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1. Fanart of artist Conan Gray. Photo used with permission of arttdump on Instagram. 2. Pencil drawing of artist Zayn Malik, previously a part of band One Direction. Photo used with permission of ha_arts on Instagram.
Swallowed by stan culture Students turn to Twitter for commuity @ Sydney Territo terrisyd000@hsestudents.org @ Kindell Readus readukin000@hsestudents.org
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ollowing or being a fan of a popular, current celebrity is a good way to find interests, bond with others and find role models. However there comes a point where it can become “obsessive.” This obsessive behavior can be as extreme as the recent uptick in fan stalking incidents in the various K-Pop fandoms, something so prominent it warranted its own name “saesaeng” (pronounced ‘sah-sang’). This is where the differentiating factor between being a fan versus being a “stan” comes into play. Stanning a celebrity can lead to unrealistic expectations of oneself and a false understanding of the relationship they have with the celebrity. “In cases where admiration becomes an obsession, researchers have detected higher levels of depression, anxiety, and negative self-esteem,” said psychology teacher Matthew Follman. “Trying to adhere to unrealistic expectations can be detrimental to mental as well as physical health. Personality development is fluid, so it is important to be grounded in realism to be able to adapt to new environments and situations.” The term “stan” comes from the 2000s hit song by the same name written by Marshall Mathers, better known as Eminem. The song details the story of an obsessed fan and how not being recognized by his idol sent him on a downward spiral, ultimately ending in his death. Though this title is laced with obsession, emotional connection and tragedy, it was and still is embraced by Mathers’ fans. However, the term caught on and began being used in reference to all intense fans of any artist or subject. Now, it describes anyone with a desire to support the artist by sending encouraging messages and developing a deep understanding of an artist or figure they look to for comfort. Stanning can be a slippery slope for some. For sophomore Lily Sharp, stanning turned into something that occupied her life for over a year. She followed Harry Styles in 2020, and while she could appreciate the artist and his music, the culture surrounding him was consuming. “That was all I would talk about. I would be on Twitter for like, six hours a day,” Sharp said. “My parents had time restrictions because I was just talking to people overseas and in Britain about Harry Styles’ blood type or something.” Sharp says that her feelings of animosity towards stan culture had nothing to do with the artists she followed, but merely the other fans she met and the forum in which they interacted: “stan Twitter.” Stan Twitter is a subset of Twitter dedicated to fans and the groups they find themselves attached to. The
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Tiger Times
February 2022
