Michael Elliott

They experience it as something powerful, perhaps as something transcendent, something beyond themselves that they connect with. That's how I would describe a superfan.

They experience it as something powerful, perhaps as something transcendent, something beyond themselves that they connect with. That's how I would describe a superfan.

Some people, I would say the majority of people I've interviewed, have connected with these interests at a fairly young age. It was a family member that introduced them. It was a mother or a father or some other family member who was into it that got them into it. It also could have been what they saw on the television.

Some people, I would say the majority of people I've interviewed, have connected with these interests at a fairly young age. It was a family member that introduced them. It was a mother or a father or some other family member who was into it that got them into it. It also could have been what they saw on the television.

Not everybody grew up with comic books, you know, around the spinner rack at the supermarket. But it's usually something that comes to somebody, I think, fairly early on. And they stick with it. Maybe they meet other people in junior high and high school and start to solidify those connections with other people and really get drawn into a community.

Not everybody grew up with comic books, you know, around the spinner rack at the supermarket. But it's usually something that comes to somebody, I think, fairly early on. And they stick with it. Maybe they meet other people in junior high and high school and start to solidify those connections with other people and really get drawn into a community.

Based on the literature, I delineate seven dimensions of the sacred, which comes from scholars in religion and the sociology of religion. So when we speak of the sacred, the sacred tends to be something that is special. In other words, it's unique, it's important. The sacred is often holy, meaning it's hallowed, it's blessed, it's worshiped.

Based on the literature, I delineate seven dimensions of the sacred, which comes from scholars in religion and the sociology of religion. So when we speak of the sacred, the sacred tends to be something that is special. In other words, it's unique, it's important. The sacred is often holy, meaning it's hallowed, it's blessed, it's worshiped.

The sacred is powerful, it's potent, it garners respect, it garners awe, sometimes fear. The sacred is transcendent. It's something above and beyond individual everyday affairs. The sacred is inspiring. It empowers and motivates people. It evokes emotion. The sacred generates meaning. It's a source of essential values and purpose. And the sacred also involves identity.

The sacred is powerful, it's potent, it garners respect, it garners awe, sometimes fear. The sacred is transcendent. It's something above and beyond individual everyday affairs. The sacred is inspiring. It empowers and motivates people. It evokes emotion. The sacred generates meaning. It's a source of essential values and purpose. And the sacred also involves identity.

It shapes collective affiliation and personal identity.

It shapes collective affiliation and personal identity.

In some ways, the antithesis of the sacred is the profane. And the profane can mean a couple things. It can mean the everyday or mundane, i.e. that which is not special, which is not holy. But the profane can also be things that are sacrilegious, according to adherence to the sacred.

In some ways, the antithesis of the sacred is the profane. And the profane can mean a couple things. It can mean the everyday or mundane, i.e. that which is not special, which is not holy. But the profane can also be things that are sacrilegious, according to adherence to the sacred.

So at the end of the in-depth interviews, I ask respondents, is there anything in your interests, your group that you consider out of bounds or inappropriate? And this is another question where the responses really struck me in their consistency. More often than not, the answers I get are people are upset and consider it out of bounds when people are sexist, racist, homophobic,

So at the end of the in-depth interviews, I ask respondents, is there anything in your interests, your group that you consider out of bounds or inappropriate? And this is another question where the responses really struck me in their consistency. More often than not, the answers I get are people are upset and consider it out of bounds when people are sexist, racist, homophobic,

All those things that we associate with toxic fandom. And this, I thought, was really interesting because you're right. Toxic fandom is out there. It's loud. It's often inappropriate and out of bounds. So it was really interesting to hear from the vast majority of interviewees that they consider that kind of behavior out of bounds.

All those things that we associate with toxic fandom. And this, I thought, was really interesting because you're right. Toxic fandom is out there. It's loud. It's often inappropriate and out of bounds. So it was really interesting to hear from the vast majority of interviewees that they consider that kind of behavior out of bounds.

I sometimes feel like the main group that I'm trying to convince about the importance of these groups and my results are academics rather than the general public. In many ways, I feel like the general public kind of gets this, and it's my colleagues that don't.

I sometimes feel like the main group that I'm trying to convince about the importance of these groups and my results are academics rather than the general public. In many ways, I feel like the general public kind of gets this, and it's my colleagues that don't.