A post about Lost fans who are crazier than I am

[bee_york]

I thumb through Lost communities online fairly often, sometimes finding cool people or cool discussions. But mostly all find is crap and crazy people. I'm so sick of crazy people!
Here, let me explain.

Does anyone know what the term "shipping" means? I thought I did. I always thought "shipping" 2 characters together means you like the idea of them as a couple. I've come to realize that for a lot of people, this is not true. For them, "shipping" actually means making a hobby out of defending and explaining why imaginary love between these imaginary characters is the ONLY way things can be. Using 'defending' and 'explaining' is kind of a vague description of what some of these people do though. Many of these folks will waste hours upon hours angrily and passionately stressing out and arguing with complete strangers to prove why fictional character X omg absolutely needs to be with fictional character Y.
Have you ever seen any of this shit in progress? It's positively creepy. Anytime I think I'm weird in some way or other, I just have to think about these unstable people and I feel a lot better. I mean, I'm totally caught up in my made-up fantasy universes of all the shows/movies/video games that I love...but in a POSITIVE way. I don't get angry and defensive every time I come across someone online who happens to like the same characters I do, but paired up with a different character.

I'm SERIOUS. People DO this.

While I'm trying to find other Lost fans or cool discussions about theories, very often I come across so many of these people who do not much but argue--and I mean flat-out flame wars here-- about...are you ready for this?...about who Kate should end up with.
Not innocent little discussions, or disagreements. No. I'm talking big FLAME WARS. And they get really snarky and sarcastic with each other, too. They tend to respond to every little comment their 'enemies' post with a "lol" before they try and defend their point. Which brings me to another (somewhat related) rant--I don't understand why people do this. You're not really lol-ing, guys. You're angry and seething. If you really were lol-ing, you wouldn't waste time writing paragraph after paragraph about why Kate should end up with Jack or Sawyer or whoever while telling everyone else they're delusional. You're taking the time to write this out because it bothers you. A lot. If you were laughing, you'd move on, like normal people do.

Wtf, man. I can't imagine what it's like to be these people. I can't even picture them truly enjoying the show. I picture them watching Lost all stressed-out, worried that their rival "ship" or whatever they call it, will have a "moment" in that episode. Because honestly, that's what they post about. ("OMG LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE! LOL LOL KATE LOOKED AT SAWYER LOL LOL I BET THE DELUSIONAL SKATERS* LOVED THAT LOL LOL I DON'T CARE YOU KNOW HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE WITH JULIET YOU GUYS LOLLLLL")

*"Skater" is apparently the term for someone who ships Sawyer/Kate. (Yeah. I couldn't make this shit up if I tried.)

Anyway, I don't know about you guys, but when I meet someone else who loves Lost, I'm so excited to find someone else who loves the same show I do, I couldn't care less about what character is their favourite, never mind which character they'd like to see said character paired up with. I mean, I didn't even know this was an ISSUE with people. The way I see it, it's like getting into huge flame wars about whether bread is better toasted or plain. Or if pizza should have stuffed crust or not.
Can you imagine having this kind of free time on your hands? Holy shit. I can't imagine what awesome activities I could take up if I had that much free time. Whaaaaa.

Anyway, I just wanted to write about this here to get it off my chest...I'm freaked the frak out by these people, and now rather ANNOYED---because of them, awesome Lost conversations/discussions online are fewer and harder to come by. :(

Comments

[kazutakia.livejournal.com]

lol internet. It's kind of adorable that this is the first time you're really coming across shipping wars, or maybe I've wasted too many years of my life on the internet. It's seriously not new. Shipper bitches be cray cray. Be happy you're not in Supernatural fandom, from what I hear it's apeshit.

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

I don't think I'm really "in a fandom" for anything, to be honest. Again, I could be wrong with what that really entails, but I just don't--and can't--get involved in any online Lost communities because of people like this. I poke in and out of them, and meet really cool people sometimes and discuss the show with them, so if that's considered being in a fandom, then I guess I am in one! ;) But I can't see myself getting any more involved than that, and I certainly can't fathom getting into fights about Lost...or any show I really like, for that matter. It's soooooooooo fucked-up! ^^;

*icon/Baltar love, hee hee*

[kazutakia.livejournal.com]

Fandom is weird, I've tried but they're too crazy. I like having my own opinion about shows I like and keeping that opinion to myself because fuck if I'm going to let some twat get all judgmental about how I watch & enjoy a show. I prefer lurking in the general info communities.

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've heard people say (well, I've read people write, rather, but that sounds weird) that they can no longer love their favourite show or movie because of the way their fandom treats them. That blows my mind! I can't imagine not being able to enjoy my favourite show because of what other people think. That's so depressing. :(

[judeaslinksta.livejournal.com]

Pizza should never have stuffed crust. :p
But yeah, people get weird...I try to stay out of it as much as possible when it comes to Lost, but I used to have friends in the Harry Potter fandom who were RIDICULOUSLY angry when the last book came out and they were all NOES HARRY AND HERMIONE ARE MEANT TO BE IT'S SO OBVIOUS JK ROWLING WAS WRONG. And I'm there like, uhhhh she wrote it. I think she knows what's what.

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

AAHHHH. This is EXACTLY the type of crazy I'm talking about...the fans think they know better than the writers AKA the CREATORS of what they're so obsessed with. What makes them think they know better than those who created the characters? Uggggggggggggggh.

[solestella.livejournal.com]

lol yeah hardcore shippers are batshit insane. I always stay the fuck out of ship wars, characters wars....shit any kind of fandom war really.

If it helps, think of shippers has two rival sports team and their supporters. Things.get.ugly.

p.s. if you're talking about darkknight and onelovereunited over at ONTD_Lost, don't worry they're actually very good friends.

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

If it helps, think of shippers has two rival sports team and their supporters. Things.get.ugly.

That is an EXCELLENT comparison. Omg. But at least sports...I dunno, they have a point. You want your team to win. But when you're just pairing up couples...I don't know how to explain it, but I find that so much more pointless and arbitrary than a sports match. But I think that's an excellent comparison!

Oh, and I'm not sure about the people you mentioned from ontd, I don't really know anyone there except for a couple of really cool people who I met through it. :)

[lostsailors.livejournal.com]

EL OH ELLLLLLLLLLLL, your "real" description of shipping. Did something happen on ontd_lost? Because I like to vicariously watch internet drama.

Did you not know about the term Skater before? That's hilarious. The Skaters and Jaters have been warring for years now, the third faction of Sulieters makes it even more entertaining.

Sometimes I am really glad I like character like Ben who you can really only ship with loneliness and pain, because there's really nothing to argue. Everyone knows in his current state he's not hooking up with anyone or you can make every joke pairing and it's hilarious (Bichard forever!).

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

No nothing really happened on ontd_lost, I just see this all over the place everywhere. I've seen stuff on that community in the past though. But it's everywhere. And not just with Lost, but other fandoms, too. It's fucked-up!

And no I only somewhat recently heard the terms Skater and Suliet...I don't read or frequent forums too often (because of all the crazy) so I only heard about this insanity now. Thank GOD. I'm pretty happy to discover I've been spared most of the crazies for a few years now. ;P

[lostsailors.livejournal.com]

I can't believe you haven't heard those phrases before! I haven't been huge into the fandom until this past year (more just loving it by my lonesome) but even interviews and magazines make use of those names. That's hilarious!

And yes, shipping wars are everywhere. Some fandoms worse than others. Harry Potter and Doctor Who jump to mind.

I read a lot of fandomwank so I guess I've always known about this, but I just think it's so funny you are just being assaulted with it all! Haha. Oh dear!

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

I don't have anything productive to add to this conversation except: you are an excellent writer! I love your posts, even if I rarely comment, and if there was such thing as a Lost opinion magazine, you should totally write for it. <3

Btw, I've always wanted to ask you...after Ben, who is your favourite character? ^_^

[lostsailors.livejournal.com]

Rousseau! I loved her so much, you have no idea. She was the reason I watched LOST. I had a school assignment where I had to write a television script for an existing show. I don't watch tv so much so I needed to find a show STAT to write for- my fiance (but then only friend) recommended LOST, only season 1 was out on DVD. I watched it, Hurley and Sun were my other favourites then Rousseau came along and I was like OMG I LOVE YOU and I wrote her whole centric for my assignment.

I don't know why the crazies are my favourite, but yeah in season 3 or whatever it was, when Rousseau is walking tied up Ben I was like, "I want those two to hook up and raise Alex and for them to make a sitcom about it." I was so sad when Rousseau got it ; _ ;

Thank you for all the thoughts about my writing. I always feel like I am so sloppy and it sounds so dumb, it's nice to know people like it still.

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

Awwww, Rousseau was awesome (and looked so much like her daughter)!. I was so sad when she died. :( That whole scene with her and Karl getting shot was awful (and shocking) and then when Alex died...!! I remember my jaw dropping. I didn't see any of it coming.

RIP, Rousseau! I keep hoping we see you in the Alt. :O

[lostsailors.livejournal.com]

I know, god damn! Her and Juliet. COME ON LOST. We got like every other pointless cameo. Oh, and Tom. I loved him too.

I still wish Rousseau had like one more beat with Alex. Like just one more look at her before she died. It was just so- BAM, gone.

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that was HARSH. And really sad. :(

[sourdick.livejournal.com]

Kate should be with ELOISE



I call their coupling KELOATSE

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAHAH

Ahhhhh I <3 u James.

[urbangeo.livejournal.com]

Rhymes with...

Though the reaction would be similar, IMO.

[thepersona.livejournal.com]

So I just looked at the TV schedule for next Sunday. There's a two-hour LOST retrospective, followed by a 2.5-hour finale, followed by a one-hour Jimmy Kimmel special on LOST.

That's FIVE AND A HALF HOURS STRAIGHT OF LOSTNESS. Do they just expect everyone to sit through that?

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

Why don't you come to the party? Seriously, we're gonna have all kinds of fun. COME. It's in Westmount. You can make it out here, right? VENDOME STATION, REPRESENT.

[thepersona.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I'll be working that night. No doubt editing a story about "OMG LOST WAS SO COOL LAST NIGHT I'LL MISS IT SOOO MUCH!"

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

Omg you probably WILL end up working on a Lost story! You'll have to tell me about it if you do, okies? :)

[thepersona.livejournal.com]

OK, but if I shoot myself in the head I won't be able to tell a very good story.

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

Shoot yourself in the head? What for? o_o

[thepersona.livejournal.com]

For having to deal with a story about LOST?

[bee-york.livejournal.com]

Oh wait, so you're NOT a Lost fan? (Sorry, I'm confused, I can't remember if you're into Lost or not!)