Good Fans and Bad Fans

A long-running discussion in fandom is what constitutes good fans and bad fans. 
==Bad==
* Celebrity Worship Syndrome
* being a passive fan, simply a consumer who expects to be entertained, as opposed to being an active fan who provides labor or creates fanworks
* bandwidth thievery
* being groupies, being too obsessive (Stan)
* creating fanworks for the wrong reasons
* shipping the wrong characters (Ship Wars, Purity Control)
* fans making unreasonable demands on archivists
* giving fanworks to the actors (Breaking the Fourth Wall)
* posting fic on their own fansites without permission
* general mayhem (Thanfiction)
* not being able to tell the different between actors and characters
* hogging TPTB's attention at conventions (jealousies in Blake's 7 fandom, one of the things that led to The Blake's 7 Wars)
* being greedy and pushy when asking for autographs, not being patient in lines
* creating fanworks which are not complimentary (Black Cover)
* asking actors about controversial subjects (such as same sex relationships between characters)
* fans being too critical of canon, showrunners, characters
* fans who don't give enough (or the right kind) of feedback to other fans
* fans who aren't active enough in fan and letter campaigns
* fans who stalk actors and other TPTB (for example, sasaengs)
* asking stupid or repetitive questions of actors and other TPTB in online and in-person spaces
* being a bully and abusing power, gaslighting (Cassandra Claire)
* having the wrong priorities and/or interests
* being childish
* creating wank for fun and profit (Laura Hale)
* plagiarizing (The Cassandra Claire Plagiarism Debacle)
* creating fanworks knowing the original creator forbids it (Open Letters to Star Wars Zine Publishers (1981))
* writing in someone else's 'verse without permission (Epilogue)
* not being grateful enough to canon and the people who create it
* posting critical reviews in fannish spaces (message boards, letters of comments in zines, comments in archives) and in mainstream spaces (Goodreads)
==Good==
* sharing fannish items with other fans (lending zines, making recordings of shows)
* agreeing, fawning, and being only complimentary in a TPTB's space (fan comments at Someone Is Angry On the Internet)
* buying only officially licensed fan items
* supporting a poor official creation so that the next one might be better (many fans encouraged others to see Star Trek: The Motion Picture over and over again even if they didn't like it, as supporting the franchise would make it more likely to get a better movie in the future)
* devotion, loyalty, adoration, dislike of criticism
* trust TPTB to have a good plan, to tell the right story (Chris Carter Effect, many comments regarding the Star Wars franchise and the wisdom of Papa George)
* makes the world a better place, uses their fannishness for good
==Changing Norms==
* fandom and profit
== Protecting Fan Image from Outsiders==
Protecting fan image in the wider world, the press.
===Oddities, Geeks, and Nerds===
Don't be too weird as fans are weird enough already.
About The Fan Who Wore a Star Trek Uniform for Jury Duty (1996):
===Much More Serious Charges===
Can lead to truly horrific things like abuse, choosing to circle the wagons and cover up bad/criminal behavior at conventions and other fan spaces in order to protect fan image. Examples: Walter Breen, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Ed Kramer.
==Notorious Public Fans and Cautionary Tales==
* The Fan Who Wore a Star Trek Uniform for Jury Duty 
* an example of Celebrity Worship Syndrome, the assignation of John Lennon
* an example of Celebrity Worship Syndrome, the John Hinckley Jr./Jody Foster incident 
* Marion Zimmer Bradley Fanfiction Controversy and dogpiling on a fan
==Fan Comments==
 
==Sample Discussions==
* a variety of opinions about the distinction between two terms: trekkie and trekker (1970-onward)
* Public Image by Sonni Cooper (1981)
* It's too bad that enthusiasm's been given such a bad reputation. by Stephanie Wiltse (1991) 
* All I can see of fandom is something that was once beautiful which has now become painful and almost unbearable. by Beth Blighton (1991)
* Dear Negative Reader by Laurell K. Hamilton (2006)
* A Lecture from the Convention Lady by Catherine Mori (1992)
* Take the time and read before you go off and do it... by ladyamarra (2006)
==Sample Fanworks ==
* Two Beauties and a Beast, a heavy-handed polemic on good fans and bad fans by Wendy Darling, Vincent intervenes when two panting fans pursue Ron Perlman in the park (Once Upon a Fairy Tale 1992)