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Fandoms Saving the World One Altruistic Step at A Time; Online Activism Within the Supernatural Fandom
"[The characters] stand for the idea that making a difference — doing something, however great or small, to help others and make the world a better, safer place — gives meaning to life. They haven't been able to save everyone they set out to help, but that hasn't stopped them from trying, and in the show, their selflessness and sacrifice have saved the world."
(Dominiak, 2011, p. 95)
Fandoms are a necessary and well-known part of popular culture. They're more than consumers; they engage with the original content beyond simply enjoying it. As a community, they share creativity, connections and, in some cases, altruism. Fan activism is more than online activism since it combines the community of fans with the motivation of online activism. Supernatural fans or the SPN Family work together in a crew, cast lead, and fan-led projects. Online activism is, by definition, based on the Internet, and its share of benefits and drawbacks come with that. The Internet provides a lower cost, increased efficiency, improved community creation and upgraded community mobilization. On the other hand, the disadvantages include overwhelming content, online disassociation, lack of tangible impact, and the controversial importance of awareness. Through Supernatural Fandom's activism projects, the fans show that they are a beneficial source of activism despite the drawbacks of the medium.
Bronies, Browncoats, Potterheads, Schwifties, Whovians, and X-Philes are all examples of fandoms or communities based on a single work. The list is the names of self-identifying fans of specific shows and fandoms. These communities can also be involved in activism. Activism has a broad definition of both connotative and denotative. For this paper, activism is an umbrella term for actively attempting to improve the world, including fundraising, events, petitions, and awareness (Jackson, 2015, p. 27–28). There are nearly endless examples of fan activism. There are fandoms in every creative work. Each fandom can potentially have several activism projects occurring all at the same time.
This paper focuses on one fandom: Hunters, the SPN Family. This fandom is based on the C.W. television series, Supernatural. Airing its…
