Own Your Fandom: A Brief Manifesto
A while ago, I posted my modest collection of BL drama DVDs and Blu-rays to Reddit. A redditor told me they didn't know people still bought DVDs, that they were too expensive, and lamented the pointlessness of my hobby because they believed DVDs would eventually become obsolete. This person isn't alone in their thoughts--and they're not totally wrong. In the short-run, buying one DVD is more costly than a monthly subscription to a streaming service that already hosts it, and DVDs have fallen out of fashion—most modern PCs don't even have optical drives anymore.
We are currently living in the golden age of BL. Danmei are a regular sight on the New York Times Best Seller list, publishers are dedicating whole imprints to BL titles, digital BL is on the rise, and there's so many BL dramas coming out that it's almost a chore to get through them all. We're very much in the age of BL abudance and there's no sign of scarcity in sight.
So why own hard copies?
STUFF STUFF STUFF STUFF STUFF
This fear is partially why I got into ficbinding.
My poor working memory combined with failing platforms unequipped to handle fandom and the increasingly hostile nature of modern fandom has resulted in a loss of fics I've loved. The LiveJournal that hosted it has been deleted and purged, or it's f-locked and your friend request will never be approved becuase the user abandoned the account long ago. Maybe the writer was harassed into deleting their fic, or they moved to a different fandom or went pro and deleted all traces of their fannish presence.
Corporations are not your friends
"Why would I buy a hard copy of [insert favorite movie here] when I can just stream it?"
The popularization of streaming platforms was a godsend for both corporations and audiences. They got our money, and we got an affordable way to enjoy tons of content that was easier and more accessible than pirating.
You see all those posts from people claiming they'll turn to piracy if streaming services get out of hand, but the truth is it's not that simple. Piracy isn't New generations aren't as adept in the ways of pirating. Besides, I think we're all more conscious of how our choices affect the media we love.
Streaming companies hate DVDs because they make it easier not to rely on one platform. How long have you held onto that WeTV/Tencent Video subscription just because you want to be able to rewatch Manner of Death whenever you want?
Make no mistake: Buying Blu-rays and DVDs isn't the magic solution to preserving what you love. Physical media has a trove of its own problems: looming obsolecence as the world goes increasingly digital, for one. My Macbook Air doesn't even have a CD drive (and I've held out on buying one of those SuperDrives on principle). I'm lucky my fiancee bought me a Blu-ray player for my birthday once she became aware of my DVD obsession. There's also the oft insufferable, densely male-populated collecting community and the host of bad opinions that come with them.
Not sold on DVDs? You can still preserve you media by using an external hard drive.
Though his post references BL fandom heavily, I encourage fans of any media to start buying hard copies of the things you love.
Get Started on Your Physical Media Journey
Where to Buy BL Drama Blu-rays & DVDs
Where to Buy Foreign Language Blu-rays & DVDs
Where to Buy Used DVDs & Blu-rays
Where to Buy General English-language DVDs & Blu-rays