Fandom

How much difference is there between the ancient Romans packing out the Coliseum in order to cheer on the barbarity of the Gladiator games, or the gruesomeness of the sacrifice of Christians to the wild beasts or the spectacle of some plotted warrior game conflict and our current viewing via CNN or some other networks coverage of the death and mayhem of war? In both cases there is suspense, cheering for the “good guys,” and hissing the “bad guys.” In both cases people are living vicariously through their chosen champion/avatar.

We are at bread and circuses once again.

We find here something that is now referred to as “Fandom.” Fandom is the creation of an alternative reality that every one who participates therein knows is fake and yet invests that alternative reality with ontological being so that even though they know it is fake on one level, on the level that counts they are living as if that reality is true.

Example — The attendants upon the Roman games know that real battle is not happening in the coliseum. People knew it as “the games,” but because of the drama that it added to their lives they gave those “games” “real” existence so as to find meaning, purpose, and entertainment in their lives.

Example — The Wuhan scare was successful because of Fandom. People knew it was fake but because of the drama that it added to their lives they gave that fake existence being so as to find meaning, purpose and entertainment in life.

Author: jetbrane

I am a Pastor of a small Church in Mid-Michigan who delights in my family, my congregation and my calling. I am postmillennial in my eschatology. Paedo-Calvinist Covenantal in my Christianity Reformed in my Soteriology Presuppositional in my apologetics Familialist in my family theology Agrarian in my regional community social order belief Christianity creates culture and so Christendom in my national social order belief Mythic-Poetic / Grammatical Historical in my Hermeneutic Pre-modern, Medieval, & Feudal before Enlightenment, modernity, & postmodern Reconstructionist / Theonomic in my Worldview One part paleo-conservative / one part micro Libertarian in my politics Systematic and Biblical theology need one another but Systematics has pride of place Some of my favorite authors, Augustine, Turretin, Calvin, Tolkien, Chesterton, Nock, Tozer, Dabney, Bavinck, Wodehouse, Rushdoony, Bahnsen, Schaeffer, C. Van Til, H. Van Til, G. H. Clark, C. Dawson, H. Berman, R. Nash, C. G. Singer, R. Kipling, G. North, J. Edwards, S. Foote, F. Hayek, O. Guiness, J. Witte, M. Rothbard, Clyde Wilson, Mencken, Lasch, Postman, Gatto, T. Boston, Thomas Brooks, Terry Brooks, C. Hodge, J. Calhoun, Llyod-Jones, T. Sowell, A. McClaren, M. Muggeridge, C. F. H. Henry, F. Swarz, M. Henry, G. Marten, P. Schaff, T. S. Elliott, K. Van Hoozer, K. Gentry, etc. My passion is to write in such a way that the Lord Christ might be pleased. It is my hope that people will be challenged to reconsider what are considered the givens of the current culture. Your biggest help to me dear reader will be to often remind me that God is Sovereign and that all that is, is because it pleases him.

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