Fanboy is a derogatory term used to describe someone who is utterly devoted to a hobby or a subject, to the point where it becomes an obsession. Fanboys are often experts on minor details regarding their hobbies, and they take these details extremely seriously. The stereotypical image often associated with Star Trek fans (or Trekkies) can be used to describe a fanboy: a person (usually white) with little or no social life outside the circle of fans he or she associates with.
An alternate, more recent example of the fanboy is someone whose enthusiasms are shallow but broad, being directed at a whole art-form, activity, or genre (e.g. science fiction films and television shows) rather than one particular exemplar (e.g. Star Trek). These sorts of fanboys stereotypically show an almost sycophantic devotion to the creators and principles behind a work they are currently entralled by, but will quickly move their attention elsewhere once something better or just newer comes along. A good example of this is Harry Knowles and his associates at Ain't It Cool News, whose particular focus is on movies in the action, fantasy, adventure and superhero genres.
The term is usually applied to people in their teens or 20s. Probably because of the age, common objects of deference for fanboys are TV shows, movies, game consoles, computer games, operating systems and software companies.
Fanboys often find it necessary to defend the object of their affection against real or perceived attacks. They also take very seriously comparisions with competition. Even rational arguments and valid critique of the subject is often met with emotional attacks, affirming the subject's superiority.
Because of its negative connotations, in fannish subculture the term fanboy is generally seen as derogatory. Nevertheless, self-labeling usages of the term have been noted; in the songs of the fannish parody musician Luke Ski, many characters proudly consider themselves fanboys.
The female equivalent is sometimes called a fangirl, but they tend to have less of a negative connotation attached due to the (perceived) tendency of women, especially younger women, to be more socially aware and concerned with their appearance than males, especially teenagers. In addition the energetic devotion of younger fangirls is sometimes seen as a normal attitude of a teenage girl. On the internet, some fangirls keep their gender secret to avoid harrasment, particularly from fanboys with social issues who complain about women in general. Also, most fanboy genres are still mainstream percieved as immature and geeky, thus unattractive to women. As a result, many lonely fanboys become smitten and overwhelmed by any friendly fangirl who shares their interests (regardless of whether or not she's available), a situation that occasionally turns into a case of obsessive stalking.
See also: addiction; otaku; anorak.
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