Define "part of the fandom"

[Guest]

Even though my ...friend doesn't do any clop related stuff and has a job and doesn't live in a basement? Wow, my ....friend is crazy! lol

Well that is why the scale is absolutely ridiculous. :3

 

 

I say it's watching the show at all, and interacting with other members, and taking interest in all the fan made stuff. If I didn't want anything to do with the fandom, I'd still consider myself a brony, though. 

 

"You are who you choose to be."

[Celli 4,338]

@@Key Sharkz,I'd say I'm level 8, with a bit of level 12.

[AlbaTross 1,586]

I'm not sure where I fit on that scale. I go to a con once a year, have a reasonable amount of merchandise and think of the show at least once almost daily, if I'm not watching an episode or reading some of the spinoff media, but I haven't dabbled in fanfic or fan art so far. I have considered maybe trying it one day, but we'll see. My obsession is mainly with the canon material, though I have been known to get into fanvids such as Lullaby for a Princess. I either own or plan to own all of the spinoff media, in addition to the seasons and films when they become available. Oh, and I'm on this forum all the time. It is currently my most visited site according to my Google icons. I have confided in some people that I like the show, but not everyone, and I don't wear pony merchandise in public or normally bring up the show and/or my fondness for it unless the topic of conversation steers in that direction.

 

Anyways, to get on topic, I actually think being a fan and being a part of the fandom are two different things, though not mutually exclusive. Being a fan means you enjoy something, which in this case is MLP:FiM. I've always thought of fandoms as the community surrounding something. I think it's very possible to be a fan of something and not really get into its fandom. It wouldn't make someone any less of a Brony in this case, but the community will have nothing to do with being a fan of the show and its spinoff media. It would just mean having a preference for enjoying it all privately, in isolation from the community. On the opposite end of the spectrum are those who don't think much of the show but love the community and fan works. And then there are those like myself who are at least somewhat in both camps, as I enjoy the show and am part of the community. All of the above qualify as Bronies/Pegasisters IMHO, but for me the fandom is the community.

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

For the sake of fun, humor and lulz, I made a fan-level tier. It's totally bogus, and in no way intended to be serious, but if you would like to use it as a scale of fan level then you're free to do so. Otherwise just regard it solely as an incredibly ridiculous scale of how much of a "fan" you are:

 

• Level -1 (Hater) You not only don't watch or like the show, you are against its existence and wish it gone along with the fandom entirely.
• Level 0 (Not a Fan) You tried the show, didn't care for it, but you don't hate it.
• Level 1 (Not Quite a Fan) You've seen the show, you think it's okay. You haven't really watched all the episodes, but you'll get around to it "eventually". It's not quite your favorite show.
• Level 2 (Casual Observer) You've seen all the episodes, it's okay but you're not crazy about it.
• Level 3 (Casual Fan) The show is your favorite show (or just a show you like) and you either don't participate in the fandom at all, or just very little such as one forum that isn't even your most visited site.
• Level 4 (Fan) You watch the show when new episodes come out, you keep up on it, you participate in a few sites regarding the show and possibly even wrote a fanfiction or two.
• Level 5 (Superior Fan) You participate in fanfiction, fanart and other fan works a bit more than the average person, but nothing extreme. You may own a shirt or two.
• Level 6 (Fanboy/girl) You do all of the above, but you also go to cons and have more than a few merchandise items.
• Level 7 (Fanatic) You perform all of the above and carry a title for your love of the show. You also refer to it as a lifestyle and perhaps have one too many items.
• Level 8 (Super Fanatic) You spend a majority of your free time doing things related to the show, be it message boards, fanfiction, music, etc.
• Level 9 (Mega Fanatic) You have adopted terminology from the show into regular every day life, even when conversing with people who have no idea what you're referencing. Your room is more or less 99% merchandise from the show, and you wear nothing but shirts referencing it. You attend several conventions a year and you hate those filthy casuals with a burning red hot passion.
• Level 10 (God-Tier Fanatic) Your parents are so concerned that you are teetering on the edge of obsession. You've been forced into several therapy sessions, and you insist that people just don't "understand" your lifestyle. This show is your life, and you will not even be friends with someone who is not on the same level of fanatic as you are. Most people at work probably think you're weird and talk about how they suspect you're some kind of weirdo sex offender in private.
• Level 11 (No-Lifer) You have become so obsessed with this show that you can not even function in society. You live off of government services that you had to cheat the system to get so you don't need to go to work or anything like that. After all it's the only way you can dedicate more time to your only true love: this show.
• Level 12 (Basement Dweller) Not only is all of the above true, but you also draw porn of your show and gain sexual gratification only from porn of said show and you are not turned on by real people anymore. Most people who came into your room would probably suspect you're a serial killer.
• Level 13 (Delusional) You have achieved a level of worship only achieved usually by religious fanatic cults. You are so far in that you legitimately believe that you can enter the show which you love so much. At this stage you're marrying fictional characters, and even trying to modify your body to make yourself look more like you'd fit into the universe of said show.
• Level 14 (Fanatic of Fanatics) You have taken "too far" to a new level. You have killed yourself under the insane belief that if you die you will be able to enter your favorite show in the afterlife, or believe that life was not worth living if you could not live in said show.

What level are you?

The sad thing is I'm sure somewhere there are people st the highest levels of your chart.

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

It's really become a subjective matter. By definition, if you like the show, you're a fan of it, but there are some who watch the show who reject or even hate the fanbase, and then there are people who have gone beyond fandom and into obsession.

 

It really goes into whether or not people support or participate in fandom activities or the franchise itself.

[Guest]

The sad thing is I'm sure somewhere there are people st the highest levels of your chart.

 

I can confirm these are based upon real observations.

[SquipyCheetah 449]

Being a part of the fandom means to me as just being a fan of the show. That's pretty much it.