The Wondrous World of the Internet

The Wondrous World of the Internet

          The internet is truly a wondrous place. It is a microcosm, a miniscule universe of its own, with as many places in its intangible depths as there are corners of this earth to explore. It is as unique and varied as the millions of people who have contributed to it, and what one person gets out of it may be as different from what another gets from it as the light of the blazing summer sun is different from a the mysterious bioluminescent glow of a glowworm in the depths of a cave. The internet can increase one’s awareness of almost anything, from weighty issues like cancer or suicide prevention, to lighter-hearted matters like amusing memes and adorable cat videos. I think the thing which the internet has increased my awareness of most--in the way that has had the most significant impact on my life, that is--would have to be fandoms and all the wonders contained therein.

          I realize that when I say the word “fandom”, the reader may instantly put it on the cat video side of the spectrum and wave it off as foolish nonsense. However, fandoms are much deeper than that. Fandoms are networks of people brought together by passion. They allow for profound and significant analysis of themes and issues raised by the stories we encounter in our everyday lives. Fandoms are like English classes we never leave, where we can revel in the minutiae of plots and characters, discussing their every flaw and every strength. Being a part of a group of people so committed to delving into the stories you love with you is a powerful thing; it keeps you learning and growing in an ongoing way. You learn about yourself by trying to imagine yourself in this world you’ve fallen in love with. You ask yourself how you would face this danger the characters are facing, who you would become friends with, what house or faction or chapter you would belong in, what you would do differently. You become a part of these worlds that live in your heart and the hearts of others.
          As a writer myself, I certainly learn invaluable knowledge by surveying the world of fandoms. Sharing in the opinions of others teaches me much about how people look at and respond to different literary elements and techniques. Writing and reading fanfiction is a valuable way to practice writing skills in a lighthearted, easy way. It is also a beneficial way to deal with the strong emotions evoked by powerful works of literature, film and television. In fanfiction, one may explore the roads not taken by the main work, what happens “offscreen”, what happens after or before the main story, what would happen if characters from two or more separate works encountered one another, or many more things. Fanfiction and fandoms are undeniably places of imagination; indeed, what makes fandoms the wonderful things they are is the collaborative imagination of many people being put towards the same story to create a world of their own.
          People create truly beautiful things for fandoms. Fanfiction as discussed above is joined by fanart as talented artists put their minds and skills towards portraying things from stories that often haven’t been interpreted before, or that have but are shown in brilliantly unique ways. There are true masterpieces among fanart, in the realms of painting and drawing as well as of digital editing. When people are deeply emotionally moved by something, the art they produce shows it, and can be felt by anyone looking upon it. Beyond visual art, people assemble wonderful fanmixes and sometimes even compose original songs for fandoms. Listening to fanmixes is another way of sharing in emotions and analysis of stories by applying music to them, hearing aspects of the story overlapping in their lyrics and their sounds. Beyond that, it is a great way to be introduced to wonderful new songs by artists you might not otherwise encounter. On the whole, fandoms are places of creation and invention, where people bring new things into existence that otherwise would never come to be.
          Truly the internet is a place of unfathomable vastness. But to me, a hugely significant corner of its breadth is that of fandoms. The internet increased my awareness of fandoms and led me into a wonderful place of connections. In it, people share theories and analyses, give worlds created by writers new life and grow them, develop their writing skills and enthusiasm as readers, create new and beautiful things, share emotions, and connect in a fundamental passion for literary, cinematic, or televised works and the wondrous worlds thereof. Fandoms are simply magical places and I am grateful to the internet for making me aware of them.