The Dark Side of Stan Culture: How It Can Turn Toxic and Harmful
Stan culture has become a pervasive element of online fandom, with fans of artists, celebrities, and franchises forming communities that showcase their idolization through social media, fan art, and collective worship. While this can be a positive force for building communities and supporting artists, the uglier side of stan culture has become increasingly visible in recent years, with fans using their platforms to harass and bully others who don’t share their opinions or align with their “stanning.” This article will explore the dark side of stan culture, examining how it can turn toxic and harmful and offer suggestions for what we can do to combat its negative effects.
What Is Stan Culture?
Stan culture refers to fan culture that goes beyond mere fandom and turns into a worshipful admiration of a particular celebrity or other cultural figure. The word “stan” originated from the Eminem song of the same name, which featured a character named Stan who was obsessed with the rapper to the point of mental illness. Nowadays, the term “stan” is used more broadly to describe die-hard fans who create fan art, stream music, create fan fiction, and engage in lengthy online debates and discussions about their idols.
The Perils of Stan Culture
While stan culture can be a fun and positive way for people to express their love for their favorite artists, there is an inherent danger in elevating someone to the status of a deity. Fans who become too fixated on their idols can become combative, attacking other fans, journalists, or celebrities who have differing opinions or express criticism of their idol. This can have real-world consequences, as social media-based bullying and harassment can be extremely damaging, especially for young people.
Examples of Toxic Stan Culture
The ubiquity of social media means that instances of toxic stan culture are increasingly visible. Some examples of harmful stan culture include:
- Swifties attacking anyone who speaks negatively about Taylor Swift
- Beyhive members sending death threats to journalists who criticize Beyoncé
- Kanye West stan accounts engaging in racist and sexist attacks on other musicians
These are just a few examples of the ways in which stan culture can be toxic and harmful. It’s important to note that not all fans who participate in stan culture are guilty of these behaviors, but the normalization of this type of behavior makes it harder for those who do engage in harmful behavior to be held accountable.
How to Combat Toxic Stan Culture
If you’re a fan looking to engage positively with your favorite artist, there are several steps you can take to ensure that you’re conducting yourself in a respectful and non-toxic way:
- Respect other opinions: Not everyone is going to like what you like, and that’s okay. Instead of attacking those who don’t share your views, try to engage in constructive discussions that are respectful of differing opinions.
- Avoid engaging in group attacks: It can be tempting to jump on the bandwagon when you see others attacking someone, but this can quickly snowball into a toxic situation. Instead, try to engage with people one-on-one to express your views and find common ground.
- Be mindful of your behavior: It’s easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment, but before you post something online, take a moment to consider whether it could be hurtful or harmful to others. Remember, your actions online have real-world consequences.
Conclusion
Stan culture can be a fun and positive way to engage with your favorite artist, but when it turns toxic and harmful, it becomes a real problem. By being mindful of your behavior and resisting the urge to engage in negative behavior, you can help combat the negative effects of stan culture and ensure that it remains a positive force for building communities and supporting artists.
