Fandom and me - Harry Potter and more

"Hogwarts wasn't hiring, so I teach muggles instead" (T-shirt logo). 

This past term I have, alongside my esteemed colleague Helga Benediktsdóttir, been teaching an elective course on Harry Potter at the Commercial College of Iceland. This has been a great experience. We have recently heard that the course will also be on for the next school year which made us really happy.

One idea that I espouse, but, do not always live up to in practice, is that teachers should do the work they require of students. We ask students to write and produce this and that, but I fear we tend to forget to try out what we are asking of them. A simple example of this is that when we have a reading session in class we should also be reading, rather than marking something or being busy in some other kind of way.

Hence this little blog: we set the students the task of writing a little reflection on themselves as fans and to produce small pieces of fan fiction. And one way to go about writing about something is to read about it, and this article provides a very nice background to think about fandom:

Fandom and Participatory Culture 

 

The word "fan" comes from "fanatic" - and fandoms are connected with sports (especially team sports, most especially football); music (particular genres and artists); gaming (video games, board games, role playing games, LARP), and creative media (film, TV shows, literature etc.). The Harry Pottter fandom belongs to the last category, and this type of fandom is the one discussed in the article and one that I identify strongest with.

Engaging with fandom has, according to article two important sides to it.  you can engage in "transformative" ways on the one hand,  and "curative/ affirmational"  ways on the other. It seems to me that a majority of fans belong to the latter category. Transformative fandom is creative engagement with the material, writing fanfiction, creating and wearing costumes to cons and such like; while affirmational and curative fans settle for knowing the material very well, collecting merchandise (merch) etc. It seems to me that a vast majority of fans belong to the latter category. Sports fans for example have limited opportunities for transformative action; you only write so many songs and create so many scarves and slogans (no prejudice on my part here intended).

Other aspects of fandom are also discussed. I think interesting spins on these could be to consider fandoms as exclusive or inclusive. It seems to me that for example the Harry Potter fandom is highly inclusive, while certain music fandoms (punk for example) is very exclusive. This also applies to the question of to how seriously the fandom takes itself. A basic requirement in some fandoms seems to me to be a deep loathing of some particular cultural output (for punk for example this would include certain types of rock), maybe belonging to other fandoms. In such cases being a fan is very serious business indeed. In others it seems like participation can be tinged with a bit of lightheartedness and a certain degree of irony. In this context it is important to recognize that being a fan does not entail that you consider the object of your fandom necessarily to be the most perfect thing ever created on this Earth. It means you have a strong relationship with it, that you know a lot about it and it is an important part of your identity - it does not mean that there might not be elements to the works in question that annoy you, or even might find disturbing (this is the case with many Harry Potter fans).

Fandom is definitely connected with low / popular culture and is often portrayed in a negative light; and this ironically often the case in popular shows. The Big Bang Theory comes to mind as problematic, and this is also discussed in the article. I have a feeling that this might be changing a bit. An interesting idea that I had recently is whether we could identify "high culture" as a fandom in itself. This fandom would be highly exclusive, engagement with it non-ironic (even though members pride themselves on their superior grasp of irony) and loathing certain other cultural output a sine qua non of membership (for example Harry Potter). Familiarity with certain films and literature, classical music and visual high brow art is required. Certain use of language is involved and a definite dress code (for example an ironic tie).  Statements about "not watching TV" and quoting Woody Allen movies appreciated. This fandom probably would not be comfortable recognizing itself as a fandom, or maybe it would, well, see itself as the Fandom - all the stuff that lies outside this group's scope of interest can safely be discarded as trash. This is in a fun way mirrored in certain mainstream authors' denying that their works, obviously sci-fi or fantasy works, are indeed sci-fi or fantasy (Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro).... this does not mean that these are not great authors, which they are, but this attitude is a bit wonky. An interesting discussion of high-brow, low-brow can be found here.

I would consider myself a Harry Potter fan, albeit an unusual one. I mostly belong to the category of curative/ affirmative fan - while it might be argued that creating and teaching this course could be seen as transformative fandom. An important inspiration for the course was following the blog Harry Potter and the Sacred Text.

My voyage into the Potterverse was taken with my daughters (14 & 18). I read all the books for each of them out loud, slowly getting more and more immersed. I think this is a kind of fandom that is becoming more widespread, family fandom. This I think can be children getting involved with their parents' fandoms, parents engaging with their children's fandoms... or possibly both parents and children grow into loving something through shared reading, watching and playing.

Being a bit on nerdier side generally I would also identify as a sci-fi and fantasy fan. Mostly curative-affirmative, or as a consumer. Me and my friends, however, as teenagers were completely obsessed with Tolkien to the extent that we created a game based on his world. If I remember correctly some of the mechanics were quite clever. I think the game is lost now, and it is interesting how we did not try to make any kind of connection with a wider world of fans - goes to show you how much effect the Internet has on fan culture.

Another example of transformative fandom are the lyrics to a song I wrote years back. In these lyrics I mix up stories from old songs by the band and the concept of the supervillain in the super-hero (and maybe James Bond) genre. This is a bit in the spirit of Filk (though I had no idea that phenomenon existed at the time of writing). Filk is an interesting example of where the boundaries between the ironic and non-ironic are blurry. Of course the lyrics are in Icelandic, but you'll hear some familiar names.... (thus I maintain that I have already produced a fan fiction item (two at that) and this one references Harry Potter, with the song's protagonist claiming he is worse than Voldemort). Enjoy:

Harry Potter and the Sacred Text

Drum circle facilitation playshop day 2

....after a long day of drumming, sharing being amazed I am tired....

There are two connections that are important to me that I will mostly talk about now, and after such a long day I won't have the energy for a long blog.

I have a lot about the potential of merging / intertwining and mixing somehow up some of the practices of philosophical practice, drum circles (and maybe improv). I am not sure.
Some common features are definitely:
-the role and journey of the facilitator
-creation of community
-focusing on the group rather than individuals

....another approach to create a powerful circle that I have thought of might be to start with a drum circle .... maybe end also and have a philosophical dialogue in between ....

Another random reflection is on the "popcorn" approach, where you step in if you like. This features heavily in the philosophical practice (and also in improv) ...

Another thing that all these practices seem to me to contribute heavily to is the disappearance, submerging of the ego....

Well, that's it for now.

Drum circle playshop day 1

I am attending a three day playshop on facilitating drum circles with Arthur Hull, Micheal Khei and Lars Pars (?). What a trio... man...

I am going to imitate what I did when I attended Oscar Brenifier's workshop in practical philosophy in Argenteuil and write a short blog on each day of attending the playshop.  I have a feeling this will be an experience of a similar, if not greater magnitude. This will be raw and rough, and in English for the benefit of my fellow participants and well I don't know. By no means comprehensive, just some thoughts and you know.

1 Notes on the faciltiators of the facilitation process. Michael is the main dude, Arthur jumps in like the grand old man (a bit of a Yoda) and also at times as devil's advocate. Lars has the role of observer and I guess inspirer if you like. This seems to me to be a very effective way of teaching, and I think the constant reliance on one teacher in most circumstances is wrong. More on the lads later. o those in the know: a VERY different approach to the one of Oscar and Isabelle ;-)

2 The group. The group is mixed, and some are very experienced. To me and my fellow beginning beginners I think this is both excellent since we can learn from these "experienceballs" like we say in Iceland, but also a tad intimidating. A varied and interesting bunch of people, and in our playing we made beautiful music.

3 Concepts. I think the conceptual scheme introduced, instructor/ dictator - director - facilitator - conductor is a very clever one.... with implications beyond the drum circle.

4 Personal learning.  The biggest challenge in any such situation is the demand of total and complete presence. I want to get that in my students and thus have to be able to achieve it myself. This means staying in the moment and swinging with the rhythm at all times. Playing with my band is of course also a lesson in this, and I am actually sure I will become a better drummer and band member after this weekend.

I look forward to what tomorrow will bring.

God I feel so good and the question of art feelings and why: Perhaps a glove?

Today I visited Ragnar Kjartanson's exhibition God I feel so Bad and it made me feel good.

It put me in mind of something Marina Abromovic said about how she had an epiphany when she realized she did not need to confine herself to paint and canvas in her art but could use anything ....

So Ragnar uses stuff like

the artist's body
video
music
art history
absence
patience
painting
sculpture
actors
humour


Ragnar's work is highly personal, Freudian at times and sometimes very silly...

What makes me curious is why this kind of work remains so highbrow - why hasn't this highly liberating idea not somehow broken through and manifested in a more creative, loving and silly humankind?

Please tell me.

(by the way I loved the exhibition, especially the piece Whole lot of Sorrow)

Sisimka

I have just finished reading Sisimka by Sigrún Guðbradsdóttir. Sigrún is my cousin and dear friend, so this is inevitably a bit biased.

The book is in Danish, but since I'd like to reach both a Danish and an Icelandic audience I use English, and this novel has an international scope and I sincerely hope it will be translated into English and hopefully Icelandic as well.

Speculative fiction is the best way to classify Sisimka. There are elements of science fiction, dystopian political fable, and surreal horror. Before I briefly discuss each of these it bears mentioning that the design of the book is very nice, the cover is striking and gives of the feeling that what you have in your hand is a 50s pulp space opera or whodunnit. The language seems to me a bit formal, in places a bit of a stretch for my Danish vocabulary, I always enjoy coming across words that reflect the relation of Danish to Icelandic, for example the word 'årvågenhed' which is 'árvekni' in Icelandic...

Science fiction takes us  to space, into alternative presents, alternative histories or into the future. Sisimka takes us into the future, a creepy (not necessarily very distant) future. The screen floors and domed cities are the primary examples of new technology apparent. The effects of technology are not a primary concern of the novel, yet it does not seem to have contributed to a betterment of mankind in any way.

There are two countries in Sisimka and we do not hear about the rest of the world. My feeling is that the 'home' country, the country of A, D and the professor is Denmark, and that the ´foreign' country is in Eastern Europe. The 'home country' is definitely closer to some kind of a Western reality, where capitalism seems to have gone crazy (with the screen floors etc.) and the repressive, racist and secretive regime of the 'other' country seems to have different origins. The characters are in both places under the control of mysterious powers that they have no real way of influencing. Here it seems we have a touch of 1984, Brave New World and Snow Crash. The way the local population is isolated and interaction with foreigners tightly monitored and regulated calls to mind North-Korea ...

The monster insects and mummified children will send a chill down anyone's spine. The mysterious causes of death and vague connections with rituals are, to put it mildly, disturbing. The voyeuristic tendencies of Western art seem to be taken to task in the first part of the book. The whole idea of the excluded and downtrodden 'freckled' and the involvement of the midwives.... well....

The mysterious presence and placement of the colony and how the 'freckled' appear to the narrator in part one reminded me a bit of China Mieville's The City and the City, a novel set in a mysterious Eastern Europeanish alternative reality written like a pulp detective story. The anthropological interest of D. (in the guise of art) and 'the Foreigner' and the extensive chunks from her journal to mind Ursula le Guin and the Left hand of Darkness.... where the protagonist is confronted with ways of being that are so totally foreign that understanding comes slowly, if at all. This is particularly to do with the 'rituals' but also this very intriguing idea of children choosing their fathers.

The connections between each part and the web formed by the Professor-A-D-Sisimka-the Foreigner -and the Old one is a bit hard to fathom, and to be honest I need a bit more (a reread?) to be able to fully put the pieces together. I also think that there is material for more stories in this weird and interesting world that has been laid before us here...

Naomi Wolf's End of America and Orwell's Animal Farm

In 2007 Naomi Wolf published a book called the End of America. The book warns that the USA is devolving into a fascist state, and she analyzes 10 steps that are being taken to achieve this goal. She briefly explains her ideas in this article. Wolf has not abandoned her idea, as is clear from this 2014 talk. In 1945 George Orwell published a book called Animal Farm, in which he analyzes the development of the Soviet Union, from the time of the revolution to the terror of Stalin's despotic rule. This book is widely read in schools, and I have been teaching it for a number of years, and it seems to me to be very interesting not just because of the historical context, but also as an astute analysis of power relations, the malleability of public opinion.... this makes it a classic.

It may seem really odd to compare today's America to the USSR of the forties. Or is it? After giving the steps that Wolf presents in her idea it seems to me that this is not as far fetched as we might think. In what follows I will present the steps that Wolf has posited and relate them to Animal Farm (her illustrations of them in the current American context are better found in her own work).

Step 1: Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy. A key element of the Pig's strategy - the external enemy being the humans, and then of course the internal enemy being Snowball when Napoleon takes over. And in this way the whole business of the windmill is eerily reminiscent of 9/11.

Step 2: Create a Gulag. Now, Stalin killed many of his enemies and sent some to the Gulag. America has Guantanamo. Napoleon basically sticks to the more basic approach, so those animals found guilty of dissent are killed on the spot.

Step 3: Develop a thug caste. This is clearly an important part of Napoleon's strategy from the start when he takes the puppies to raise them as skilled killing machines.

Step 4: Set up an internal surveillance system. This is clearly achieved by having a system of informants among the animals and creating an atmosphere of paranoia and distrust.

Step 5:  Harass citizen groups. When the hens try to form an alliance and act in defiance the crackdown is very harsh.

Step 6: Engage in arbitrary detention and release. I am not sure this fits exactly, because not many are released in Animal Farm, however the general confusion and how the rules, and indeed history, is constantly changed creates this kind of atmosphere of chaos and fear.

Step 7: Target key individuals. Snowball.

Step 8: Control the press. The story about Snowball devolves through the mouth of Squealer, the animals have no way to verify the reality of what their only media outlet provides them with so this one fits very well.

Step 9: Dissent equals treason. Again, when the hens do not want to give their eggs to benefit the pigs, their action is labeled treasonous.

Step 10: Suspend the rule of law. Not that the rule of law is ever really established on Animal Farm, the law that they do have is taken and manipulated to suit the ruling elite: Some animals are more equal than others.

...to be fair there are elements to the situations that are very different. The relative affluence of the American is one thing, and there is no 'Strong Man' behind the End of America, but a hidden manipulative and inconspicuous elite. They use the same sleazy methods as their predecessors, but avoid basking in the luxury and the limelight ... possibly making them the most terrifying threat to humanity yet....