing what you have created. Fanfics, fanart, fan characters, sonas, fangames and sequels, they all share the pure joy of enjoying something soo deeply, that it inspires you to make something new.
That's the fandom culture I want to remember, to think about.
I'm tired of calling things "cringe", I'm tired of the profound misunderstandings of what made fandoms so great on the first place, the constant hate from people outside of spaces they were never a part of, the arguing and useless debates inside comunities that just... don't need them. I'm tired of seeing so many people needing to fight for the things they enjoy, to make them have some sort of sense that makes it okay to enjoy things.
My thoughts are: if you're not hurting anyone, and keep your 18+ stuff IN A VAULT WITH A HUGE PROTECTION SYSTEM AGAINST CHILDREN then do whatever you wanna do! Creating is probably the biggest joy of life, so enjoy it!
--C.
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piss dude -.-
the fact this blog has 0 engagment is crazy cuz its rlly good
AW TY I appreciate it sm!!!1 :> idrm though, writing blogs is my passion..
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