As if I were opening up a panel at ACEN or Gencon...
Welcome to "Stop the Infighting." I'll start off with a brief speech, then open up the room for discussion. Just make sure you don't shout over each other, or try to interrupt too much... it would make this panel kind of ironic.

On an average weekday, I spend fifteen or thirty minutes checking on my favorite fan sites and forums. As any other internet follower knows, that isn't very much time. Yet even in that small amount of time, I constantly run into fan infighting. Newbie bashing. Elitists using their knowledge and authority to dominate and put down others. Requests for help that get ignored or mocked. Claims such as "My hobby is superior to yours" as well as "Your genre doesn't compare to mine." Seeing this day after day is not fun at all. That's why I wrote this, and that's why I decided to create this panel. Because even if other people don't especially care about how fans treat each other, I know I do.

Place #1 where we really all need to stop the infighting: Young fans, experienced fans, and everyone in between. Where do I begin? Well, here's one place to start:

1a) As far as I'm concerned, it should be the duty of older, experienced fans to educate younger, less experienced fans. This is not to say that older fans have to do this as some sort of solemn task 24/7 in efforts to reach everyone. They should be allowed to get tired. They shouldn't have to worry that a few people are slipping out of their reach. Why do I add this disclaimer? Well...

1b) Experienced fans need rest in order to remain friendly. If they feel that they're constantly struggling against a tide of ignorance, or if they feel tired from constantly doling out nuggets of wisdom to newbies, then their words will start to sound bitter. Think "Comic Book Guy." I've witnessed individuals on websites and forums who talk as if they had the same sort of detached, ironic superiority... likely brought on by feeling weary. In short, experienced fans should do their best to avoid coming across as unsympathetic judges or as prophets of doom.

I once ran across a site on which a respected, well-educated fan criticized not only the English dub of a famous 100+ episode anime series, but also the young, inexperienced fans of that series. Did I take offense at the person's comments on the dub? No. After all, I was something of an elitist when it came to that series. I'd read a good amount of the translated manga, and I'd seen some fansubs of early episodes. (Of course, I wouldn't be able to compare if confronted with the more fanatical sort of fan who had watched/read the series without any translation...) But what bothered me was the way this experienced fan seemed to look down on, and possibly even mock younger, less knowedgable fans. The person seemed to be taking cheap shots at other people for not knowing enough about the series, or not having done enough research. Did the rant writer tell young fans how they could learn more? Or where to find the best resources and learn more? Or why they should routinely do research? Unless it was hidden somewhere, I don't think any of those issues were addressed.

1c) And as for young and new fans, I want to commend you! You are our future. Right now, you may still be naive. Don't feel ashamed.

Perhaps you have a lot to learn, and you know it. Perhaps you have a lot to learn... though you are unaware of this. So go forth and educate yourselves! Consider the words of people who came before you. Check your sources. Avoid hearsay and rants until you can verify whether the person's statements have any basis in reality. Do the same "reality check" with your own feelings and prejudices.

I long to reach out to inexperienced fans who have many questions. I try to help other people learn more, and try to encourage them to educate themselves. But I'm not perfect. I can't reach everyone. My messages get garbled. So that is why I hope that young and less experienced fans will learn how to find reliable sources and do research, rather than give up when confronted with questions. And I certainly hope they won't give up when some proud elitist chooses to act condescending.

One more note to young fans: if you choose to argue with others, do so carefully. If at all possible, write out what you want to say before you post it. Find other people's statements in order to back yours up. Then cite your sources.

1d) For those who do not feel as if they are experienced, but at the same time do not feel like newbies any longer... take heart. You may not be able to recite well-researched statements, but you have learned a lot about your favorite series. Do not look down on those who don't know very much. You probably remember when you were naive or confused. Sympathize with them. Help them out.

Place #2 where we really all need to stop the infighting: genre bashing. You know how ridiculous it sounds when people say things like "Superman would totally beat Batman in a fair fight" or "Star Trek is way better than Star Wars"? Yeah. You get the picture.

I've seen genre bashing in two forms. First is the so-called newbie-ish variety: statements such as "I refuse to believe that genre exists" or "what would sane people find appealing in it" or "everything has to be as awful as [insert name of subpar example here]." Second is the so-called snobbish variety: statements such as "Your genre is superficial" or "Mine is much more intelligent."

I acknowledge that it's easy for me to take that second approach. I say this because I like trying to be intelligent, and I don't want to be seen as a shallow fanboy. It's true for me even though I like genres which are obscure, and genres which only a few people respect. Others think they are TEH SUXORZ because they don't know what could possibly be good about them, and because the best examples are either really obscure or not translated at all. So at least for me, letting people know that my supposedly shallow favorites are not all that bad is a sort of mission for me.

Let me address a few specifics. First, it's easy for me to dismiss modern shonen series as "the dramatized version of kids fighting on the playground." And yet I like shonen. I can and will talk about the good aspects of series, even ones that other people dislike. So learn from my example: don't write it all off.

Second, it's equally easy for me to dismiss modern shojo series as the professional equivalent of "a new, mysterious girl falls in love! But there are dramatic complications!" (If you follow fan fiction, you will have seen this plot many times.) I may not adore shojo, but I respect it a lot. I look at series, try to find what's good about them, and try to think about why other people might like them. So learn from my example: try to figure out other individuals' points of view.

Place #3 where we really all need to stop the infighting: series bashing. Don't like a writer or a director? Don't like specific games, movies or series? Don't like a sequel, or perhaps a spinoff? For all of these, it's easy to find people who will agree with you. But always keep in mind that there will be people who will disagree with you. People will like your least favorite writer/director/whatever, even if you're absolutely convinced that person is hopelessly pretentious or shallow. People will like your least favorite game, movie, or series, even if you're absolutely convinced that it's the worst one in its category. Finally, people will like things such as sequels and spinoffs, even if you're absolutely convinced that they ruined the original work.

Place #4 where we really all need to stop the infighting: gamers versus anime fans, and so on. I have this feeling that a lot of serious gamers think that anime fans are total perverts who wouldn't know the value of a good game engine if it hit them in the face. Likewise, I have this feeling that a lot of serious anime fans think that gamers are superficial people who can't tell the difference between a good story and a bad one. The fact that adaptations tend to be really awful doesn't help. After all, when it comes to modern, mainstream games that get turned into anime or manga, there are few I would recommend. And when it comes to anime and manga that get turned into games, few of them are commendable.

So how can this conflict be resolved? I think that a good place to start might be to take the time to do research and find good examples of things you don't understand. Especially if you have always believed that the people who like "that other thing" are deluded, foolish, and so on. And when you do your research and find a good example, take time before you condemn it. Try to find something worthwhile about it.

This also applies to people who like the dreaded C-word: cartoons. And people who like so-called imitation anime and manga. And gamers who like games which clearly have no connection to Japanese culture. And people who like all sort of comic books. And so on. You may have already made up your mind about these people. Maybe you think they are immature. Or maybe you fall into one of those categories, and you look down on people who don't like your favorites. No matter what, please try to sympathize with other people. Give them a chance, or two, or three. Stop insisting that you are right, and they will begin to respect you. Then you might start to really talk to each other, and maybe even agree.

Again, this is a rough draft, and I haven't addressed some topics...