User blog:IEmbargo/On Shippers and Shipping - Part Two

Because shipping typically involves couples, I will assume that a given "ship" is a couple. And because this is largely a broadcast media show forum, I will restrict myself to broadcast shows.

In my experience, most shippers believe in a given relationship in a movie, television show, etc. because they identify with one character very strongly (almost always of the same gender) and identify within another character that person's most desirable characteristics in a potential mate. The shipping may be an outgrowth of the person's interest in the show or the person becomes interested in the show because of the ship.

Moreover, shippers tend to idealise the characters within their ship and their relationship itself. The most common identifications for the shippers are a failed past romance, a future romance with someone the person is not dating, or an external idealised relationship.

I want to take a slight detour here. Many shippers are denigrated for being lonely, foolish, etc.. Any idealisation of a character, such as identifying with the hero of an action film or identifying with the geeky hero of a science fiction story, has the same character identification issues as shippers. I used to be like this until I realised that I was the dweeb who liked that the scientist and engineer is the hero in, say, Doctor Who. I don't see how that is fundamentally different from someone identifying with, say, Freddie Benson.

Here, again, it is important to recognise that you are idealising one or both halves of a ship. I consider very important that you recognise that you are identifying with a character and a situation you probably had or wish you had with someone else. Otherwise, your shipping could be come pathological. In an extreme case, you could become like one person I know who so identified with a character in a show, had such a crush on the lead actor, and had an idealised first love that reminded her of the lead character; she changed her entire wardrobe to that character's time with that lead, changed her name to that character, and changed her hair colour and style to match the actress.

Again, remember that you almost certainly have this foibles and have this kind of personal identification with the characters; thus you can expect those who support an opposing ship have the same point of view. You believe that people who support an opposing ship have blind spots or bizarre rationalisations for the ship; remember that you have them too. Expect that any ship warring will get taken personally.

Next: Example - iCarly.