Difference between revisions of "Stan Twitter"
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As a result of the information age, fans now have access to their favorite artists right at their fingertips. Especially in an age of oversharing, platforms like Twitter allow fans to constantly know what their favorite artists are up to and even directly interact with them. The term “Stan Twitter” is a combination of the two words “fan” and “stalker”. It was first coined in an Eminem song called “Stan” in 2000. The song was about an obsessive Eminem fan and how his behavior ruined his relationships. Though the original meaning of the word was for people who are obsessive, it has grown to become a “badge of honor” for fans who are willing to go above and beyond to show their commitment and love for their favorite artists (NPR) Stan Twitter isn’t just on Twitter, however. Stan culture is prevalent in every social media platform, including Instagram and Facebook. Even though the term has stayed relevant twenty years later, it has developed into a phenomenon that has implications beyond just social media and into the real world and real lives (Inquirer). | As a result of the information age, fans now have access to their favorite artists right at their fingertips. Especially in an age of oversharing, platforms like Twitter allow fans to constantly know what their favorite artists are up to and even directly interact with them. The term “Stan Twitter” is a combination of the two words “fan” and “stalker”. It was first coined in an Eminem song called “Stan” in 2000. The song was about an obsessive Eminem fan and how his behavior ruined his relationships. Though the original meaning of the word was for people who are obsessive, it has grown to become a “badge of honor” for fans who are willing to go above and beyond to show their commitment and love for their favorite artists (NPR) Stan Twitter isn’t just on Twitter, however. Stan culture is prevalent in every social media platform, including Instagram and Facebook. Even though the term has stayed relevant twenty years later, it has developed into a phenomenon that has implications beyond just social media and into the real world and real lives (Inquirer). | ||
| + | ===Fandoms=== | ||
| + | One of the more popular fandoms on Stan Twitter are the fans of musical artists. The most prominent are the “stans” of Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, K-pop stans, and many more. Stans usually have a name for themselves for each artist. For example, Lady Gaga stans are called Little Monsters. Ariana Grande stans are called Arianators. Nicki Minaj stabs are Barbz, BTS stans are called Army, Taylor Swift stans are Swifties, and Beyonce stans identify with the Beyhive (nbcnews). | ||
| + | ===Politics=== | ||
| + | When France entered lockdown during the early stages of the Coronavirus, Lorian De Sousa (20) created an account on Twitter called “out of context Hannah Montana” because he had nothing better to do with his free time. Through that account, he would post random scenes from the Disney Channel show “Hannah Montana.” The account garnered a lot of attention in a short amount of time and now has more than 65 thousand followers on Twitter. In addition, it would become a catalyst for activism and political engagement, something that De Sousa would have never suspected when he first made the account. In 2020, as the pandemic ravaged through the United States, it forced more and more people inside their homes and into digital spaces as opposed to real life spaces. At the same time, as numerous political and social issues dominated the news, stan accounts on social media played a big part in influencing issues and outcomes surrounding social movements such as Black Lives Matter. In addition, stan accounts played a massive role impacting the 2020 U.S. presidential election. | ||
| + | |||
| + | De Sousa took advantage of his big fan base and used his stan account as a voice for social change. He would make posts that are of “click-bait” nature, containing content that would for sure make people click onto his tweet. An example of this would be a post where he would tweet out “LEAKED VIDEOS OF MILEY AND DYLAN SMOKING WEED ON SET: A THREAD.” This type of language would force users to click on the thread, only for them to be redirected to a thread of resources supporting a certain social justice issue, such as a change.org peitition asking for justice for George Floyd (nbcnews). | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===K-pop and Stan Twitter=== | ||
| + | Perhaps the most popular niche of Stan Twitter is the k-pop fanbase. K-pop is short for Korean pop music. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Controversy=== | ||
| + | Stans are often criticized for going a bit too far and acting too bold in online communities. They are often accused of appropriating Black culture, such as using African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in online platforms when they don’t identify as African American. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===The Harassment Problem=== | ||
| + | Sometimes, people accuse the artists themselves for playing a role in allowing fans to carry out nasty behavior on the internet. A man on the internet, who we will call John to protect his actual identity, was victim to such harassment on the internet by Stan Twitter. He knew something was off when fans of a popular rapper “told him to choke on the chips he tweeted about.” John wrote an article on a hip-hop website stating that the popular rapper should take a year long hiatus after producing their brand new album. Following the publication of this article, the harassment that started off as just a weird reply to a single tweet had turned into a whole campaign of hate towards John. The forms of harassment varied greatly, from receiving homophobic direct messages to comments telling him to shut his mouth. His family’s home address was even posted online for everyone to see. The harassment didn’t just stay within Twitter. On Instagram, fans of the rapper would direct one another to go on Twitter and fan the flames of the fire. This is proof that although Stan Twitter is capable of carrying out good deeds (for example, serving as a tight-knit community for fans to enjoy their favorite artists, help give the artists the publicity that they need, and raise money for charitable causes), it is also capable of very harmful behaviors that could lead to serious consequences for both the Stans and the victims (insider). | ||
==summary== | ==summary== | ||
Being a “super fan” is associated with problematic internet use, maladaptive daydreaming, and desire for fame. <ref name="problematic internet use">Zsila, Á., McCutcheon, L. E., & Demetrovics, Z. (2018). The association of celebrity worship with problematic Internet use, maladaptive daydreaming, and desire for fame. Journal of behavioral addictions, 7(3), 654–664. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.76</ref> Individuals reach this level of obsession due to the nature of media, specifically social media. Internet celebrities may share posts that contain intimate or emotionally intense content, making fans feel like they are a part of their lives. This creates a relationship that is not one-to-one, where the consumer spends time viewing the content, feeling like a part of the creator’s life, while the creator has no concept of who this other person is. “Parasocial interaction” describes this phenomenon. It has been present through various forms of media such as TV, movies, sports, and the internet.<ref>Sussex Publishers. (n.d.). You're not really friends with that internet celebrity. Psychology Today. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-online-secrets/201607/youre-not-really-friends-internet-celebrity</ref> While there are many problems associated with these obsessions, they allow the general population to form communities. These communities are prevalent in sports, as groups of people will go far to show their support for a team.<ref>The New Yorker. (2018, February 1). The mind of the sports superfan. The New Yorker. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.newyorker.com/sports/sporting-scene/the-mind-of-the-sports-superfan </ref> | Being a “super fan” is associated with problematic internet use, maladaptive daydreaming, and desire for fame. <ref name="problematic internet use">Zsila, Á., McCutcheon, L. E., & Demetrovics, Z. (2018). The association of celebrity worship with problematic Internet use, maladaptive daydreaming, and desire for fame. Journal of behavioral addictions, 7(3), 654–664. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.76</ref> Individuals reach this level of obsession due to the nature of media, specifically social media. Internet celebrities may share posts that contain intimate or emotionally intense content, making fans feel like they are a part of their lives. This creates a relationship that is not one-to-one, where the consumer spends time viewing the content, feeling like a part of the creator’s life, while the creator has no concept of who this other person is. “Parasocial interaction” describes this phenomenon. It has been present through various forms of media such as TV, movies, sports, and the internet.<ref>Sussex Publishers. (n.d.). You're not really friends with that internet celebrity. Psychology Today. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-online-secrets/201607/youre-not-really-friends-internet-celebrity</ref> While there are many problems associated with these obsessions, they allow the general population to form communities. These communities are prevalent in sports, as groups of people will go far to show their support for a team.<ref>The New Yorker. (2018, February 1). The mind of the sports superfan. The New Yorker. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.newyorker.com/sports/sporting-scene/the-mind-of-the-sports-superfan </ref> | ||
Revision as of 09:11, 30 January 2023
Stan Twitter refers to communities of users on Twitter that share posts and comments surrounding pop culture, celebrities, movies, music, social media, and even sports. The communities are known for their shared terminology and use of language on the internet. However, they are also known for their constant involvement in online harassment, cyber-bullying, and doxing. Though meant origingally for fans to support their favorite celebrities and artists, Stan Twitter has grown to become a divisive online community that holds a large presence in almost every aspect of Twitter. (Wikipedia)
Contents
Origin
As a result of the information age, fans now have access to their favorite artists right at their fingertips. Especially in an age of oversharing, platforms like Twitter allow fans to constantly know what their favorite artists are up to and even directly interact with them. The term “Stan Twitter” is a combination of the two words “fan” and “stalker”. It was first coined in an Eminem song called “Stan” in 2000. The song was about an obsessive Eminem fan and how his behavior ruined his relationships. Though the original meaning of the word was for people who are obsessive, it has grown to become a “badge of honor” for fans who are willing to go above and beyond to show their commitment and love for their favorite artists (NPR) Stan Twitter isn’t just on Twitter, however. Stan culture is prevalent in every social media platform, including Instagram and Facebook. Even though the term has stayed relevant twenty years later, it has developed into a phenomenon that has implications beyond just social media and into the real world and real lives (Inquirer).
Fandoms
One of the more popular fandoms on Stan Twitter are the fans of musical artists. The most prominent are the “stans” of Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, K-pop stans, and many more. Stans usually have a name for themselves for each artist. For example, Lady Gaga stans are called Little Monsters. Ariana Grande stans are called Arianators. Nicki Minaj stabs are Barbz, BTS stans are called Army, Taylor Swift stans are Swifties, and Beyonce stans identify with the Beyhive (nbcnews).
Politics
When France entered lockdown during the early stages of the Coronavirus, Lorian De Sousa (20) created an account on Twitter called “out of context Hannah Montana” because he had nothing better to do with his free time. Through that account, he would post random scenes from the Disney Channel show “Hannah Montana.” The account garnered a lot of attention in a short amount of time and now has more than 65 thousand followers on Twitter. In addition, it would become a catalyst for activism and political engagement, something that De Sousa would have never suspected when he first made the account. In 2020, as the pandemic ravaged through the United States, it forced more and more people inside their homes and into digital spaces as opposed to real life spaces. At the same time, as numerous political and social issues dominated the news, stan accounts on social media played a big part in influencing issues and outcomes surrounding social movements such as Black Lives Matter. In addition, stan accounts played a massive role impacting the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
De Sousa took advantage of his big fan base and used his stan account as a voice for social change. He would make posts that are of “click-bait” nature, containing content that would for sure make people click onto his tweet. An example of this would be a post where he would tweet out “LEAKED VIDEOS OF MILEY AND DYLAN SMOKING WEED ON SET: A THREAD.” This type of language would force users to click on the thread, only for them to be redirected to a thread of resources supporting a certain social justice issue, such as a change.org peitition asking for justice for George Floyd (nbcnews).
K-pop and Stan Twitter
Perhaps the most popular niche of Stan Twitter is the k-pop fanbase. K-pop is short for Korean pop music.
Controversy
Stans are often criticized for going a bit too far and acting too bold in online communities. They are often accused of appropriating Black culture, such as using African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in online platforms when they don’t identify as African American.
The Harassment Problem
Sometimes, people accuse the artists themselves for playing a role in allowing fans to carry out nasty behavior on the internet. A man on the internet, who we will call John to protect his actual identity, was victim to such harassment on the internet by Stan Twitter. He knew something was off when fans of a popular rapper “told him to choke on the chips he tweeted about.” John wrote an article on a hip-hop website stating that the popular rapper should take a year long hiatus after producing their brand new album. Following the publication of this article, the harassment that started off as just a weird reply to a single tweet had turned into a whole campaign of hate towards John. The forms of harassment varied greatly, from receiving homophobic direct messages to comments telling him to shut his mouth. His family’s home address was even posted online for everyone to see. The harassment didn’t just stay within Twitter. On Instagram, fans of the rapper would direct one another to go on Twitter and fan the flames of the fire. This is proof that although Stan Twitter is capable of carrying out good deeds (for example, serving as a tight-knit community for fans to enjoy their favorite artists, help give the artists the publicity that they need, and raise money for charitable causes), it is also capable of very harmful behaviors that could lead to serious consequences for both the Stans and the victims (insider).
summary
Being a “super fan” is associated with problematic internet use, maladaptive daydreaming, and desire for fame. [1] Individuals reach this level of obsession due to the nature of media, specifically social media. Internet celebrities may share posts that contain intimate or emotionally intense content, making fans feel like they are a part of their lives. This creates a relationship that is not one-to-one, where the consumer spends time viewing the content, feeling like a part of the creator’s life, while the creator has no concept of who this other person is. “Parasocial interaction” describes this phenomenon. It has been present through various forms of media such as TV, movies, sports, and the internet.[2] While there are many problems associated with these obsessions, they allow the general population to form communities. These communities are prevalent in sports, as groups of people will go far to show their support for a team.[3]- ↑ Zsila, Á., McCutcheon, L. E., & Demetrovics, Z. (2018). The association of celebrity worship with problematic Internet use, maladaptive daydreaming, and desire for fame. Journal of behavioral addictions, 7(3), 654–664. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.76
- ↑ Sussex Publishers. (n.d.). You're not really friends with that internet celebrity. Psychology Today. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-online-secrets/201607/youre-not-really-friends-internet-celebrity
- ↑ The New Yorker. (2018, February 1). The mind of the sports superfan. The New Yorker. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.newyorker.com/sports/sporting-scene/the-mind-of-the-sports-superfan
