queenrikki (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
queenrikki) wrote2004-06-13 02:43 am
queenrikki) wrote2004-06-13 02:43 am
Entry tags:
A Somewhat Rambling Discussion of Shipping
I’ve been reading Harry Potter for about five year now, though I just got into the online fandom about three months ago. The thing that surprised me most was the...intensity of the shipping debates going . I’d previously encountered shipping in my other fandom (X-Men) though to a much lesser degree. The first thing I thought was: This is utterly ridiculous. How can the simple question of who would become involved with who be so divisive?
Quite simply put, Harry Potter is not about romance. It is mostly (imo) a coming-of-age/adventure story. Whatever romances exist are incidental to the overall plot. Who “hooks up” with who, simply doesn’t matter...at least that’s what I thought in the beginning. I’m still not all that fond of shipping (although in the past month or so I have reluctantly developed a preference for Harry/Ginny and Remus/Tonks), but I think it can be used as a gauge of how in tune the reader is with the author’s overall intent.
For instance, I think that if someone thinks that ‘ships Harry/Hermione (not in the sense that they like the idea of the characters, but that they actually think that it will happen in canon) shows that there is a definite disconnect between the audience and the writer. This isn’t a subject that I’m going into depth about but I find the idea of H/Hr highly unlikely But I digress, so...
The danger of shipping comes not from the act itself, but from the belief that your ship is absolutely, positively the right one. I have seen otherwise reasonable people dissolve into utter morons “My ship is so canon!!! YOUR’s is stupid!!!!” It is best simply to let people follow their own beliefs on this subject. While I like R/T, I would never attack anyone for liking Remus/Sirius. Quite frankly, I don’t see why those two ships can’t co-exist, especially considering that after Order of the Phoenix Sirius is dead and Tonks, well, isn’t. Though I doubt those who feel so vehemently about either ship would agree with me.
To sum up this somewhat rambling discussion, I think that shipping is overly divisive and can be dangerous, but can be used to judge the degree of disconnect between the author and the audience. Really, doing away with the whole shipping thing would probably be the best thing for the fandom, however, I doubt that this has a chance in hell of happening.
I hope that made some sense, but if it didn't, I apologize. It's almost 3 am here and I am quite tired.
Quite simply put, Harry Potter is not about romance. It is mostly (imo) a coming-of-age/adventure story. Whatever romances exist are incidental to the overall plot. Who “hooks up” with who, simply doesn’t matter...at least that’s what I thought in the beginning. I’m still not all that fond of shipping (although in the past month or so I have reluctantly developed a preference for Harry/Ginny and Remus/Tonks), but I think it can be used as a gauge of how in tune the reader is with the author’s overall intent.
For instance, I think that if someone thinks that ‘ships Harry/Hermione (not in the sense that they like the idea of the characters, but that they actually think that it will happen in canon) shows that there is a definite disconnect between the audience and the writer. This isn’t a subject that I’m going into depth about but I find the idea of H/Hr highly unlikely But I digress, so...
The danger of shipping comes not from the act itself, but from the belief that your ship is absolutely, positively the right one. I have seen otherwise reasonable people dissolve into utter morons “My ship is so canon!!! YOUR’s is stupid!!!!” It is best simply to let people follow their own beliefs on this subject. While I like R/T, I would never attack anyone for liking Remus/Sirius. Quite frankly, I don’t see why those two ships can’t co-exist, especially considering that after Order of the Phoenix Sirius is dead and Tonks, well, isn’t. Though I doubt those who feel so vehemently about either ship would agree with me.
To sum up this somewhat rambling discussion, I think that shipping is overly divisive and can be dangerous, but can be used to judge the degree of disconnect between the author and the audience. Really, doing away with the whole shipping thing would probably be the best thing for the fandom, however, I doubt that this has a chance in hell of happening.
I hope that made some sense, but if it didn't, I apologize. It's almost 3 am here and I am quite tired.
no subject
interesting post, since I've recently been involved in 'shipping wars. I've decided to take myself out of them, because they do get too intense. I am very devoted to my 'ships, but I try not to rule out others, simply because JK can do whatever she wants! they could all end up dead or single, for all we know! and I am of the very unpopular opinion that none of the trio are in love. I mean c'mon, they're a bit young! but I do see some crushing, and what could develop into relationships later... i.e., sometime after Hogwarts
you're right, these books AREN'T about 'shipping. one of my biggest complaints about a certain 'ship (which I will not name :X) is that from the way they talk, they think the books revolve a little too much around romance, and they don't. but meh.
so yeahhhhh I actually agree with your post, even though I 'ship proudly... these days, away from hostile waters ;)
no subject
*shrugs*
I've grudgingly come to accept my inner-shipper but I still feel that shipping isn't all that important in the general scheme of things. But I do choose to hang out at forums where my ships are the majority, but that's more because I think I'm write and those other people are wrong and somewhat hostile. These days, I am a very good H/Ger.
*pets Requiem and SugarQuill*