What makes a shrine a shrine?

[dubiousdisc]

What I wanted to say is that, if a shrine is a site devoted to a topic, wouldn't an informational site about any subject be, if not in the same category, at the very least really close? After all, the idea of fansites spawned from that time of the internets in which people were using it to make their own pages about their own pet subjects. Now, let's say that I make a site about Uranus (lol, sorry), and my site has my opinions about why I'm interested in Uranus, and I collect all information I can about Uranus, and I write poems about Uranus, I don't know; wouldn't that make it a fansite about Uranus?

[Sarah]

dubious, I love everything you said. (even Uranus. lol)

[Mikari]

It would also depend a lot on the content and the light in which it is presented. Example a site about funny cat stories, pictures and art vs a site about cat care. Not really much of a shrine since cats is such a general subject but not informational either... A fan site of sorts.

[Eden]

It would also depend a lot on the content and the light in which it is presented. Example a site about funny cat stories, pictures and art vs a site about cat care. Not really much of a shrine since cats is such a general subject but not informational either... A fan site of sorts.

I wouldn't call these types of sites "shrines" or "fan sites". I think in terms of "fan site" it's geared toward a fictional something such as a tv show, a character, celebrity etc. I'd think of it more as just a dedication to something you like. It's not like cats are a sport so you're a fan of cats. I'd say you more or less are devoted to cats and like them enough to create a dedication to the species with stories, pictures and artwork.

[dubiousdisc]

Well, then let's not call it a shrine or a fan site. Let's call it something else. A dedication or a tribute, if you will. But to hell with strict definitions; if the general scope and purpose of such a site is the same as a character shrine, shouldn't they fall under the same umbrella?

Let me be the first to say that I would absolutely love to see more people making sites to mythological figures, animals, places, historical figures, and so on. I would like to reiterate Mikari's metaphor, which I think really defines what we strive to create (or, well, at least I do):

It's like a whole special edition magazine, rather than an article within one, so to speak.

In the end, what we make is pretty much our own web magazine about a subject, researching it, writing it, making it as opinionated as we want, and refining it down to the graphic packaging. This is an approach that can be brought to many more subjects beyond analyzing characters and the like. Maybe they're not shrines or fan sites, but I'd think they would fall under the scope of this community all the same.

Also:

I think in terms of "fan site" it's geared toward a fictional something such as a tv show, a character, celebrity etc.

Wait a second. Celebrities are fictional?!

(Sarah: aw thank you...I wasn't even completely kidding about Uranus...)

[anon]

I'd just think it depends on whether there is a fan community to a subject, and I think that's what Eden is going for too. To say you're a fan of Uranus just sounds kind of weird.

Fan = a supporter. How do you support Uranus?

Man I bet people are going to jump into what really defines a fan. Just trying to steer any "idea" of what a fan site just escalates a discussion into a hot mess.

Yeah, I'mma bounce.

[dubiousdisc]

Yeah, and what I'm saying is, what difference does it make if I call myself a fan or a person who has an interest in something, and what difference does it make if I call it a fansite or a shrine or a dedication or a tribute as long as the idea is the same?

[anon]

lol the connotations are different. Fan insinuates that you support a work or an individual and just having an interest in something is like... just like.

[dubiousdisc]

So if I really like animals and I'm involved in the safeguard of animals, that means nothing?

[anon]

Whoa, calm down, I never said that meant nothing. o_O

Edit: Expansion: the term "fan" is usually applied to people who have loyalty to subjects of entertainment value. So the case is pretty different from being an animal rights activist or something.