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Key points
- Being a fan is sometimes seen as something we should “grow out of,” but cultural norms for aging are rapidly changing.
- Continuity theory holds that we try to maintain our psychological patterns as we age. Fandom can be a lasting touchstone for self-identity.
- Longstanding fandoms can give structure and anchor points to our life narratives, helping us through life transitions.
- For young people and adults, having heroes and people or characters to admire can inspire them to keep going through hard times.
Ageism is prevalent in many cultures, leading people to see older adults as ‘other’ and somehow less than, which limits the range of activities and emotions that are deemed acceptable. Fandom is no exception. The idea that being a fan is normative for young people but unacceptable for adults is commonly seen both in journalism about fans and within fan communities themselves.
Adults are expected to “grow out of it” and may feel like they have to “grow up” and move away from things that brought them pleasure. This is unfortunate since many people passionate about something as a teenager may be surprised to find themselves still passionate about something – maybe even that same something – many decades later.
The Individuation Thesis
Cultural ideas about aging are slowly changing, however. The phase of life defined as adolescence has been expanded, education extends longer, partner hood and parenthood are often delayed, and retirement has a more flexible age expectation. At every phase of adulthood, there is more flexibility to live your life in a way that is in line with your personal interests and goals. This is known as the “individualization thesis,” bringing the idea that people are more likely to see themselves at the age they feel (often younger) instead of their specific chronological age.
The Rolling Stones still performing in their seventies or the return of the Backstreet Boys decades later mirrors their admirers’ continued investment and refusal to buy into being “too old” to be fans. Thus, a growing body of research focused on fandom and aging.
Continuity Theory and Fandom
Some researchers have applied theories from gerontology, the science of aging, to fandom. For example, many people define themselves in part through being a fan. While ways of demonstrating that devotion may change over the years due to physical constraints or waxing and waning levels of investment, many people continuously adapt to continue their relationship with what they love.
That continuing relationship contributes to a sense of consistency of the self over the years – what we are passionate about, whether a celebrity or a television show or a sports team, is a self-stabilizing object. This is in line with gerontology’s continuity theory – while we all experience change as we age, we perceive that change as occurring against a backdrop of relative consistency. As a theory of adult development, continuity theory emphasizes that we try to maintain our psychological and sociological patterns as we move through adulthood. For decades, being a fan of something or someone can be an anchor, especially when life is full of change and disruption.
Another benefit to fandom in adulthood is providing a route to sustaining community. It’s well known that increasing isolation can sometimes come with growing older as relocations, retirements, or losses occur. Having a cohort of “linked lives” to travel through life makes adapting to change easier and provides a continuity of support that can bolster mental health.
In addition, we all define ourselves through the stories we tell ourselves about our own lives. Interestingly, while our online and in-person relationship networks help us determine who we are, our relationships with celebrities, fictional characters, and sports teams are also incorporated into our narratives, providing an additional source of continuity. Longstanding fandoms can give structure to our life stories; people often describe the important aspects of their lives in terms of being part of a specific fandom.
Transitions in the things we’re passionate about providing hallmarks and turning points in our life stories. As our identities shift over time and competing priorities, the relative importance of one’s identity as a fan may shift but still persist as a point of continuity.
Meeting Erikson's Challenges Through Fandom
Different phases of life bring unique developmental challenges and opportunities which shape the individuals we become. Erik Erikson’s developmental theory can be used as a lens for how fandom can help meet some of these normative developmental challenges at every stage of life. For example, for young people and adults, having heroes and people or characters to admire can provide inspiration and strength to keep going through hard times.
Fandom can also be a way of negotiating Erikson’s challenges at different stages. The challenge for people in the young adult stage is being comfortable with intimacy instead of becoming isolated; in a modern culture that often demands frequent moves and separations, this can be difficult. Attachment to a celebrity, show or team can reduce feelings of isolation and join a fan community. Individuals who are admired will age along with their admirers and can provide a role model for successful aging.
In middle to later adulthood, Erikson described the crisis as generativity – finding meaning in life and focusing on leaving something behind – instead of self-absorption. Individuals in this stage may engage in the charitable aspects of fandom to give back and as a means of generativity. Generativity can also be expressed in mentoring younger fans with writing or art or sharing fandom history and customs. Fan communities encourage the expression of emotion, creativity, and passion more than the culture at large, which can be a way of “staying young.”
People in all developmental stages may also be drawn to fandom during times of transition, especially when the change includes loss (death, divorce, etc.) or significant life changes. The relationships established within fan communities are particularly helpful at these times. In addition, the emotions generated by being a fan can be a way of reconnecting people to their feelings, making these transitions smoother.
Never Too Old to Be a Fan
Adults in 2022 live in a very different world from the one they were born into. Rapid changes in social norms, technology, and cultural expectations adapt to a unique challenge as people try to navigate the changes and adapt to the present without losing their identification with the past. Hanging onto one’s self-identity through those changes is difficult, and what we are passionate about can be a touchstone amid change.
A recent study by Claessen (2014) of nursing home residents with an average age of 85 found that many had continued their attachment to certain celebrities throughout their lifetimes. Being a fan across the decades can be a port in a storm for adults of any age and a successful coping strategy for aging in the 21st century.
References
Claessens, N. (2014). Social meaning of celebrities in the everyday lives of nursing home residents’ in C.L. Harrington, D.D. Bielby & A.R. Bardo (Eds), Aging, Media and Culture, London: Lexington Books, pp 77-89.
Harrington, C.L. & Bielby, D.D. (2014). A life course perspective on fandom. In C.L. Harrington, D.D. Bielby & A.R. Bardo (Eds), Aging, Media and Culture, London: Lexington Books, pp 123-141.
