Fans

A Journey into the Psychology of Belonging

Michael Bond author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Pan Macmillan

Published:11th May '23

Should be back in stock very soon

Fans cover

From the acclaimed science writer and author of Wayfinding, a journey into the world of superfans and an exploration of the psychology of fandom.

'A celebration of human idiosyncrasy and of our talent for building shared meaning and solidarity out of the strangest material' – TLS

Fans takes the reader on a journey through a constellation of fandoms, and along the way demonstrates some fundamental truths about the human condition.

Fascinating and thought-provoking, Fans is a story of communities, of what happens to us when we interact with people who share our passions. The human brain is wired to reach out, and while our groupish tendencies can bring much strife (religious intolerance, racism, war, etc.), they are also the source of some of our greatest satisfactions.

Fandoms offer much of the pleasure of tribalism with little of the harm: a feeling of belonging and of shared culture, a sense of meaning and purpose, improved mental well-being, reassurance that our most outlandish convictions will be taken seriously, and the freedom to try to emulate (and dress like) our hero.

But Bond shows that despite these benefits, the world of fandoms is not without its dark underside, from the “copycat effect” fuelling mass shootings to the delusions that can accompany the parasocial relationships that fans feel they have with their heroes.

In Fans, Michael Bond draws on the work of social psychologists and anthropologists to understand how people behave in groups and why such groups have such a profound effect on human culture.

Entertaining and insightful * The Times *
Highly enjoyable * Independent *
A celebration of human idiosyncrasy and of our talent for building shared meaning and solidarity out of the strangest material * TLS *
A fascinating insight into why people come together in pursuit of something they love and the very real benefits it can bring to our lives * i-D *
Bond’s research is extensive, informative, engagingly presented and his topic timely. * Financial Times *

ISBN: 9781529052473

Dimensions: 241mm x 162mm x 29mm

Weight: 450g

256 pages