A Dive Into The Mind of a Superfan
By Mikayla Moring
We all know that one die-hard Gators fan, or maybe a pretentious Lana Del Rey enthusiast, or even an avid Pokémon player. Whether it’s music, sports, film, etc., the superfan archetype has been relevant in pop culture for decades. For some fans, it’s a lifestyle to take part in having a certain interest. You can’t just know all of the lyrics to a band’s most popular song, or only support a football team when they have a current win streak. In the eyes of the superfan, you have to be a superfan to even qualify as a typical fan. This kind of principle is common in several communities online and sometimes in real life, but the true question is where do we see this at Nease?
A Brief History
Meriam Webster defines a “superfan” as “an extremely enthusiastic or dedicated fan”. Most sources point to Sherlock Holmes, a character in several different literary and film adaptations, being the first modern example of popular media cultivating an extremely dedicated fanbase. When Sherlock Holmes was killed off in the late 19th century, many fans expressed deep distress and publicly mourned after he died in one of his novels, marking the beginning of a new type of behavior from superfans. In the last few decades though, being a superfan has developed into something much more exclusive and demanding.
A local is a rather niche term that has sprouted in several different fan communities, primarily across the internet. The term rose in popularity after some devoted fans of the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, Lana Del Rey, began to criticize how people only listened to and knew her “mainstream” songs. To be a “local” is to “like all the generic mainstream artists and don’t have their own sense of style or taste; they just like everything based on what is popular” an Urban Dictionary member explains.
While this term mainly exists in communities with interests revolving around musicians, this kind of ideology can be applied to several different fan communities. “Hopping on the bandwagon” is an openly condemned action across fanbases. Some superfans hate when people parade around saying that they are the biggest fan of something when they only started liking it when it touched mainstream pop culture. We’ve all heard the typical “name five Nirvana songs” or “name the Jag’s wide receiver this year”, which are common little tests to try to separate the people who are superfans and catch those who are not. To be a local is to hop on the bandwagon, and superfans across the multiverse of fanbases condemn the “local” archetype. While this phenomenon is clearly visible on social media, is it truly applicable to fanbases in real life?
What Does Nease Say?
Being a superfan differs from person to person. Not every person believes that you should embody the “superfan” archetype to truly fit in as a fan. Some take a more relaxed stance on what being a superfan means. Will Loving, a devoted Lana Del Rey and Animal Crossing superfan since middle school, describes that being a superfan for these interests means you can have “dedication without pain,” and that “you can enjoy activities with no drawbacks”. Marisa Smith, a Taylor Swift superfan takes a similar stance, stating, “I think being a true fan means supporting your favorite artist, wanting the best for them, and not being negative online”.
Many advocate for comfort in appreciating their interests because these interests provide them with an escape from daily stresses. Keeley Rissman, a Disney Fanatic, describes how, “Going to the parks with my mom is always really fun and I get an escape from my homework or other obligations.” She later adds that she loves watching Disney movies “since they make everything better.” Many fans also note how their interests have helped them develop as a person, as their devotion has encouraged confidence and self-esteem, unity with others, and their aspirations. Ellie Mirgeaux, an ardent Swiftie explains how taking interest in Taylor Swift’s music has encouraged her to embrace her relationship with her femininity, stating that, “being a girl’s girl is a bonding experience with other girls.” Another Swiftie notes how the cultivated Swiftie community is one of her favorite aspects of being a Taylor Swift superfan, stating, “I love the Taylor swift community and how you make immediate friends over common ground.” Mason McMillan, a cinema admirer, aspires to make a career in filmmaking and his love for cinema at 10 years old greatly impacted him as “it’s usually all [he] think about and is what [he] want[s] to involve [himself] with for [his] career.”
However, some of Nease’s superfans also believe that there are some requirements to qualify as a “superfan” of their specific interests. “Don’t bandwagon,” Drew Conroy, a music fan, warns. Rissman states, “you can enjoy something but you’re not really a TRUE fan unless you can set yourself apart from others that call themselves fans.” Other Nease superfans argue that to be a superfan is to just love and support their interests. One superfan feels that, “to truly love and be knowledgeable about your given interest.” McMillan states that to be a superfan for cinema is “to just have an unconditional love for it.”
Anyone can be a superfan. Everyone has interests, passions, preferences, and often it’s what drives people’s comfort, empowerment, and development through their adolescence. There will always be fans that fight for exclusivity in their interests, and there will be those that encourage others to take part in their interests.
