EvilWhiteMale said:

CherrieMoonKisses said:

Entry #5.

i've never quite understood why the term 'fam' was even created. it's like, we ain't prince's kin or what-not. folks just support/admire/dig the cat, y'know? i've never liked the term 'fam' to begin with...it's gotta real high creep factor to it. 'fan' is just as creepie.

both the terms 'fam' and 'fan' i really cannot relate to, because it's like this with me: i like prince's work, but only about 10 years' worth of it as opposed to his whole catalogue of stuff. i'm not a die-hard, but i'm not a naysayer either. there's stuff i like, and there's stuff i don't like. there are songs/albums that i love, and then there's the ones that i abhor or don't really care for.

CherrieMoonKisses said:

because the poeple who ususally call themselves that and take it so seriously are the same people who say things like "if you don't like it then you can just get out!" if you say you're not crazy about something or think it's a crime not to be a member of the NPGMC.

I'm not crazy about the word, cute little thing prince came up with, but it's the over zealous fans that give the word a bad name.
[This message was edited Sat Sep 13 12:16:07 PDT 2003 by lovebizzare]

Supernova said:

I understand, Babynova, and like I said, my comment wasn't directed at you. Some people aren't friendly towards her because they don't understand her. I think most people are afraid of what she might be, and what they think she could end up doing. I can understand and accept that but i think it really does go too far sometimes.

The abuse that I have witnessed towards her is pretty horrid, and if I can be put off by people acting up, you can well imagine what she must be feeling. I am not claiming to know anything about her. I am not claiming she is an innocent party. I am not claiming she doesn't deserve some kind of rebuttle from her posts and attacks. But fucking hell, she's just a girl at the end of the day. A little understanding, that's all.

Supernova said:

Huh?

lovebizzare said:

Ok, thank you for that explaination

CherrieMoonKisses said:

Oh Ok..

lovebizzare said:

co-sign on this one. showin your love for prince is cool, but if you proceed to practically beat people about the head with your devoutishness, tellin folks to "get out" and what-not, that's the absolute end.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

EEK! Sounds like some kind of twisted religion. Do you believe? Do you believe?!

it means nothing to me.
i am a fan of prince , not a fam or a fanny .

just a fan who likes the music
just like i am a fan of paul weller or u2 or .sting

i just dont buy in2 this fam shit.

I'm not a 'fam', i have all his albums and go see him when he tours the UK, but i'm too long in the tooth to get into any of this silly faddish nonsense.

I don't have time for anyone that refers to themselves as a 'fam'.I just think they're affected idiots.

What about the word "enthusiast"?

I feel we all have the right to pick and choose what we like and what we don't like, what we have time to humor and what we don't.

I like the DVD and I know a lot of people who don't. So I'm a "fam" now?

I don't like TRC, and I know a lot of people who do. So now I'm a "naysayer"?

I likes what I likes, and that's how it works. Even when I was at the height of my "idol worship" period, way back in the early eighties, there were some Prince songs I just couldn't stand. It didn't really mean anything to me except that there were a bunch more I liked a whole lot better.

I'm not related to Prince, nor do I feel a particular need to be. If I follow the work of Nick Cave or Sly Stone or Sonic Youth or whoever else I've enjoyed for years, does it have to go beyond a simple enjoyment of their art? Everything beyond the music is just gravy, and I think people lose sight of that.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I think the term "fan" is just a pop culture term. It doesn't necessarily literally mean "fanatic" even though it is derived from that word. It just means someone who is interested in something, supports it to varying degrees, admires, and digs things that have to do with pop culture. I consider myself a fan of Prince, but I also like Earth Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson tunes, Whitney Houston's great voice, and Star Trek, which I watch whenever I can and collect the series being released on DVD. I am a fan of The Lord of the Rings trilogy too.
"Fam" has a real high creep factor for me as well. I always felt it was a term used to perpetuate some sort of "us vs. them" litmus test among fans of Prince who felt they were the anointed class of elitists.
I feel the same way you do concerning Prince's music. I'm not a die-hard, nor a naysayer. There's things I like and things I don't, but through it all I'm interested in him as a musical artist. I don't feel the man owes me anything nor do I owe him anything.

FAM to me means mindless sheep who swear by Lovesexy as if it's the Bible. I don't think anybody falls entirely into that category (nor any other for that matter) though some are dangerously close.

For the record I have more respect for these people who love everything Prince does than those who don't like anything he's done since the 80's-- or since Wendy and Lisa left-- and constantly complain about it. That's a sickness when you are continually exposing yourself to something that makes you unhappy or leaves you dissatisfied. It's like staying in an abusive relationship thinking it's going to change. There is no Purple Rain at the end of this Rainbow, children.





That was terrible and I know it. Please forgive me.

As for what Prince meant by FAM I think it's his well-intentioned alternative to FAN. He wanted people to think of themselves as part of his extended family and vibe with him spiritually. However, once again he made the mistake of thinking wordplay and rhetoric would change things. His isolation from what the rest of us know as reality shows when he gets into these things that don't matter.

I think he's now understanding that and hence the silence. Pretty soon he'll have weeded out all of the idol-worshippers and complainers and as an underground musician he'll finally have the audience he wanted and will be able to do the music he wants to do or not. Maybe he'll finally be free-- free from the need to create. Afterall, creativity comes at a great price.

Supernova said:

Good God, this sums up everything. You are every orger. It's all in you. I want this to be my new signature but it won't fit. I'll just put it in my profile
[This message was edited Sat Sep 13 22:29:39 PDT 2003 by StinkyWeaselTeats]

StinkyWeaselTeats said:

Indeed. Different degrees with everybody.


Be my guest.

FAMILIAR

Anji said:

Both yes and no. I have two heterosexual males among my handful of very close friends that I have known for, like, fifteen years.
I had a VERY close het male friend from school that I eventually stopped seeing because I got tired of investing energy in his girlfriends only to see him dump them - he kinda dumped them on my behalf too, y'know. That really sucked, especially because I got quite close with two of them before wising up. But also because - as the years went by and we discussed such matters - it dawned on me that his basic philosophy was that it was alright that I was gay as long as I understood that heterosexuality was the normal way to be. Which of course it isn't to me, so... Can you say "yeah, whatever. Don't call me, I'll call you."
And then there has been a couple of het men that I no longer see because, well... I liked them too much, so having them around was, like, torturing myself because I couldn't have them. So I figured it was better to be without 'em - in the end, it WAS their loss after all
Actually, I was quite mean to them and told them to fuck off because they liked to be admired by me, but they gave me nothing in return.
But you know... You feel what you feel. So did I and so did they and it just wasn't compatible. And so I did what I felt was the right thing - the only thing - to do at the time and that was to get them out of my life. And I haven't had regrets about that - only about that I probably could have been a little nicer about it.
I mean, I don't wanna go through life and end up all alone because I wasted my youth harboring crushes on unattainable men. No way. So goodbye to them and with them the hopeless crushes, so I can be open to meet someone that IS attainable.

At this stage in my life, I kinda consider my friendship plate full. What I am really looking for is a man. So if I meet someone hot and he tells me that he likes the girls, I'm like: "Yes, well, I like the men. Nice talking to you. Bye."
I don't see no reason to bother with heterosexual men based on my past experience.
I guess the two het male friends that I still do have is because I'm really not that sexually attracted to them - we have a lotta things in common, like interests in sci-fi films and comics and that's what's keeping us together.

So do I embrace people - not for what I would like them to be, but for what they can be?

No. Not really. Not anymore. I tried to look beyond the sexual attraction a couple of times, but it just wasn't possible in the long run.

And I would like to note that the het men that I have known were the ones who took the initial initiative because they thought I was interestin'. Apparently, for whatever mysterious reason, I attract het men who would like to be my friend - still do, at work and wherever. I used to be like: "Gosh, he likes me! "
Now, it's like: "Yeah, right. So you can bash in my adoration and crush my heart and spirit? Aren't you just full of yourself, you sodding c**tf**ker."

(Not too bitter, am I? But that is the honest answer regardless of how it might make me look in your eyes.)

P.S.: Of course I am aware that my "attitude" is a "shield" for self-protection. When I HAVE found a man, all of the above will possibly become a non-issue, who knows? Because then my needs will be fulfilled and I wouldn't project my sexual desires onto any hot man I meet any more, right?

(Spellcheck Edit)
[This message was edited Sun Sep 14 15:43:34 PDT 2003 by scififilmnerd]
(Additional Honesty Edit)
[This message was edited Sun Sep 14 16:55:25 PDT 2003 by scififilmnerd]
(P.S. Edit)
[This message was edited Sun Sep 14 18:01:40 PDT 2003 by scififilmnerd]

Anji said:

Yes, but fam's never grow out of it.

Fam's are the scary ones at the concerts.

You KNOW the ones I mean.

whodknee said:

Well, that's kinda funny - how one simple word can be perceived so completely different by different people. I though a "FAM" was the mindless sheep who swear by The Rainbow Children as if it was the Bible.

Romance1600 said:

Yeah, I know. You gotta admit, it's kinda funny!

scififilmnerd said:

LOL! That's kinda funny cuz I seem to always attract gay men, for some reason. Well, I know why, but I guess it's also compounded by the unobtainable factor that you've mentioned.

I think it's a shame based on your experience, that you don't allow yourself to enjoy male company, especially if you find them good looking, because you are not with your ideal man / getting laid.

I think if you find any heterosexual men that are cool to hang out and be buddies, then you might possibly be at the start of a friendship that's quite rare from what I imagine. Anyway, whatever happens, I hope you get that man you're after and that in the process, you don't end up sacraficing friends, or potential buddies, along the way.

Good luck!

EvilWhiteMale said:

I think you're part of the FAM, whether you realise it or not. I have no doubt though, that you're definition of FAM does not fit your perception of you. Still, you're part of the FAM as far as I'm concerned. EvilWhiteMale is a FAM!

We're all part of the FAM, LOL!

Number23 said:

Anji said:

Oh yeah.

I love those looks between you and the stranger in front of the queue outside as they walk past.

You both look at each other, thinking the same thing!

Romance1600 said:

LMAO That is so true! I remember when I was younger, thinking to myself, 'What the fuck, these people listen to Prince?!'

.
[This message was edited Fri Dec 19 7:33:28 PST 2003 by Anji]