Get a Life - Jenkins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3N6nAOIkd4 - STAR TREK FANATIC

I am sure everyone was a fan at one point or another to a certain TV show, movie, game, book and even a celebrity. However, there is a large different between having a liking for something and being a true fanatic. According to Jenkins, fanatics hold specific traits. 

The article, “Get A Life” by Henry Jenkins talks about a SNL episode, where William Shatner interacts with the fanatics on the famous show (that he stars in), Star Track. Another name for these fanatics are called, “Trekkies.” These people are not your usual fans. “Trekkies” world revolves around Star Trek, and sometimes people live their lives through Star Trek characters. Star Trek is not only a television show, but a way of life for many people. For example, in the article Shatner yells at his fans and tells the fans to move out of their parent’s basement and proceed with adult experiences. He then looks into the audience and noticed, “The fans looked confused at first, then, progressively more hurt and embarrassed.” These people are so involved in the show and with the characters that they get emotionally attached and live their lives as though Star Trek is real. Mindless consumers are ones that do not even think, they are just mentally drawn to buy a certain product just because it has to do with a specific thing.


I believe that “Trekkies” hold the trait of being mindless consumers. This You Tube video displays a true Star Trek fanatic. Geroge(the fanatic) who isn’t a little kid anymore, he is a young adult and is still a hardcore fan of Star trek. His mom talks about his past, she took him to a Star Trek convention for fun, little did she know he would become obsessed. He goes to school four times a week wearing Star Trek uniforms and commander outfits. His room is filled with magazines, posters, books, and movies. Jenkins says that Trekkies are “brainless consumers who will buy anything associated with the program or its cast. For example, George’s room was filled with everything Star Trek possible. He owned all ten of the Star Trek movies and had a huge binder filled with Star Trek cards of each character. George is even practicing how to speak the Star Trek language. During the film George kept saying that Star Trek was always there for him. George fit into every stereotype that was stated in Jenkins article. There are many points in the video where George was unable to separate fantasy from reality. The stereotypes of "Trekkies" are that they are social misfits, mindless consumers, and are unable to separate fantasy from reality. The fans picture themselves as being a part of this fiction world. Although these are stereotypes are exaggerated, some of the “Trekkies” actually posses these features.