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10-16-2023, 11:41 PM | #1 |
Washed Out
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: CA
Posts: 900
|
What I'm about to describe is not unique to G.I. Joe. I first noticed it with 24 and then with Lost. But I'm kind of getting to this point with G.I. Joe now, too.
But I think I eventually reach a point where talking to the other "fans" of a property or franchise starts reducing my enjoyment of it, rather than increasing it. Just as an example, I love Larry Hama and I love his comics. Even the worst Larry Hama comics to me are more enjoyable than 80% of the stuff on news stands. But it's depressing to come to a G.I. Joe forum, the place where in theory I would be most likely to find people who share my enthusiasm, and find page after page of people calling for Hama to never be allowed to write another comic. So it becomes this thing where instead of the place making me feel like I belong to a community, it starts to make me feel even more alone. It is why I feel bad for DT. She clearly loves Zandar and the cousin connection to Zarana really resonates with her. You would think if there would be one place where people wouldn't necessarily always agree with her, but at least wouldn't give her crap for having a favorite character and a favorite headcannon, it would be in a G.I. Joe forum. Sure, you always know what she's going to say. But having been in multiple fandoms over the years, I'm honestly shocked we don't have more people like her. (And based on how DT gets treated, it wouldn't surprise me if this forum did, back before my time, but they got discouraged and left). Don't get me wrong. I am not saying I don't think people should or shouldn't like what what they like and dislike what they don't. But there's a certain tone and vibe where people start talking about personal preferences like they're absolutes. Or, even worse, like they're moral issues. Their tone, and sometimes their actual words, say, "If you feel differently about any aspect of this fandom than me, you are a bad person." Or "The character you like needs to die." Like I'm picturing in my head a teenager who saw G.I. Joe: Retaliation and loved it and came in here because they wanted to get into G.I. Joe. And how well-meaning people who are trying to coach them into the "right" way to like G.I. Joe might go over. I can imagine them pretty quickly getting discouraged. And I'm not talking about HISS Tank specifically. This is honestly a surprisingly kind place (most of the time, I do have to have a couple people on my block list because they seem incapable of addressing a person without insulting them) and I think that's why I've lasted here a little longer. The other issue is when someone in the community points out a problem with the thing I love that I wouldn't have noticed unless I had been in the community. This used to happen a lot when I used to watch 24. Nobody picked apart 24 worse than 24 fans. And sometimes they'd say something I couldn't get out of my head. That has happened in the Joe community for me a bit--the figure most ruined for me by people pointing things out I couldn't unsee was Classified Lady Jaye. I'm not asking anything be done about this. Fish gonna swim, birds gonna fly, and negative people gonna be negative. That's literally part of the experience and it would be as silly for me to want it to stop as it would be to try to stop clouds from floating through the sky. But I thought I'd talk about it in case anybody else wanted to talk about it too.
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Speak softly, drive a Sherman tank. |
10-16-2023, 11:48 PM | #2 |
Zarana & Zandar
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: The future of GI Joe
Posts: 3,261
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"cousin" connection? THey're twins.... please don't take that away
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This is amazing! We're getting a ZANDAR figure! ZANDAR featured prominently in the Cobra Commander series! Character development! It's a great time to be a Zandar fan! Thank you, Hasbro!!! Last edited by Dreadnok Twins; 10-16-2023 at 11:51 PM.. |
10-16-2023, 11:52 PM | #3 |
Zarana & Zandar
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: The future of GI Joe
Posts: 3,261
|
I'm too frazzled to think right now, but I'll respond to your post later JoeArashikage.
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This is amazing! We're getting a ZANDAR figure! ZANDAR featured prominently in the Cobra Commander series! Character development! It's a great time to be a Zandar fan! Thank you, Hasbro!!! |
10-17-2023, 12:22 AM | #4 |
Washed Out
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: CA
Posts: 900
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Sorry it was honestly just a brain fart on my part. I meant twin.
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Speak softly, drive a Sherman tank. |
10-17-2023, 01:32 AM | #5 |
stretching your O-ring
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Tomball, Texas
Posts: 2,878
|
Quote:
What I'm about to describe is not unique to G.I. Joe. I first noticed it with 24 and then with Lost. But I'm kind of getting to this point with G.I. Joe now, too.
But I think I eventually reach a point where talking to the other "fans" of a property or franchise starts reducing my enjoyment of it, rather than increasing it. Just as an example, I love Larry Hama and I love his comics. Even the worst Larry Hama comics to me are more enjoyable than 80% of the stuff on news stands. But it's depressing to come to a G.I. Joe forum, the place where in theory I would be most likely to find people who share my enthusiasm, and find page after page of people calling for Hama to never be allowed to write another comic. So it becomes this thing where instead of the place making me feel like I belong to a community, it starts to make me feel even more alone. It is why I feel bad for DT. She clearly loves Zandar and the cousin connection to Zarana really resonates with her. You would think if there would be one place where people wouldn't necessarily always agree with her, but at least wouldn't give her crap for having a favorite character and a favorite headcannon, it would be in a G.I. Joe forum. Sure, you always know what she's going to say. But having been in multiple fandoms over the years, I'm honestly shocked we don't have more people like her. (And based on how DT gets treated, it wouldn't surprise me if this forum did, back before my time, but they got discouraged and left). Don't get me wrong. I am not saying I don't think people should or shouldn't like what what they like and dislike what they don't. But there's a certain tone and vibe where people start talking about personal preferences like they're absolutes. Or, even worse, like they're moral issues. Their tone, and sometimes their actual words, say, "If you feel differently about any aspect of this fandom than me, you are a bad person." Or "The character you like needs to die." Like I'm picturing in my head a teenager who saw G.I. Joe: Retaliation and loved it and came in here because they wanted to get into G.I. Joe. And how well-meaning people who are trying to coach them into the "right" way to like G.I. Joe might go over. I can imagine them pretty quickly getting discouraged. And I'm not talking about HISS Tank specifically. This is honestly a surprisingly kind place (most of the time, I do have to have a couple people on my block list because they seem incapable of addressing a person without insulting them) and I think that's why I've lasted here a little longer. The other issue is when someone in the community points out a problem with the thing I love that I wouldn't have noticed unless I had been in the community. This used to happen a lot when I used to watch 24. Nobody picked apart 24 worse than 24 fans. And sometimes they'd say something I couldn't get out of my head. That has happened in the Joe community for me a bit--the figure most ruined for me by people pointing things out I couldn't unsee was Classified Lady Jaye. I'm not asking anything be done about this. Fish gonna swim, birds gonna fly, and negative people gonna be negative. That's literally part of the experience and it would be as silly for me to want it to stop as it would be to try to stop clouds from floating through the sky. But I thought I'd talk about it in case anybody else wanted to talk about it too. Yes. What you describe absolutely happens. I think part of the reason I stick around at Hisstank is that for the most part, it self-regulates. People are allowed to be themselves, the good and the ugly. This is how people are. We aren't forced to censor ourselves or be artificially sensitive like we might be in a modern workplace or some other forum like Reddit. You know when people are being compassionate on here, that they mean it because there is no mandate forcing them to do so. In modern life we're told more and more to suppress our emotions, our feelings, our thoughts. This goes contrary to all of the mental health research that is very public now, especially since streaming video platforms have taken off. This board really doesn't ask that of anyone. Often times people need an ass-kicking, whether it be verbal or physical for their behavior. I'm just as guilty of this as anyone else. They need to learn the consequences of their actions. Here on Hisstank, people get that ass kicking often times but that doesn't mean they're shunned (aka cancelled, yes it existed before the internet gave it a name). It's not like we forget, but people get repeated opportunities to learn from their mistakes and move on. Just in the time I've been back, I've seen a lot of people on here mellow out and become civil, but it never ever happens overnight. I've seen people be pretty awful on here to DT, and in turn, there is usually someone around to give it right back. Like I said, this board self-regulates, and shared empathy is a funny thing in how what comes around goes around. I think it's actually rare to see a fan board where people actually fight like cats and dogs yet are willing to validate each other's feelings. Some people consider Hisstank to be a cesspool of negativity. I would argue that's only because the current cultural climate forces us to show a disingenuous level of positivity and being outwardly agreeable is valued more than being yourself. I don't have to agree with DT on the Twins thing. I only have to understand where she's coming from, validate her feelings and try to remind her that sometimes the day isn't as dark as she thinks it is. Finally, I do want to point out that almost all of the major IP holders are using their IP to create some very polarizing material, and it's absolutely on purpose. It's creating turmoil amongst every fan base I can think of, and the wages are only getting lower for the creatives in charge of these IP. GI Joe remains largely unaffected by this because there is no way around the roots of the material, and it's something that, were it to change, the money would vanish from almost overnight. tl;dr I'm not perfect, none of us are perfect, we're all here at Hisstank doing the best we can. We stumble, we hurt ourselves and others, and we get back up and try to learn, and we're here because we all love different facets of GI Joe in our own way, just as it is. I'd rather see it all burn than see it turn into the 2023 censored, neutered, candyland alternative.
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IF IT AIN'T O-RING, IT AIN'T NO THING. My articles: How to prevent stripping screws in O-ring Figures. |
10-17-2023, 05:40 AM | #6 |
Shabba
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: England
Posts: 1,352
|
It's easy to ignore threads and posts that you're not interested in. Attendance and voicing your opinion is not mandatory. There's no real reason for anyone to be confrontational or offensive on a forum dedicated to toys. Just because you can be a dick, doesn't mean that you have to be.
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10-17-2023, 06:25 AM | #7 |
Dark Lord of the Mods
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 7,398
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Good response, BizCopperhead.
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"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum." YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5i...9tb4Exi6R8cnvA Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/lordmordred/?hl=en |
10-17-2023, 07:39 AM | #8 |
Shabba
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: England
Posts: 1,352
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In fact it's probably just easier not to bother with the 'stank any more.
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10-17-2023, 07:59 AM | #9 |
30th Cobra I.D. Gamblers
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Columbus,Ohio
Posts: 1,633
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It can he frustating sometimes on here as i see certain people who i will not name starting fights and drama for no reason, for the most part i ignore them but it seems these people start things daily and its not necessary, as for DT, it doesnt bother me at all, i interact with them and i appreciate their passion for a certain character, its why we are on here, we all love this brand for different reasons, and frankly its ok to disagree about things, a healthy debate is never a bad thing, but trolling and name calling is over the line for me, at the end of the day perspective matters, this is a fictional toy line, and meant to have fun.
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My feedback: http://www.hisstank.com/forum/buy-se...ck-thread.html My B/S/T List: http://www.hisstank.com/forum/g-i-jo...rade-list.html " You were not put on this planet to "Get it" Mr. Burton " |
10-17-2023, 08:46 AM | #10 |
Balloon Bear
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Delaware Valley
Posts: 1,662
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When I find my frustration level creeping up, that's usually my sign to stop, take a step back, and do anything else for a while. Some people love to argue here and some of them can be aggressive about it but at the end of the day if we lay our passions aside, we're all still just talking about little plastic army men. The "problems" here are nothing compared to what's going on in the rest of the world.
I think part of the issue with the interpersonal stuff is that we don't always treat each other online the same way we would IRL, and some of that is because all we know of one another is based on text. It can be harder to understand what's driving some of the intense emotions some people express here without the context of an IRL understanding of a person. Some of the more out-there things that people say here might make more sense if we understood the individual. Lots of broken people running around on this planet (and I'm not denying that I'm one of them in ways)...sometimes that's just easier to pick up on in a real conversation instead of the thing we do here. Ruining one's own enjoyment: I don't think anyone has ruined something I really like, but I do find that if I'm already thinking/feeling negatively about something that discussion here can amplify that. For me, that's another great reason to step away and do something else for a while to put toy talk in perspective. |
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