Must admit that one thing that changed the way I see fandom discourse is realizing that a lot of fandom is just… playing with dolls. We're playing with dolls. Shipping? Playing with dolls. AUs? Dolls. Darkfic? Dolls.
Lotta people very agitated about the other kids playing with dolls wrong.
really good analogy because yknow what sometimes it CAN feel bad to see other kids playing dolls "wrong!" maybe you see them damaging or "hurting" their dolls and you hyper empathize, or you see them making modifications and you don't like them! and it makes you feel bad to see it!
fortunately, though, you don't have to watch! nobody is making you watch! and nobody's gonna take YOUR dolls from you. nobody can hurt your dolls, either! these dolls are an infinitely renewable resource. you can have your own iterations, that stay happy and healthy, forever! (and moreover, the dolls don't have real feelings, and cannot suffer!)
some types of stories about my favorite characters make me feel bad. so i don't read them! just like i don't watch youtube videos of people smashing toys
good post op




















