Social media has given us all the tools we need, really, to stalk. It isn't that hard to figure out what someone is doing or where they are if they are posting a status every 30 seconds. "Just went to Starbucks! Yum! Coffee!" "Stupid traffic" "Ugh, I really hate history class".
I remember a time in probably about ninth grade when I was sleeping over at a friend's house. She had this massive crush on a guy in our class. Like you do, she wanted to learn everything about him possible so that when they talked she would know everything before he said it to keep up conversation and decide if she really did like him before she actually got to know him. I guess that was the instance when I realized I'm a really good stalker.
My past in fandoms prepared me for this stalking ability and within a minute I had his cell phone number and his address, including all of his favorite hobbies, movies, music, etc etc. But now, with various forms of social media and technology that we didn't have those six years ago, oh god. Please tell me I'm not that old.
With all these new forms of media, people have more access to stalking and getting to know somebody before you actually know them. We even have internet dating where you'll meet your perfect match online.
We're all stalkers.
We will all click on a random Instagram account and scroll through every photo. You may not like anything, cause that can be seen as kinda creepy if you like a photo from two years ago, but we all do it. You look, you admire, you stalk, and you want to know everything about everyone.
So how is that different from being a fangirl? Is it simply because it's normal, everyday people compared to 'famous' people?
That's where fangirl draws the line and there becomes a very messy line between fangirl and stalker. A fangirl can look up someone as much as she wants, but the second she acts on it and goes out to the places they could be or where they live is where the line becomes muddy.
But, everyone is a fangirl in their own mind and that's not a bad thing.
We're all just curious.
Humans are curious creatures and we want to know everything; what will happen before it actually happens and everything that happened/existed from the creation of the universe and beyond. We like to be informed and I don't think being informed is a bad thing. It leads to creativity and innovation.
How do you think society evolved into what we are now?
Society as a whole created, thought, and wondered about the past and where the future will take us. If you can do all that for the world, why is it so wrong to discover the hidden secrets of people and who they really are outside of the internet?
Be a fangirl. You do you. Love who you want to love. Cyber stalk who you want to cyber stalk. Be that fangirl who is in every fandom under the sun.
As long as you're happy and no one is getting hurt, harassed, physically stalked, or followed; being a fangirl shouldn't be a weird or taboo thing. Everyone has interests and curiosity. Just some people are more passionate than others.
Show your fangirl side to the world. Fangirl-itis isn't some kind of disease "normal" people can catch. It's a display of passion, dedication, and in some cases, love.
Nothing special, but still meaningful.
