I feel like being a fan of something or someone is ingrained in human nature. I feel like the term 'fan' is usually reserved just for devotion to celebrities, but to be honest it can be applied to all sorts of things - religion, food, etc. We all like to have something that brings us joy in our lives, something to distract from the potentially negative stuff around us. This explains why fantasy films and books have such cult followings - they provide an escape from the real world. 

People can become obsessively devoted to something as a means to cope with something lacking within their own lives; I know from personal experience that I have used becoming an obsessive fan to fill boredom, sadness, or a lack of fulfilment in my own life. With access to the internet in this day and age, becoming a fan of something is even easier than ever because there is a whole community of like minded people just a few clicks away. While events like Comic-Con are still hugely popular, there is practically a Comic-Con occurring everyday online, just without the costumes and actors. People are connecting everyday through the fandoms they are part of.

Psychologist Jeff Rudski, after studying Harry Potter addiction, noted that "For some, the object of devotion begins to substitute for other rewards in life."

Now, within this book I want to shed light on all sides of fandoms. I know from myself that sometimes I have become obsessed with certain things to the point where it was potentially damaging for my own mental health. I want to get deeper into the fan mindset, understand further why people like and gravitate towards the things they do. 

Call this a human experiment if you will.

(I feel so much like Shane Dawson right now it's crazy)