Why do you like the Tolkien fandom?

[Zigûr]

Originally Posted by Galadriel

If you don't, I'd still like to know why.

I don't quote this because I dislike the 'Tolkien fandom', given that I really have little engagement outside the Downs, but at the same time I'm a touch sceptical about fandom in general. A shared or mutual interest can give people a sense of community and belonging, which in the right circumstances can be a very positive and healthy thing. On the other hand, I think it can also, in the wrong circumstances, enable the entrenchment of opinions, defensiveness and obsessive behaviour. Fandom worries me when it becomes an in-group, a shared self, hostile to non-fans, the out-group, the other. On a place like the Downs, where reasoned debate is the order of the day, this isn't an issue. On larger forums and elsewhere I think it's more noticeable. I could present some slightly more involved armchair psychology but that's basically the gist of my feelings. I like to think of myself as an "enthusiast."

On a related note, it's hard to pin down a fandom, isn't it? Take Tolkien as an example. I think the 'fandom' here is a touch different to the 'fandom' which posts gifs of Richard Armitage on tumblr.