Editing Talk:2683: Fan Theories

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To me, the title text seems to be referring to the opposite kind of fandom compared to what the current explanation says. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.76.203|141.101.76.203]] 06:54, 11 October 2022 (UTC)

Given the constant stream of manchildren vandalizing this, could an admin please restrict editing access to logged in users? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.110.143|172.68.110.143]] 07:50, 11 October 2022 (UTC)
: manchildren
:You mean the xkcd fandom?  [[User:Fephisto|Fephisto]] ([[User talk:Fephisto|talk]]) 16:45, 11 October 2022 (UTC)

I am 100% behind calling hypotheses 'fan theories'.  [[User:Fephisto|Fephisto]] ([[User talk:Fephisto|talk]]) 16:45, 11 October 2022 (UTC)

To the person who inserted the {{Template|Citation needed}} initially unsuccessfully by <nowiki>[[citation needed]]</nowiki>, and complained in their edit summaries that no other place uses our formatting (of {{}}s)... That's how Wikipedia implements it (or at least the actual Citation Needed... see below) and [[]]s/[]s are for more general hyperlinking (internal and external). You aren't thinking of some BBCode plugin for forums, are you? They will use [tags] and [tag][/tag], and I could imagine a popular tweak to the tag-handler to not require writing <code>[sup][[u][color=#whatever]citation needed[/color][/u]][/sup]</code>, or similar, every time someone wanted to parody (or ''properly'' apply?) the meme...<br />...although, reading your intention, did you instead intend to use the explainxkcd version that is {{Template|Actual citation needed}}? I can imagine another editor removing it, anyway, but I just moved it the more accepted side of the punctuation. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.49|172.70.85.49]] 18:41, 11 October 2022 (UTC)

I think this comic might also be a comment on the following phenomenom: a lot of spectacular ideas that were once regarded as not really significant, "fringe", or even dubious by the mainstream scientific community two or three decades ago are now seriously pursued by science - mostly because the kids whose imagination was fired up by those ideas have now grown into scientists themselves, who can decide on their own what things to research. The idea that life might exist in the Europa ocean is a prime example for this: It was once mainly science fiction, popularized by Arthur C. Clarke in his 2010 and 2061 odyssey novels, but has since become a serious research subject. Similar things might be said about the time, energy and money that is nowadays devoted to SETI or to the search for primitive life on Mars. Scientists in the 60s and 70s would have probably fallen out of their chairs in shock if they knew. (note that I am all in favour of looking for aliens, but scientists in the 60s and 70s were much more interested in planetary geology and stuff like that).     --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.247.38|172.70.247.38]] 09:01, 12 October 2022 (UTC)

The inclusion of Kuhn's work as part of the explanation seems odd. This may be because I don't know his work and thus don't see how this is connected to the comic and especially how merely mentioning it actually helps explaining the comic. I removed that part unless someone comes up with some actual explanation why this is relevant. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 11:12, 12 October 2022 (UTC)
:Kuhn does discuss paradigms as effectively similar to my simple understanding of fan theories, but I don't understand the "franchise" terminology means. I guess the point was most professional scientists wouldn't be particularly annoyed by the comparison, because it's not novel or really unusual as a concept. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.22.185|172.69.22.185]] 19:51, 12 October 2022 (UTC)

this suggests a "how to annoy" category w/ [[2036]] and [[2654]] (and possibly [[2118]], though the "expert shouting at cueball" part is absent) --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.110.231|172.70.110.231]] 13:54, 12 October 2022 (UTC)

What does "franchise with an established fandom" mean? Could you guys please try to use a relatively simple vocabulary and define necessary jargon or specialized language, such as with link(s)? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.22.163|172.69.22.163]] 19:46, 12 October 2022 (UTC)

It feels like the current explanation is missing a clear exposition of the key comparison between scientific research and fan theorising - that they both (a) start from a canonical body of work, (b) build on top of that with experimental theses that are then 'peer tested', and (c) may then in time end up becoming a part of the canon themselves. I can't quite work that up into a form that would flow nicely in the explanation, though. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.58|172.70.91.58]] 13:45, 13 October 2022 (UTC)

By referring to scientists as fans, could Cueball be suggesting an author exists? [[Special:Contributions/197.234.243.26|197.234.243.26]] 14:45, 13 October 2022 (UTC)
: God? (I'm not intending to ignite a theological debate here) [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 07:26, 14 October 2022 (UTC)
::God? (I'm intending to ignite a theological debate here) [[User:|User:]] ([[User talk:|talk]]) 11:59, 14 October 2022 (UTC)

Does anyone else think that the astronomer in the the comic looks more like Danish than Megan? I guess her attitude and demeanor is more akin to a standard Megan, but idk. 15:55, 13 February 2023 (UTC)~ 3:55, 13 Feb 2023 (UTC)

Sorry if I'm a bit late, but I'd like to apologise on behalf of the "furry" vandals. [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch My Species Doth Protest Too Much]. I don't believe furries are "better than the rest of humanity combined." [[User:AndroidTheLucario|Your favorite aura doggo]] ([[User talk:AndroidTheLucario|talk]]) 03:59, 6 May 2023 (UTC)

Is there any fandom other than the universe fandom that makes fan theories that directly contradict the canon? {{unsigned ip|172.68.174.226|04:10, 30 July 2023}}
:I think that's the norm. There's usually something that a fan disagrees with that official canon says, when they write their own version. Whether it's Snape/Potter slash (or just about any other fan-shipping event, slash or otherwise) or whether the vast majority of Gravity was an anoxic dream sequence (not just the bit where she snaps out of it, but potentially everything from the very first crisis onwards) or, my own personal fanon, that the Patrician in The Colour Of Magic ''was'' Vetinari (through Pterry said otherwise, and normally I'd happily take that as gospel). The fan-fiction must turn upon something not in the source, or it'd just be a retelling, and often it's something reinterpretted in order to support the particular conceit of the fan-scenario. Could be minor or major; significant diversion from the 'authorised' material or just a whole undocumented/unaccounted-for side-adventure; something other fans would support or such a twisted take on things that it's sidelined by others. But contradictions are easy. Perhaps harder in ''some'' canons, where self-contradictions are already muddying the waters, ironically. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.134|141.101.99.134]] 15:14, 30 July 2023 (UTC)