Level Two: Or, how I learned to stop frothing and just let loose with profanity-laden argument

[blamebrampton]

Level Two has begun posting!



Watch to catch the premiere on September 6!
Find our trailer here and tune in in two days for our premiere!


There is some AMAZING art coming out of that community, and stories, too! Basically: Harry Potter, Auror, Draco Malfoy, roped-in Unspeakable; Adventures Ensue.

I did a spot of stuff for them. I probably should have been pimping the hell out of it for weeks now. Unfortunately, while I met a few absolutely amazing people there and have been blown away by some of the talent, the experience has made me want to leave fandom. Not stop writing fics, or leave my brilliant flist, just, never again get involved in anything comm-like and wave both sharpened stakes and leis of garlic at most 'fandom discussions'.

One of the sensible people there told me that she thought a lot of the issues came out of people's Personal Issues, and that we could probably blame school for most of them. It's all coming back to me why I found school easy: I spent the whole time running around the sports oval, in the library, or in active (as in legislative and policy-based) student politics. I never had to negotiate the Mean Girls issues because they needed me for the hockey team, or to win at debating, or to come round and ride one of my ponies, and I never had to care because I could be in any country by the end of the year, so why bother?

All of which means I am extremely badly raised for dealing with bullshit drama. And oh my god, the drama … and the bullshit …

Happily, just at the very exact moment I decided: fuck it, I will meet my responsibilities and then bugger it all, fandom does not need me and I certainly do not need it, the extremely marvellous birdsofshore held a love-in for the enchantingly lovely capitu, and I was all Oh THAT'S why fandom can be worthwhile.

So now I am just going to ignore more things, and be more honest about some other things. Expect a jokier Malcolm Tucker with a degree in logic.

Meanwhile, Level Two: you don't have to suffer through anything, because the end product is Good Stuff!

Comments

[birdsofshore]

Oh my word! I'm just reading your post and gawping over my cornflakes! First of all, fandom most certainly does need you. You can forget about thinking otherwise. But no, nobody needs upset and drama. I'm sorry you all had that experience. It is the main reason I would never sign up for anything like Level Two - working as a team would absolutely send me spare. I think it can bring the worst out in people; I bet it would in me.

The results of the project look phenomenal, though, and I cannot wait to see the rest! And I am most thrilled if capitu's love in came at a moment that helped you. That's just delightful news.

*grabs you and holds you here*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I think my *flist* might need me, because most of you like a bit of comedic politics with your breakfast :-)

Quite genuinely, though, fandom doesn't. It was good that I appeared, because my work constitutes about 25% of the total mass of Wizarding Politics Fic, and that is a genre that needed another person to add to the small but magnificent pool of people writing in it so that it would be a recognisable genre, not just Blythely and a couple of other people who run it as persuasive subplots.

Now that work exists, and the genre is on Fanlore, we can sit comfortably in our small set, like the set of Postmodern novels written before Modernism ;-)

The other things I do: comedy, Britfic, bringing rationality to arguments and creative swearing, are all done very well by other people, whose work the greater fandom continues to benefit from!

PS And YES! That post cheered me right up! I'm now perky about the chance to add my comedy, rationality and dreadful language to the movement!

[celestlyn.livejournal.com]

I concur. Fandom DOES need you. There will be drama going on with or without you...so you might as well pull up a chair and smugly watch from the sidelines. I'm finding it easier and easier to ignore the drama. I'm too for that stuff and anxiety gives me elevated blood pressure. LOL!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It doesn't need me, but I could never leave my flist, so I like to think my flist might ;-)

I'm with you on the too old: I was actually really grateful I was horribly ill or I would have had to shriek at several people who I do actually like 'Have you listened to a WORD you have just said? That is APPALLING!'

And shrieking gives you wrinkles, and I love my smooth skin, so you are right about the need to ignore!

[emmacmf.livejournal.com]

*clings to you*

Fandom can be completely batshit sometimes.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, dear! I would never leave LJ and my flist!

And oh good lord …Still, better than the Australian voting public.

[astardanced77.livejournal.com]

Your leaving would make me a very sad panda! I don't get involved in drama (I don't know enough people really!). I'm here for the stories and yours are some of the best.

I keep telling myself it could have been worse. I reserve the right to change that opinion if Pauline Hanson wins a Senate seat.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Oh I was going to keep writing: just for myself and ignoring everything else ;-)

Oh lord, Clive Palmer!

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

Ah fandom... when you stop loving the wank... it's all over. Hee. ;-)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

The illogical, arguing staunchly against positions previously argued vehemently in favour of because they fail to notice that the same set of prejudices they despise in others are exactly the ones they are trotting out to prop up their own 'argument' wank!

And this time it was from people who I know for a FACT are perfectly lovely people who believe in decent things, but good god can they talk crap when they put their blinkers on.

I have a headache just thinking about it. Actually, it's from housecleaning in denial about the election results, but it's being exacerbated.

Go and write some crime scenes, young lady! Or at least the romantic ones!

[ashindk.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Please don't leave. I think most of the people who escalate the drama are relatively young and in need of the validation that comes from making others back down. Ignore them! They'll probably grow up eventually.
Besides, I need clever britfic and political fic and humour. And you are the very best at it.
And I love your comedic politics posts. They remind me that politics is a circus everywhere, not just here, and that's somewhat comforting when our politicians do something particularly stupid. Like going back on their promise of 12 weeks of (paid) paternity leave, "because families have expences to worry about" so naturally we will all die of starvation if the poor men are only paid 80% of their normal wages for three months, while it's fine for women to be paid 80% of their wages for a whole year. Arrgh! Stupid, misogynist idiots!
Sorry. What I meant to say was please stay and write more lovely, intelligent fic, and provide us with witty political insight.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It's OK, capitu and birdsofshore cheered me up! And the fabulously talented artists and new writers at Level Two cheered me, too!

Ironically, the very disturbing man who has just won the Australian election has done so with a very generous policy of paid parental leave: sadly, one that has so few details I cannot even tell you how it affects fathers. *Head desk*

[who_la_hoop]

*prods you playfully for no good reason*

Sorry, you didn't want a reply related to your post, did you? :D

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Perfectly appropriate, Hoopy! The only sane responses are: Gpsh, auror fic and pictures, WOO! and Yes, people are thickheads some times. You knew that.

[cassie-black12.livejournal.com]

This post made me chuckle out loud. Perhaps not the response you'd expect, but I'm odd like that! You're like a breath of fresh air in amongst the 'bullshit drama', so don't even think about going anywhere ♥

[oakstone730.livejournal.com]

Individually, the fandom doesn't need any of us, collectively, however, it needs us all. Not like the Borg, but as in a democracy. There will always be those with loud strident voices who seek to be heard over the rest, but there is also those who form the core of the fandom, many, many, individuals who contribute whatever they have to the mix, people like Capitu and Birds and Omi and, yes, you, who make this fandom such an amazing place.

I realize you don't know me from Adam, but I have so appreciated your contributions, loved your brilliant insights, and greatly enjoyed your occasional lessons in Australian politics.

[suttonwriter.livejournal.com]

I'm not familiar with Level 2 (though I'll look at it eventually), but I've encountered some really stupid comments in other fandoms I read, things like request to completely change a character in ways that don't make sense for the narrative. Some of them make my head hurt.

I agree with ashindk about age probably being an issue here. I also wonder if there might be something with maturity as writers. At this point in my life, I'm used to people tearing into my work (creative or academic) and having opinions about it that I might not agree with. Hopefully, I've gotten better at listening to them and ignoring the ones that are really out of bounds. I've also learned to pick my battles with feedback to other writers. If something really bothers me, I usually just try to walk away.

Of course, some of this might be that I've just gotten better at throwing tantrums in private, but that works too.

[incandescent.livejournal.com]

I know exactly how you feel. I honestly started ignoring many of the conversations on the comm after we had decided the essential issues. They were too intense, and there were too many arguments. I mean, I thought the experience would involve a lot less arguing. I think I ended up typing more words in discussions than in my entire fic. (And if there's someone fandom doesn't need here, it's most definitely me.)

I hope I wasn't part of making the comm (and fandom) unwelcoming for you. I know that I have had several tense discussions with members of Level Two, but I never meant for those to involve others, and I hope I didn't offend. I tried to conduct myself as reasonably as possible, but I may not have always done so. If I was part of the problem, I deeply apologize.

And I'm certainly not going to be working on the fest next year, if it runs again. No way.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

YOU were part of the brilliance and one of the reasons I did not run screaming at the start!

[valkyrie17.livejournal.com]

Having just checked out Level Two, I must say I am very glad you did not chuck it all in and give up.
Fandom and your flist definitely need and appreciate you:)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Cheers, dear. But I do think that while the flist and I may be joined at the hip, fandom is a bit separate and could go on merrily without noticing my absence (possibly a little 'Has anyone noticed people don't say "cocking cock" with no reference to actual sex as much around here these days?')

Naturally - indeed inevitably -

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

Je suis de votre avis. (Although: school? I'd have presumed the bullshit-drama sorts were feral.)

[chantefable.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry about the elections. And the wank incident. I myself tend to miss all the wank and all of the discussions through a combination of luck and actively avoiding them... I guess it means I'm not in fandom at all? But I love reading and being excited and expressing my exitement, and sometimes contributing, too. And I think it's perfectly fine and satisfying as fannishness goes. It's not like 'fandom discussions' are mandatory to be fannish, right?

I love it when you choose to create, and I'm very happy whenever you are around. So just stay with us and do what you like, my dearest. ♥

Up with this bullshit you need not put!

[absynthedrinker.livejournal.com]

Darling, you are sunshine on an otherwise cloudy day! The rest in an email!

Peace,
Bubba

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I don't miss wank at all (my icon hasn't been called into action in ages) but I know I'd really miss you if you were to disappear. In fact, I'm waiting for your post that will explain the election to my USian brain.

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

I suspect you and I will have very different opinions as to who the "mean girls" were in this situation.

Also, BB? One of the nice things about the fiasco was the fact that the drama was pretty contained within the com and didn't spread outside it, aside from your friend's little temper tantrum. The fact that you are whining about it now in an ulocked post is going to raise curiosity amongst people who have nothing to do with the situation and isn't going to do anything good to the projects profile.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Mel, you seem to have this belief there was one incident. This is utterly divorced from reality. And you seem also to have forgotten the flare of great Britpicking wank that spread across wider fandom the other week, which was anything but contained. You also seem to believe that that end incident was the only part of that comm I found bullshit drama, to which I laugh and laugh.

We ended up with such an enormously large number of people walking away that even the most blithely optimistic person could not in a reasonable world pretend that things went smoothly. Though I rather admire your willingness to try. Again, though, if you think this is the first post from anyone saying OMG about the experience, it's not a thought grounded in fact.

I still think the people who have worked on it have done great work and that a lot of talent went into the end product. I also stated at the beginning of the project that 'my friend' if we are going with euphemisms was a grumpy old fart, with scads of talent. He acted like, and remains, a grumpy old fart, with scads of talent. I also stated very very early on that there seemed to be one rule for free expression when it came to some people and another when it came to others. This also remained and was the entire reason I have reached the point of 'fuck it, I'm not playing.'

You have known me long enough to know that I can cope with most views that wildly diverge from mine, and will argue them cheerfully without personal rancour (or at least any beyond the 'Seriously? WTF?' level), but find inconsistency and people willing to argue one thing for one group of people and the exact opposite for another utterly infuriating. That remains exactly the case.

[capitu]

I thought I recognised your touch at first episode of Level Two. :)

Also, I had no idea anything was happening behind the scenes. :(

I don't know about Fandom needs you, only it totally does. You own this little corner in here [in fandom] that would never be the same without you. I know I'd miss you. Yeah, I know, I'm not part of your flist, but I'm always popping about listening to you and pretending I understand some things I don't because I live in a different world down here. Still! I'm glad you were reminded what makes fandom worthwhile, beyond the drama that can't be avoided sometimes. <3

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

That could be anyone's white arse in those photos … ;-)

Eh, epid dumbness was epically dumb, life moves on.

And I do think that Fandom would be fine, but I'd not leave LJ, as someone has to bring the politically oriented sarcasm ;-) And HOW did I not have you on my flist? Occasionally I am utterly useless: fixed now! I blame the hours of despair contemplating the prospect of Christopher Pyne on the front bench, now the worst has happened, I can move on ;-)

And you did!!

[differente.livejournal.com]

(I know there would be at least one lurker who would terribly miss reading your fics. ♥)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I'd still write, don't you worry :-) (Probably more as less time would be wasted going 'WHY?!')

[lisbet.livejournal.com]

I never had to negotiate the Mean Girls issues because...

All of which means I am extremely badly raised for dealing with bullshit drama. And oh my god, the drama … and the bullshit …

Oh, same here! For different reasons, but... yeah. I managed to escape drama for the first several decades of my life, so now I just roll my eyes at it. There's some drama going on in a local non-fandom group here, and I'm thinking, get a grip on reality, people! No one has been injured, no crimes have been committed... just let it go. Oh well. Sorry you had to experience it recently. I'm glad there is some good end product!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's just so … I think there are people in the world who think they have won arguments with me because I have just thought, 'Oh, life is too short to give a shit …'

'Get a grip' is the best phrase. I should make us T-shirts.

But yes! The end product is very good! (At least what I have seen so far of it.)

whoa

[takarai-karin.livejournal.com]

RL have been keeping me busy and I'm so behind on a lot of stuff.

I have no idea what Level 2 is, but if you worked on it then I'm sure it's awesome and I'll definitely be reading around to know what that is.

Also, I know what you mean about not being well-equipped in dealing with Mean Girls. For some reason I've been fortunate enough to be friends with very laid back individuals, boys and girls alike, and I seem to do enough fretting for the whole group.

It's not true, however, that you're not needed by fandom. I think sometimes people can underestimate the role fandom interactions can have in a person's life. I found your writings, for instance, when I was having a really hard time with a new job, and your writing made me laughed the way nothing can for weeks.

<3

Re: whoa

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

My RL is exactly the same :-) I have given myself an award for not murdering anyone.

Level Two has a whole bunch of writers and artists contributing to it and there is SO MUCH AWESOME! Wacky crap behind the scenes, but a really good end product from what I have seen so far.

I think fandom would be fine, but I would never leave you, my flist! You guys keep me sane and smiling, too! And constantly remind me that no matter how much bullshit I might be ranting about in a moment, on the whole my experience on LJ is a rewarding and enriching one, filled with fab people.

HURRAH for making you laugh! I just heard a good cricket joke:
What do you call an Australian who is handy with a bat? A vet.
Sadly, it's only funny to about 17% of the people I know, the rest know nothing about cricket, or are Australian, and not prepared to laugh about their recent Ashes defeat yet.