SW Fandom: A Societal Subculture?

well, idc what they think. i go right out and exploit it, especially when meeting new people. most of the time, they accept it. come to think of it, i don't think anyone i know has a problem with it. same with jazz. i like jazz. and i like to play my trumpet.

yep, subculture. a sect of that subculture is good old BFFC.

i think the second question on this thread is something of an onion, because the
answer could be complex, but the short version is that-once people know ur well versed
in the starwars universe, and hip to the EU...etc, it is one more thing to bond with people whom
you might not normally identify with- at least that has been my experience.

As I often mention in my posts, I have a master's in cultural anthropology, yada, yada, yada. From an academic perspective I would say that  SW is a subculture. As you mentioned in your first post, it is part of your identity. There is no hard and fast definition for what a subculture is but a lot of it has to do with your identity and how you present yourself to others and how you perceive yourself.  Now with these Jedi churches and whatnot it is becoming clearer and clearer that SW has become part of our mainstream consciousness and people associate with one another via this cultural conduit. There is also a temporal aspect. SW has been around now for what 32 years, so I think it's safe to say that it is not just a fad. It's like punk or goth or any other group. I guess one big difference is that with subcultures based on fashion, style and music there are multiple access points through which people can express their identity in terms of the theme. In the case of SW it is its own theme.

As far as its connection to reality goes well...we all have our own version of that don't we?

Anyway, I have read academic papers on treckies/treckers and they are always presented as a subculture. I think SW fits the criteria very well.

Great topic!

Identity is a complex thing. Very few of us are complete beings. (Even though the christians on the evolution thread may disagree). Most of us are a mixture of our experiences, what we want to be and what our environment forces on us. And we should always "be all that we can be just as long as we are free." The most important thing is to not let others dictate who we are. That's the toughest too. This world is full of people trying to tell others who they are supposed to be, especially here in Japan...but that discussion belongs on the other thread too.

Man! Don't get me started on Indiana Jones! Those stupid movies are the reason I studied archaeology in college and then went on to grad school in anthropology. It has taken me to Norway, Yemen, Hong Kong, Thailand, Guam and Japan and I never made it back home! I even bought all the gear, I have the real jacket, hat, whip, trousers, boots shirt, shoulder bag and strap, I had one of the pistols..... MAN! I hate that f...ing guy! I also have the Toys McCoy Japanese action figure that cost me about $300.00 new off the shelf...This hobby is waaaaaaaay to addictive and expensive.  And Harrison didn't even get to use the whip in the last film! WTF!

I thought Indy used the whip in the tomb bit? But then I've only seen it once and that was on the flight to London so my brain was probably frazzled.

I have way too many influences, mostly Sci Fi - Aliens is my favourite film of all time. Even managed to hire the reel and have it shown at the movies at my 21st. Also into Resident Evil & Dino Crisis, Terminator, Blues Bros, Xmen and Dark Hunters. Too many others to mention...