#self insert discourse

WC: 700

‎mischaracterization will always be an inevitable part of fandom. and that's okay. as jarring as it may sound it's the truth, the reason why fandoms run for as long as they do outside of fanfic and fanart is discourse . my favourite thing about being in fandom is seeing how people interpret character, how their character design foreshadows their personality, fate or even death.

it's not to say there aren't objective truths like the plot, lore surrounding certain characters, or hints the author would like for the audience to pick up. my main frustration lies in how we discuss mischaracterization in fanfics particularly 'x reader fics.’

in my opinion, there are multiple interpretations as to how certain characters would act if they were in a relationship, not all fanfics out there are monolithic. there are fanfic writers out there who focus on retaining the realistic nature of jjk characters, who highlight the fleeting love someone would receive if they were to date someone like gojo. just find them.

‎you cannot ask someone to ruin their only piece of escapism, i obviously cannot speak for most people but i’d say 'xreader' or ship fanfic in general hinges on the fact that you have to already be intrigued. wanting to see a certain dynamic play out or imagining characters in a certain AUs is dependent on your emotional connection to them in order for you to seek them out, you know?

‎there are so many people who are aware of how ridiculous some of these stories are, even i giggle as i write a hallmark romcom story regarding geto while knowing damn well it's unrealistic but it's what makes writing and being a part of fandom fun.

‎fic is and will always be an element of escapism for people and although I do agree it does come at the expense of turning a blind eye to some of the canon events. realistically most people wouldn't want to read about their favorite character being the most avoidant or arrogant on manipulative type of boyfriend, because it too closely mimics the real world which is what most people are trying to avoid.

‎most people would agree that sukuna is DEFINITELY not a frat guy or the epitome of a grumpy man who has a soft soft for you but is in fact the embodiment of hedonism. PEOPLE KNOW THAT. choso definitely isn't the soft awkward guy people make him out to be. people know that.

‎people know that satoru doesn't feel fully seen by his peers and jujutsu society. even geto doesn't FULLY understand the isolation and dehumanization that comes with being 'the strongest.' once again, people know that.

‎i also think there's an element of misogyny that is intertwined in this conversation, the idea that in a fanfic safe space mainly occupied by women cannot understand the nuances of characters like gojo, choso, geto hell even nanami, do you see how crazy that sounds? or am i waffling?

‎i've seen multiple posts of people doing character analysis and one of their opening lines is "people don't really understand [insert character here] because women only care about their looks." you are only perpetuating the stereotype of women being vain. like good lord, i promise you people can write/read smut about their favorite characters and still understand the story and it's themes.

‎I think another thing we need to discuss is fandom etiquette or at least the remnants of it, if you do not like something simply do not read it, do not interact with it. even as a fanfic writer myself, i try my hardest to make sure everyone is included and can see an aspect of themselves in my work, but ultimately i cannot please everyone.

‎what im trying to say is that character analysis and frivolous fanfic can exist at the same time. even taking the time to watch a show about a specific character and transitioning their personality into a different universe or timeline takes a lot of care and interest into the character, and honestly i think authors deserve more respect for that.