To me, having an unpopular opinion doesn't lessen the fannish experience. I know this because, it's happened to me many times over once I get over the shiny-eyed stage of falling for a new fandom.
Example: I started to watch Buffy circa S2. Looking back, it's obvious that watching it live shaped my feelings about the show for, at least, the first five seasons. It's also the reason why I detest S6 (except for a few episodes) and feel generally ambivalent about S7 (again, except for a few episodes.)
Through the years since the show went off the air (I tried to get into the "S8" comics, but the story arc was a mess from the very beginning and never really got better so I skipped out about halfway in the series.), I've been able to go back and rewatch it with a more critical eye. In some ways, I can see the ways it failed (and how!) while still be able to give it thumbs up for the parts where the show got it right.
So, when I say that I can't stand the uber-witch!Willow from S5 on, that I haaaated what happened to Anya (what a perfect character to have crossed over to Angel the Series!), that I've always loved Riley Finn (milquetoast as he was in S4 to badass!Riley in S6) etc, I'm not diminishing anyone else's views on the fandom. Those are my opinions.
I believe that, as long as I state them in a normal manner, people can take or leave them. There's a big difference between saying "I hate 123/ABC pairing. That is a STUPID couple. Thinking about them kissing MAKES ME GAG" vs. "123/ABC pairing is not one I like at all. To me, there's no (sexual) chemistry. I prefer of thinking of them as friends only."
Sure, there are people who are totally rose-coloured glasses about Buffy and, to them, my opinions (the negative ones) might seem harsh.
But, you know what? They can shrug them off. Because their views on Buffy don't define how I feel about the show and/or its fandom (and viceversa.)
So, I'd say that you aren't responsible for 'bursting someone's bubble' about whatever fandom you're talking about. Whether or not they can see the source material's fail is not dependent on you. For some people, being fannish does not entail questioning/critiquing the source material. And, hey, that's OK. For some other people, they derive enjoyment from looking at the source material from as many angles as they can.
The truth is, we all bring something to the fandom.
I swear I had a point somewhere in here . . .
Example: I started to watch Buffy circa S2. Looking back, it's obvious that watching it live shaped my feelings about the show for, at least, the first five seasons. It's also the reason why I detest S6 (except for a few episodes) and feel generally ambivalent about S7 (again, except for a few episodes.)
Through the years since the show went off the air (I tried to get into the "S8" comics, but the story arc was a mess from the very beginning and never really got better so I skipped out about halfway in the series.), I've been able to go back and rewatch it with a more critical eye. In some ways, I can see the ways it failed (and how!) while still be able to give it thumbs up for the parts where the show got it right.
So, when I say that I can't stand the uber-witch!Willow from S5 on, that I haaaated what happened to Anya (what a perfect character to have crossed over to Angel the Series!), that I've always loved Riley Finn (milquetoast as he was in S4 to badass!Riley in S6) etc, I'm not diminishing anyone else's views on the fandom. Those are my opinions.
I believe that, as long as I state them in a normal manner, people can take or leave them. There's a big difference between saying "I hate 123/ABC pairing. That is a STUPID couple. Thinking about them kissing MAKES ME GAG" vs. "123/ABC pairing is not one I like at all. To me, there's no (sexual) chemistry. I prefer of thinking of them as friends only."
Sure, there are people who are totally rose-coloured glasses about Buffy and, to them, my opinions (the negative ones) might seem harsh.
But, you know what? They can shrug them off. Because their views on Buffy don't define how I feel about the show and/or its fandom (and viceversa.)
So, I'd say that you aren't responsible for 'bursting someone's bubble' about whatever fandom you're talking about. Whether or not they can see the source material's fail is not dependent on you. For some people, being fannish does not entail questioning/critiquing the source material. And, hey, that's OK. For some other people, they derive enjoyment from looking at the source material from as many angles as they can.
The truth is, we all bring something to the fandom.