A Thought Provoking Post
When I find interesting threads...I share them. 🤷♀️
I enjoy conversation so feel free to share thoughts in the comments or message me.
But I really, really think that all ships are subject to this (tribalism and confirmation bias).
Think about the times jikookers have said, "just wait until xx content gets released." I mean....jikookers end up being mostly right but that doesn't stop us from indulging in these hits of dopamine or anticipating new content drops either.
And this anticipation also shows itself in the people that shout "we win" or "they're coming out" only to revert back to "that cursed company forced them back into hiding!" Or when they don't get the content they expect so they lash out... (freeJungkook anyone?)
And especially in the escalation of theories and actions that result in the harassment of actual LGBTQIA+ couples or people tied to the perceived couple, again, through the fake narratives.
The group think that tends to take over with people cautioning that JK's newest post is NOT a break up song (it's not a break up song, but you'd have to revisit my post about why jikookers aren't conspiracy theorists to see why this post is more about exploring our thought processes more than anything else and it's good practice to check in with yourself about why you need the reassurance anyway) or when ships turn into more of a competition than appreciation of the existing relationship.
Or when people engage in harassment towards anyone displaying thoughts that contradict the prevailing group doctrine.
I think besides shippers, people, some with biases that they are extremely emotionally invested in, solos and akgaes definitely engage in this harassment. People have done this with accounts they don't agree with, with accounts that don't post what they want them to post, and then there's the "battles" between accounts that "defend" the "problematic member x anti" accounts and the countervailing narrative that the accounts doing the harassment are solos.
(and by "extremely emotionally invested biased" I mean people that don't put the same energy into the defense of the other individual members)
I definitely observe the lack of gray area and logic that enters the conversation when these names get slung around. There's an identification that people gather around themselves like an armor and then because they wear it or carry it like a shield, they feel that battle is necessary in defense of this label. Does that make sense? 🤔
This doesn't apply when there are legitimate forms of anti behavior and especially not when there are blatant xenophobic, racist, homophobic and misogynistic attacks. The whole fandom up in arms is necessary at that point. It shouldn't be just us calling that sh*t out every time, but that's another topic for another day. 😩
So anyway....emotions make us more passionate, entrenched, and have the ability to make us less logical (the processing takes place in different brain hemispheres). Identifying with a group makes us more likely to engage in group think and probably employ tactics we may not have done on our own. And the point of the attached twitter thread was about cults and conspiracy groups being addicted to the behavior.
So final question: does belonging to ARMY or the sub-groups within ARMY count as an addiction? What is your reaction when someone tells you to take a break (generally from any content or fandom activities or perhaps from spending on merch, e.g., step back from shipping if it's affecting your emotions)? And I don't mean someone who isn't generally supportive of your hobby.
Do you:
1) Say I'm fine (perhaps ignore or brush off concerns)
2) Drift away from the person
3) Lash out in anger (towards the person or in your community)
4) Say you will (but then don't or can't)
5) Say you will but get depressed (perhaps have withdrawal symptoms)
6) Withdraw until you're mentally and emotionally in a good place to engage again
Honestly this was just me putting some thoughts down.
