How a rap song inspired a phenomenon of obsessive fandom and online activism
What is Stan Culture?
Stan culture is a term that describes the behavior and attitude of fans who are extremely devoted to a certain celebrity, artist, or media franchise. The word “stan” is a blend of “stalker” and “fan”, and it was popularized by Eminem’s 2000 song “Stan”, which tells the story of a fan who becomes obsessed with the rapper and ends up killing himself and his pregnant girlfriend. The song was a critical and commercial success, and it introduced the concept of a “stan” to the mainstream audience.
How Stan Culture Evolved
Since the release of Eminem’s song, the term “stan” has been adopted by various fan communities, especially on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Stan culture is characterized by the intense loyalty and admiration that fans have for their idols and the tendency to defend them from criticism or perceived attack. Stan culture also involves creating and consuming fan-made content, such as memes, videos, fan art, and fan fiction, that celebrate and promote the idol’s work and personality. Some fans even adopt the idol’s name, style, or catchphrases as part of their online identity.
Who are the Stans?
Stan culture is not limited to any specific genre, industry, or demographic. There are stans for musicians, actors, athletes, politicians, influencers, and even fictional characters. Some of the most prominent examples of stan culture are the fans of Taylor Swift, who call themselves “Swifties”, the fans of Beyoncé, who call themselves “Beyhive”, and the fans of BTS, who call themselves “ARMY”. These fan groups are known for their massive online presence, their ability to mobilize and support their idols, and their fierce rivalry with other fan groups. Stan culture can also be seen in the political sphere, where supporters of certain candidates or parties display a similar level of devotion and activism. For instance, the fans of Bernie Sanders, who call themselves “Bernie Bros”, the fans of Donald Trump, who call themselves “MAGA”, and the fans of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who call themselves “AOC Squad”.
What are the Pros and Cons of Stan Culture?
Stan culture can have both positive and negative effects on the fans, the idols, and the society. On the positive side, stan culture can provide a sense of belonging, identity, and community for the fans, who can connect with other like-minded people and share their passion and enthusiasm. Stan culture can also inspire creativity, activism, and generosity, as fans create and consume fan-made content, participate in social movements and campaigns, and donate to charities and causes that their idols endorse. Stan culture can also benefit the idols, who can gain more exposure, recognition, and support from their loyal fan base.
On the negative side, stan culture can also lead to unhealthy, toxic, and obsessive behavior, such as cyberbullying, harassment, stalking, and doxxing. Some fans may cross the line between admiration and obsession, and invade the privacy, safety, and personal lives of their idols and their rivals. Some fans may also develop unrealistic expectations, idealizations, and parasocial relationships with their idols, and lose touch with reality and their own identity. Stan culture can also create division, hostility, and intolerance among different fan groups, who may engage in online wars, insults, and threats. Stan culture can also harm the idols, who may face pressure, stress, and backlash from their demanding and critical fan base.
Conclusion
Stan culture is a phenomenon that has emerged and evolved in the digital age, where fans can access and interact with their idols and their fellow fans more easily and frequently. Stan culture can be seen as a form of expression, appreciation, and empowerment, but it can also be seen as a form of obsession, fanaticism, and extremism. Stan culture can have both positive and negative impacts on the fans, the idols, and the society, depending on how it is practiced and perceived. Stan culture is a complex and dynamic phenomenon that reflects the changing nature of fandom and celebrity in the 21st century.
For more on biases, please visit our other articles on Biases and Psychology.
How Biases Skew a Person’s Thoughts
Biases and PsychologyA brief overview of cognitive biases and their effects
What are cognitive biases?
Cognitive dissonance: the state of mental uneasiness or strain that happens when a person has two or more conflicting or incompatible beliefs, values, or behaviors at the same time. For example, a person who is concerned about the environment but drives a fuel-consuming car may feel cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is often caused by heuristics or simple rules of thumb or mental shortcuts that people use to make fast and instinctive judgments or decisions, often based on experience or common sense. For example, a person who wants to buy a product may use the heuristic of choosing the most popular or costly option, assuming it is the best quality or value. Heuristics can be helpful and effective when there is not enough time or information to perform a more careful analysis or evaluation of the situation.
To reduce cognitive dissonance, people may try to change their beliefs, attitudes, or actions to make them more coherent or rationalize or justify their behavior by downplaying its negative effects or highlighting its positive aspects. Alternatively, they may avoid information or situations that question or contradict their existing views and create dissonance. Cognitive dissonance can influence decision-making, motivation, and self-esteem. It can also lead to confirmation bias, as people look for evidence that confirms their preferred choices or beliefs and disregard or devalue evidence that opposes them.
Cognitive biases can skew a person’s thoughts in several ways
Common examples of cognitive biases
For more on biases, please visit our other articles on Biases and Psychology.
Stan Culture: From Eminem to Taylor Swift and Beyond
Biases and PsychologyHow a rap song inspired a phenomenon of obsessive fandom and online activism
What is Stan Culture?
Stan culture is a term that describes the behavior and attitude of fans who are extremely devoted to a certain celebrity, artist, or media franchise. The word “stan” is a blend of “stalker” and “fan”, and it was popularized by Eminem’s 2000 song “Stan”, which tells the story of a fan who becomes obsessed with the rapper and ends up killing himself and his pregnant girlfriend. The song was a critical and commercial success, and it introduced the concept of a “stan” to the mainstream audience.
How Stan Culture Evolved
Since the release of Eminem’s song, the term “stan” has been adopted by various fan communities, especially on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Stan culture is characterized by the intense loyalty and admiration that fans have for their idols and the tendency to defend them from criticism or perceived attack. Stan culture also involves creating and consuming fan-made content, such as memes, videos, fan art, and fan fiction, that celebrate and promote the idol’s work and personality. Some fans even adopt the idol’s name, style, or catchphrases as part of their online identity.
Who are the Stans?
Stan culture is not limited to any specific genre, industry, or demographic. There are stans for musicians, actors, athletes, politicians, influencers, and even fictional characters. Some of the most prominent examples of stan culture are the fans of Taylor Swift, who call themselves “Swifties”, the fans of Beyoncé, who call themselves “Beyhive”, and the fans of BTS, who call themselves “ARMY”. These fan groups are known for their massive online presence, their ability to mobilize and support their idols, and their fierce rivalry with other fan groups. Stan culture can also be seen in the political sphere, where supporters of certain candidates or parties display a similar level of devotion and activism. For instance, the fans of Bernie Sanders, who call themselves “Bernie Bros”, the fans of Donald Trump, who call themselves “MAGA”, and the fans of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who call themselves “AOC Squad”.
What are the Pros and Cons of Stan Culture?
Stan culture can have both positive and negative effects on the fans, the idols, and the society. On the positive side, stan culture can provide a sense of belonging, identity, and community for the fans, who can connect with other like-minded people and share their passion and enthusiasm. Stan culture can also inspire creativity, activism, and generosity, as fans create and consume fan-made content, participate in social movements and campaigns, and donate to charities and causes that their idols endorse. Stan culture can also benefit the idols, who can gain more exposure, recognition, and support from their loyal fan base.
On the negative side, stan culture can also lead to unhealthy, toxic, and obsessive behavior, such as cyberbullying, harassment, stalking, and doxxing. Some fans may cross the line between admiration and obsession, and invade the privacy, safety, and personal lives of their idols and their rivals. Some fans may also develop unrealistic expectations, idealizations, and parasocial relationships with their idols, and lose touch with reality and their own identity. Stan culture can also create division, hostility, and intolerance among different fan groups, who may engage in online wars, insults, and threats. Stan culture can also harm the idols, who may face pressure, stress, and backlash from their demanding and critical fan base.
Conclusion
Stan culture is a phenomenon that has emerged and evolved in the digital age, where fans can access and interact with their idols and their fellow fans more easily and frequently. Stan culture can be seen as a form of expression, appreciation, and empowerment, but it can also be seen as a form of obsession, fanaticism, and extremism. Stan culture can have both positive and negative impacts on the fans, the idols, and the society, depending on how it is practiced and perceived. Stan culture is a complex and dynamic phenomenon that reflects the changing nature of fandom and celebrity in the 21st century.
For more on biases, please visit our other articles on Biases and Psychology.
Staying relevant in the rapidly changing job market
CareersHere are some skills you should consider developing:
Remember, the key to staying relevant is being proactive in your learning, developing a growth mindset, building a strong online presence, developing transferable skills, staying informed about industry trends, and being flexible and adaptable [2]. It’s a rapidly evolving field, so continuous learning and adaptation are crucial for success.
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Artificial Intelligence’s impact on the job market
CareersArtificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to have a significant impact on the job market
Here are some insights:
However, it is important to note that AI is also expected to create new jobs. Roles for AI and machine learning specialists, data analysts and scientists, and digital transformation specialists are expected to grow rapidly [1]. Furthermore, AI can help reduce tedious and dangerous tasks, leading to greater worker engagement and physical safety [5].
This is a rapidly evolving field and the impact of AI on jobs can change as technology advances. It is also worth noting that many believe the key to navigating these changes is reskilling and upskilling the workforce to work effectively with AI-infused processes [1].
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Consumer Protections for Artificial Intelligence Act
LegislationThe Consumer Protections for Artificial Intelligence Act in Colorado, also known as SB24-205, is a pioneering piece of legislation aimed at regulating high-risk AI systems [4]. The law was signed by Colorado Governor Jared Polis on May 17, 2024 [4] and is set to take effect on February 1, 2026 [4]. This law makes Colorado the first state in the nation to enact broad restrictions on private companies using AI [2].
The Act imposes a duty of “reasonable care” on both developers and deployers of high-risk AI systems to protect consumers from any known or reasonably foreseeable risks of algorithmic discrimination [6]. Algorithmic discrimination is based on actual or perceived age, color, disability, ethnicity, genetic information, limited proficiency in the English language, national origin, race, religion, reproductive health, sex, veteran status, or other classification protected under the laws of Colorado or federal law [6].
For developers, the Act requires them to:
For deployers, the Act requires them to:
This Act is a significant step towards ensuring fairness and transparency in the use of AI systems, particularly those that make consequential decisions affecting consumers [1].
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How Proposed AI laws have significant implications for research and development in AI
LegislationPromotion of Open Science and Innovation:
Impact on High-Risk AI Applications:
Exemption for Research and Development:
Challenges for General-Purpose AI Models:
Potential Stifling of Innovation:
Addressing Concentration of Power:
These impacts could shape the future of AI research and development, influencing how AI technologies are developed, used, and regulated. However, the exact impact of these laws will depend on their final form and how they are implemented in practice [1] [2] [3] [4]. It is important to note that the status of these laws may have changed after my last update in 2021, and you should check the latest sources for the most current information.
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The UK’s approach to AI Regulation
LegislationHere are some key points:
Please note that this is a rapidly evolving field and the information provided is based on the latest available data. For more detailed information, you may want to refer to the respective government or legislative websites.
Sources:
No related posts.
A brief overview of the AI legislation in the US, Canada, and the EU:
LegislationUnited States:
Canada:
European Union:
Please note that this is a rapidly evolving field and the information provided is based on the latest available data. For more detailed information, you may want to refer to the respective government or legislative websites.
Sources:
Using AI for Education
AI 101, AI ToolsA brief overview of some websites and initiatives that assist companies and educational institutions in developing AI use and education policies:
Remember to explore these resources further to tailor your policies to your organization’s unique context and requirements.
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How to Protect Data When Using Artificial Intelligence Tools
Data Protection, PoliciesA guide for companies that want to leverage AI without compromising data security
Introduction
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can help companies improve efficiency, accuracy, innovation, and customer satisfaction. However, using AI also comes with some challenges and risks, especially when it involves sensitive or personal data, also referred to as PII (Personally Identifiable Information). Data breaches, cyberattacks, privacy violations, and ethical issues are some of the potential threats that companies should be aware of when and if they mitigate to use AI tools.
This document aims to provide some guidance and best practices for companies that want to protect their data when they use AI tools. It will cover the following topics:
Why Data Protection is Important for AI
Data is the fuel for AI. Without data, AI tools cannot learn, train, or perform their tasks. Data is also the output of AI. AI tools can generate, analyze, or process data to provide insights, recommendations, or decisions. Therefore, data protection is crucial for AI, both as an input and an output.
Data protection is important for AI for several reasons:
What are the Main Data Protection Challenges and Risks for AI
Because of its features, abilities, and uses, AI has some distinct and complicated data protection issues and dangers. Some of the main data protection challenges and risks for AI are:
What are the Key Data Protection Principles and Standards for AI
Data protection for AI should follow some key principles and standards, which can provide a framework and a benchmark for data protection practices and policies. Some of the key data protection principles and standards for AI are:
What are some Practical Data Protection Strategies and Solutions for AI
Data protection for AI requires some practical strategies and solutions, which can help implement and operationalize the data protection principles and standards. Some of the practical data protection strategies and solutions for AI are: