An Interesting Discussion Regarding Arisia

[zentinal.livejournal.com]

An interesting discussion between an Arisia newcomer / observer & someone who dismisses f&sf fandom in total - Weigh In, Have Fun! http://bit.ly/8Wt2d6

Comments

[swashbucklr]

There are many people in this world who have a hard time finding fulfillment in their lives, and so they look to things outside their "real" lives in order to get it. For those involved with fandom, they find it in places like Arisia, and in the community that creates and supports it. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as everyone looks for a place where they belong, where they can be the person they want to be, and act the way they want to act. It's why people refer to Pennsic or Arisia as "Home".

The problem is that for most people, fandom can only be one aspect of our lives. The rest of the world, fulfilling or not, has demands it places upon us that we ignore at our peril. But some people would rather not have the real life to deal with, and just escape full-time. The lucky ones are the ones who can make a living at it, but the rest seem off-balance to me, like things are out of sync. I try very hard to balance my nerd needs with what the world expects of me, and I don't try and hide either from one another. I like the feeling of empowerment, of fulfillment, that I get from enjoying my "real life" while also enjoying the high I get from places and events like Arisia.

My life would be a sad thing without both.