History Main / MisaimedFandom

Only... it [[GoneHorriblyWrong doesn't quite work like that]]. Instead of seeing a loathsome, hateful figure, the audience sees a [[TheWoobie Woobie]] who only is the way he is because of his [[WellDoneSonGuy daddy issues]], and feel sorry for him instead of hating him... or even [[DracoInLeatherPants find him cute]]. They take the author's painstaking [[PoesLaw satire at face value]]. The CrapsackWorld the writer has created is somewhere they think is pretty awesome. They have, in the writer's view, missed the point: ignoring the subtext that the writer had thought was obvious in favor of the ''text'' -- and they really like the text.

Sometimes Misaimed Fandom is a matter of [[ValuesDissonance cultural change]]: where a writer has fallen behind social changes they may perceive Misaimed Fandom about their work as villains and heroes switch places in the popular mind.

Sometimes Misaimed Fandom is a matter of [[ValuesDissonance cultural change]]: where a writer has fallen behind social change they may perceive Misaimed Fandom about their work as villains and heroes switch places in the popular mind.

Sometimes Misaimed Fandom is a matter of [[ValuesDissonance cultural change]]: where a writer [[SocietyMarchesOn has fallen behind social progress]] they may perceive Misaimed Fandom about their work as villains and heroes switch places in the popular mind.

And oh yeah, the inverse happens too. Sometimes people dislike something for playing cliches and tropes straight, when it's actually ''parodying'' or ''deconstructing'' them. See StealthParody.

Of course, while fans are entitled to their own interpretation, that does not mean they are always right. The writer's original intention might not be the only valid interpretation, but it probably shouldn't be dismissed out of hand either; they're the ones actually putting their thoughts down and getting them published, after all. But this doesn't mean that fans have to worship at the writer's feet. Works have to stand by themselves and there is a limit to what authorial intent can change. Ultimately: when words and images clearly depict A, no WordOfGod can make it B. On the same note, though, and most importantly, if words and images clearly depict A and WordOfGod confirms A, the fans who swear up and down it was B make up the misaimed FanDumb.

The writer has a vision. He's created a character who represents everything he loathes, and have placed him in [[CrapsackWorld a setting that satirizes everything they hate about modern society]]. Bring on the MoralGuardians and {{Media Watchdog}}s; he's prepared for controversy!

And sometimes the Misaimed Fandom simply comes from the fact that the author's not that good a writer. If a message is poorly communicated to begin with, then of course there's going to be problems when interpreting it. Some authors go for subtlety when [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped when they really should have been a bit more obvious]], or try to set up a StrawmanPolitical only to make the strawman's arguments [[StrawmanHasAPoint more logical and valid than their hero's]]. In these cases, the fandom is misaimed because the author's botched the sights on the rifle. This is especially common in parody, where an author may simply not be literate enough in the culture or media they're mocking and just produce [[IndecisiveParody a mediocre example of what they're trying to parody]] when they think they're exaggerating it to the point of ridiculousness.

There are many paths leading to a Misaimed Fandom, but many of them originate from the 'DeathOfTheAuthor' theory; the idea that the audience can interpret a work however they like, regardless of what the author says. No matter how many times WordOfGod states their case, there's always going to be a large portion of the readers who will have their own very different perspective. And they're always going to be able to [[EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory find something in the text to help]] [[EpilepticTrees their case]], whether the author intended it to be there or not.

* JerkassDissonance: The reason why the words "{{Badass}}" and "{{Jerkass}}" sometimes appear nigh interchangeable, even on this very wiki.

Of course, while fans are entitled to their own interpretation, that does not mean they are always right. The writer's original intention might not be the only valid interpretation, but it probably shouldn't be dismissed out of hand either; they're the ones actually putting their thoughts down and getting them published, after all. But this doesn't mean that fans have to worship at the writer's feet. Works have to stand by themselves and there is a limit to what authorial intent can change. Ultimately: when words and images clearly depict A, no WordOfGod can make it B. On the same note though, and most importantly, if words and images clearly depict A, WordOfGod confirms A, the fans who swear up and down it was B make up the misaimed FanDumb.

And sometimes the Misaimed Fandom simply comes from the fact that the author's not that good a writer. If a message is poorly communicated to begin with, then of course there's going to be problems when interpreting it. Some authors go for subtlety when [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped when they really should have been a bit more obvious]], or try to set up a StrawmanPolitical only to make the strawman's arguments [[StrawmanHasAPoint more logical and valid than their hero's]]. In these cases, the fandom is misaimed because the author's botched the sights on the rifle. This is especially common in parody, where an author may simply not be literate enough in the culture or media they're mocking and just produce a mediocre example of what they're trying to parody when they think they're exaggerating it to the point of ridiculousness.

And oh yeah, the inverse happens too. Sometimes people dislike something for playing cliches and tropes straight, when it's actually ''parodying'' or ''deconstructing'' them.

* DracoInLeatherPants: A character has obvious flaws, yet is praised and adored by fans.

There are many paths leading to a Misaimed Fandom, but many of them originate from the 'DeathOfTheAuthor' theory; the idea that the interpretations of the text agreed with and intended by the creator of the text are not the only valid interpretations of that text. No matter how many times WordOfGod states their case, there's always going to be a large portion of the readers who will have their own very different perspective. And they're always going to be able to [[EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory find something in the text to help]] [[EpilepticTrees their case]], whether the author intended it to be there or not.

[[quoteright:300: [[CheGuevara http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/chetee2_1.jpg]]]]

Often, however, the fans know full well that their interpretation of the text isn't that of the author, and may acknowledge what the author was trying to do, but [[{{Applicability}} choose their own interpretation anyway]]. They may be aware that the author is satirizing them and their views, but they're good sports and can [[InsultBackfire appreciate]] a well-done jab in the ribs, especially if it's [[AffectionateParody not without affection]] or they think it's ActuallyPrettyFunny. Thus an unlikely fandom is not necessarily [[MisaimedFandom Misaimed]].

Often, however, the fans know full well that their interpretation of the text isn't that of the author, and may acknowledge what the author was trying to do, but [[{{Applicability}} choose their own interpretation anyway]]. They may be aware that the author is satirizing them and their views, but they're good sports and can appreciate a well-done jab in the ribs, especially if it's [[AffectionateParody not without affection]].

Of course, while fans are entitled to their own interpretation, that does not mean they are always right. The writer's original intention should usually be considered first; they're the ones actually putting their thoughts down and getting them published, after all. But this doesn't mean that fans have to worship at the writer's feet. Works have to stand by themselves and there is a limit to what authorial intent can change. Ultimately: when words and images clearly depict A, no WordOfGod can make it B. On the same note though, and most importantly, if words and images clearly depict A, WordOfGod confirms A, the fans who swear up and down it was B make up the misaimed FanDumb.

->What the hell is wrong with you people? Every famous [[NWordPrivileges nigga]] that gets arrested is not NelsonMandela. Yes, the government conspires to put a lot of innocent men in jail off of fallacious charges, but Music/RKelly is not one of those men. We all know the nigga can sing, but what happened to standards? What happened to bare minimums? You a fan of R. Kelly? You wanna help R. Kelly? Then get some counseling for R. Kelly! Introduce him to some older women! Hide his camcorder, but don't pretend like the man is a hero!\\
* Huey leaves... then immediately comes back.*\\
[[StopBeingStereotypical And stop the damn dancing!]] Act like you got some goddamn sense, people! Damn. Done playing around here.
--> -- '''Huey Freeman, "[[ComicStrip/TheBoondocks The Trial of Robert Kelly]]"'''

Only... it [[GoneHorriblyWrong doesn't quite work like that]]. Instead of seeing a loathsome, hateful figure, the audience sees a [[TheWoobie Woobie]] who only is the way he is because of his [[WellDoneSonGuy daddy issues]], and feel sorry for him instead of hating him... or even [[DracoInLeatherPants find him cute]]. They take the author's painstaking satire at face value. The CrapsackWorld the writer has created is somewhere they think is pretty awesome. They have, in the writer's view, missed the point: ignoring the subtext that the writer had thought was obvious in favor of the ''text'' -- and they really like the text.