Age

Talk with others about anything shrine-related, be it presentation, content or something else.
Todd
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Age

Post by Todd »

I know a few years ago we discussed age, and when people thought they would stop shrining or making fan sites. I want to bring this discussion back up, because I feel like the internet is changing, and already I see a huge difference from five years ago.

Back in the day, websites were made primarily by teens and younger kids. In my opinion, this is because we were more adventurous and adaptable to change, and many adults were scared of the internet. Now, the internet is a common, everyday thing, and everybody and their mom has a website. It's not uncommon to see a 45-year-old woman with a blog, or a 38-year-old man with a personal site. Fan sites today are ran by adults, teens, and kids alike. Social media is booming.

I used to dread approaching my 30s when I thought about my websites, and although I was stubborn and said I wouldn't, I figured I would eventually want to drop off the fan site grid around then. I'm going to be 28 next month, and now, it's nothing, and I'm still going strong.

My friends are around my age and older, and we play the same games, read the same mangas and graphic novels, watch the same shows... They blog about them at times, or post articles to Facebook. I see no difference in me creating websites to house articles I write about the things I love.

I think the fansite world and shrining community is older now, and I love it. Sure, certain communities are full of younger kids, and I feel somewhat out of place (like the Sonic Community) interacting with some of the other webmasters, but I'm able to find more mature webmasters even there, and in those communities I tend to just stick to and work on my own sites.

This is important to me because this way of thinking about age is part of what I believe has deteriorated some of the shrining community. I am super passionate about shrines -- not only mine, but you guys', and I want to see them keep being made. Sure, we're going to get busier as adults, and shrining will take a back seat every once in a while, but never ever feel like you are too old for this hobby, or that you should be embarrassed for working on sites.

You have a few skills you exhibit in fan sites that many people don't have -- the ability to write cohesively, and the ability to design and code websites. You should be proud of your sites, and show them off. You're always going to find people who don't understand, or don't care, but that's true with anything.

I look at it kind of like video games. People see it as a childrens' hobby, and many game developers of course target their games toward children, but adults still play games!

Sorry for the rant. I just don't want to see more friends fall off the grid for this stupid thing. I've seen too many people, and even members here, stop working on sites for this reason, this fear, and it bothers me. Be proud of what you do! Enjoy your hobby as long as you have the motivation and time to dedicate to it! Even adults have hobbies.

Edit: I feel like I should add this. I realize not everyone here at Amassment is in their 20s or 30s, and that's awesome. What I meant by us getting older is the hobby is growing older. As far as age, the point I wanted to make is there is no right or wrong age for this hobby. We should be supportive of anyone who wants to make a site, regardless of whether they are 16 or 40. :)
Crystal
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Re: Age

Post by Crystal »

I agree with everything said Todd. I'm going to be 28 this year as well and while I do see myself quitting fanlistings in the near future I don't see the same for shrines. I absolutely love my shrines and I love making shrines to subjects I am super passionate about. Sure my interests may change in what I may want to shrine and I may choose to close a few I'm no longer interested in keeping or updating but the overall idea of shrines is something I hope to stick with for a good many years yet.
There are shadows before us - but only because the light is at our back.
Destinie
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Re: Age

Post by Destinie »

I feel like the way the internet is changing that we should look into shrines/fansites in a different manner. Blogging is so popular now and, I would never have thought of it years ago but, can be a career! Fansites are being run by older people as the internet is becoming the go-to for information. I think we should be able to treat shrines like blogs because if you think about it, at its core, it's very similar. It's people taking time to write about things that they like. I never felt that one's age needs to determine what they can and can't like. (Just like how I'm a married woman that continues to play and buy Pokémon cards.) I have always believed that certain things are a part of you and you don't just grow out of them. Sometimes you do but not always.
Chibi
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Re: Age

Post by Chibi »

I agree completely with all of you guys! Well said, Todd. I admit, sometimes I am scared that I shouldn't be into anime/manga or fansites anymore (blame it on me knowing nobody in real life who likes the same stuff that I like and my parents always seeing my hobbies as "silly" and "child-like") because I'm 22 (I know I'm not as "old" as some other people here at Amassment, but still, sometimes I feel like I'm way older than I actually am)... but honestly? The thought of quitting these hobbies saddens me so much that it quickly makes me snap out of any fear that I might have.

I got into web design and fansites when I was 11. My sites were horrible back then, but looking at other people's sites and shrines made me want to work on mines as well. I make sites because I want to show the world what I love and why I love it. I think this is a "need" that every webmaster feels and I think this is what makes us work so hard on our shrines - because we're essentially showing a part of us to the world (because I believe that the things we love do become part of us, at least a little bit). And we want to connect with other fans, other webmasters, who like the same stuff or know what it's like to build a shrine from scratch.

In a way, I'm really glad that the "kids" who used to make shrines in the past (i.e. probably most of us, lol) are now older, because it means we get better shrines and fansites, with much more interesting content; and it's something that the "new kids" can see and be inspired by, just like we were inspired by other people's sites. Also, there's more of a sense of community, also thanks to Amassment. In a way, it's kind of exciting!

As Destinie said, I don't think age should determine what you like and what you don't like, or what hobbies should you be into and what things should you let go of. It's written nowhere that I should "grow out of" anime/manga, video games or shrining because I'm older. Time passes, but I'm still the same person, with the same dreams and passions, so it only makes sense that I would keep doing what I do and enjoy the stuff I love. Personally, I intend to stick with this hobby as long as I can... I really can't see myself growing out of it. :)
Cherri
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Re: Age

Post by Cherri »

Let's see if I can get a coherent thought out. I'm 25, I'll be 26 this year in June (presents welcomed XD). Anyway, I already went through my patch of "not making shrines" falling out thing. It was terrible. And I might not be as product as 2013 again but I don't see me dropping out again. I'll keep all my sites up because someone might like one and I don't want to take it down. It's been done to me and it's not a cool feeling, to see something you liked so much just gone. Whether it's work or age or a bad break up or friends that don't get your hobbies, I think you should continue doing what you love. Regardless the looks you get.

I feel very comfortable at Amassment. To the point where I probably ramble incoherently and you guys just roll with it. While we do have the same shrining hobby, it is quite different. Like some of us make Final Fantasy shrines, other Disney, some Tales of, Fire Emblem, Live action, music, books, anime only or video game only. Some to just women others to men. I think part of it, is peer pressure and judgement and fear that makes people give up. The "Oh, you like Pokemon?" question in that tone like Pokemon fans are too old to like it because it's a "child's" game. I think that's part of it. While here we are like "Whose your favorite Pokemon?" And those you don't play pokemon are like "I don't play it but they are cute." And there is nothing wrong, no judgement, no hate, nothing. Just a slight difference.

I plan on sticking around. You guys are stuck with me.
;o; *** pew! pew!
Saya
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Re: Age

Post by Saya »

........I feel old right now.... passed 33 in December.
And Here I am back.

I intend to adopt out/close most of my fanlistings, keeping just those I really really love, so... well and as you can see I am back here. it's not that I have much of real life, aside work and my babies right now. I am still slow.

Well, I don't see myself stopping, just being slower.... *saying after she did the alistair shrine in like two weeks* I really missed doing stuff like this during 2013 u.u/
-* Nothing is true ... everything is permitted.
Mikari
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Re: Age

Post by Mikari »

I think we grew up with fansites and we're not letting them go, they're a part of us for life. It might have seemed like something to let go of at a later age, but that's because the people who were older when we were younger didn't grow up with this, so of course they weren't into it, but we're not becoming like those people, we are our own generation.

The internet is changing though, I miss the old net in the early 2000s. Sites were rarer but more available I think because there were fewer people paid more attention to them and there was a lot of interaction with visitors. Then the number of sites grew which was fine, but then it dropped, replaced by social media which I don't find as good as seeing a site made from scratch. Now if anyone wants to they can very easily make a profile (I consider them less than "sites" because they're just templates rather than something people design from scratch) so they turn to that and interact less with actual sites.

Overall, I'm just really happy to see a good site. XD And happy to be here with all of you. And I'm 29 so yeah, I relate to a lot of the members.

As for personal experience, I haven't been really showing my archives fansites to anyone, though I showed a few people my art site and they liked it. I suppose it's easier to understand since they don't need to know the characters to get what it's about, though I didn't expect such a positive reception to such a cartoonish cutesy site. XD

I might get back into shrine making in the future, though for now I'll just focus on finish a fanfic I'm working on and pixeling, been doing more of that lately. None the less there are those ideas that still float in the back of my mind...

Speaking of the kids that used to make shrines... That reminds me of the anecdotes we shared about our past sites. Man, my first fansite sucked so much looking back, but at the time I totally loved it and felt so proud of myself for being able to figure out a bit of code without having anyone to teach me. XD

PS: it's 3am, I'm sleepy, sorry if I said anything incoherent or difficult to understand.
Crystal
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Re: Age

Post by Crystal »

Mikari wrote:I think we grew up with fansites and we're not letting them go, they're a part of us for life. It might have seemed like something to let go of at a later age, but that's because the people who were older when we were younger didn't grow up with this, so of course they weren't into it, but we're not becoming like those people, we are our own generation.
I never really thought about that but it makes perfect sense. I've been doing websites for about 13-14ish years now. When you think about it that's a good chunk of my life. With that it's little wonder why it's so important to me.
There are shadows before us - but only because the light is at our back.
Destinie
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Re: Age

Post by Destinie »

@Mikari that's an excellent point. I also think that it's nostalgia. We grew up with them, we made them, we left, we missed them, and we came back. I agree that it's very prominent in the older generation.

I look at the ages of our members and think we are all growing old together ;o; ♥ haha
Sarah
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Re: Age

Post by Sarah »

Everyone else has made some excellent points already, and expressed a lot of the things I feel as well, but I'll throw in my two cents anyway.

I think about this a lot. Especially lately, since I turned 28 last month. (Yay for 1986-ers!) Honestly, I don't want to quit making shrines. It was maybe a week or so ago that I thought to myself, "I hope I am still making shrines when I am 50." I really do. It's just the stigma attached to them that I tend to worry about. Making shrines should be considered as normal as baking, sewing, or any other hobby. But the way technology keeps growing and advancing, and how lots of people have their own websites/blogs/etc. these days, should hopefully diminish that way of thinking. Personally, I think as long as you want to keep making shrines, you should!

Basically, I don't plan on leaving the shrining world any time soon. :) It is too much fun, and it has made me some wonderful friends. It's great to see others feel the same and plan on sticking around!
If you're interested in time travel, meet me last Thursday.
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