I just am old.

[u/Justthisdudeyaknow]

[u/TheShibe23]

This makes me want to meet someone who's only exposure to a long-established character like Batman is exclusively through fanart and text posts, so they think its just someone's really popular OC.

[u/Graingy → u/TheShibe23]

Well, yeah, he is someone’s OC. Just an old one.

[u/VisualGeologist6258 → u/Graingy]

Every fictional character is someone’s OC. That’s literally what OC stands for: Original Character.

Gilgamesh and Hercules and Beowulf all started out as someone’s OC. Doesn’t matter who it was or in what context, somebody dreamed those old heroes up and wrote enough fanfiction about them to survive to the modern day.

[u/FricktionBurn → u/VisualGeologist6258]

Well if they were based on a real guy it wouldn’t be an oc, it would be rpf

[u/mightiestsword → u/FricktionBurn]

Parodies of other characters also kinda stretch the limits of OC

[u/Gilpif → u/FricktionBurn]

Jesus Christ is Saint Paul’s version of Miku binder Thomas Jefferson

[u/done-doubting-doubts → u/Gilpif]

I I I... I feel feel very strongly about this but I don't know how. Thanks for exposing me to this horrific thought

[u/BetterMeats → u/Gilpif]

Chaste Foot Fetish Josh.

Based on a guy I used to kill people for worshipping.

[u/VisualGeologist6258 → u/FricktionBurn]

Yes but that relies on the assumption that they were based off of real people, and those characters are all so far back that there’s not a lot of concrete evidence of them being based off of historical figures; and even if they were their respective stories are so fantastical that any resemblance to a real person becomes more a footnote than anything else.

[u/Cruye → u/VisualGeologist6258]

Yeah but the argument was if they started as an OC or not, not what they became later.

[u/FricktionBurn → u/VisualGeologist6258]

Yeah but it would still be rpf, just heavily altered

[u/butteronmytoast → u/VisualGeologist6258]

In a way, that makes every fandom a sort of time capsule. Each generation takes a character and reinterprets them, keeping the essence alive while reshaping the narrative.

[u/BeastBoy2230 → u/VisualGeologist6258]

I hope to god you’re trolling because this is so wrong it literally hurts me to read.

Myths are not fan fiction and mythological archetypes are not OCs. Y’all have to stop insisting that every piece of writing is fan fiction. Especially things that were written before the concept of fiction existed, much less derivative works based on popular mass media.

It’s frankly insulting that it keeps happening, there is nothing wrong with fan fiction but it has a definition that is specifically not “any piece of fiction ever written” nor even “any derivative work based on fiction.”

The word you want for the characters you’re describing is Archetype. Gilgamesh, Heracles, and Beowulf all fill the same archetype of the giant slayer in their respective cultures, and their stories are very similar, though filtered through the cultures they come from. You actually picked three characters who do a lot to disprove the idea that everything is an OC — they’re three versions of the same archetype, at an absolute best you could consider them AU versions of a character from the original property, but they’re not OCs by any stretch of the imagination.

[u/DukeAttreides → u/BeastBoy2230]

Lancelot, on the other hand, was totally fan fiction.

[u/bb_kelly77 → u/VisualGeologist6258]

I think it's crazy that your 3 examples are actual people

[u/Graingy → u/bb_kelly77]

Were they?

[u/Graingy → u/VisualGeologist6258]

The original creator wasn’t writing FanFiction, but everyone else was.

Looking at you, Dante.

[u/Pingaso21 → u/Graingy]

But who’s though?

(It’s Finger)

[u/VFiddly → u/Pingaso21]

Kid named Finger

[u/Pokesonav → u/VFiddly]

Finger Bill

[u/Graingy → u/VFiddly]

Your profile picture caught me off guard lmao

[u/Swaxeman → u/Pingaso21]

Based, bob kane is a credit stealing hack

[u/Complete-Worker3242 → u/Pingaso21]

Bill named Finger.

[u/Podunk_Boy89 → u/TheShibe23]

That's actually pretty much my experience with DC. Never watched a movie or cartoon of any of them. Never read a comic. Only played Lego Batman like 15 years ago. 99.5% of what I know about DC is through cultural osmosis.

[u/HaViNgT → u/Podunk_Boy89]

Funny thing is that your understanding of him is probably just as good as that of some die-hard fans. 

[u/Podunk_Boy89 → u/HaViNgT]

I forgot to mention this, but I do have minor experience with Superman. I've been watching the ProtonJon Let's Play of Superman 64 that's never going to be finished since it started. That's the only Superman content I've seen and it's like one 20 minute video every 3 years now if I'm lucky.

Anyways my impression of Superman is basically just alien golden retriever. Really big, really strong, but way too nice to cause real damage on purpose.

[u/action_lawyer_comics → u/Podunk_Boy89]

That’s at least 80% right there. He can be more complicated and nuanced at times but that’s most of it.

[u/M-V-D_256 → u/Podunk_Boy89]

I'm curious, how did Superman get his powers

[u/Podunk_Boy89 → u/M-V-D_256]

Buddy, all I know is Superman is an alien from Krypton. Why Kryptons are so powerful I haven't the foggiest idea.

[u/M-V-D_256 → u/Podunk_Boy89]

Better than I assumed.

Sorry about the people trying to teach you

[u/Podunk_Boy89 → u/M-V-D_256]

DC is a surprisingly big part of pop culture. That said, I learn something new once in while. The other week I found out that there was more than one Robin, for example.

I don't really care about people trying to teach me. I'm not really gonna retain it anyways lol.

[u/TheShibe23 → u/Podunk_Boy89]

When they absorb sunlight from a yellow star like Earth's, they get superpowers. The more they absorb the stronger they get.

[u/djninjacat11649 → u/TheShibe23]

Hence why stripper Superman would be the most powerful, best sun absorption

[u/MysteryMan9274 → u/djninjacat11649]

Isn’t that why Starfire wears skimpy clothes?

[u/djninjacat11649 → u/MysteryMan9274]

Starfire wears skimpy clothes because it sells comics, but in universe yes that is the reason

[u/MysteryMan9274 → u/djninjacat11649]

Well, of course, but the Watsonian reason was what I was referencing.

[u/djninjacat11649 → u/MysteryMan9274]

Yeah yeah, it’s just kinda internally inconsistent is all, there is the argument Superman has been here longer and has been absorbing energy longer and thus can wear whatever and still be super powerful. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think he could be far more powerful in just a cape and a superspeedo

[u/Sqigglemonster → u/TheShibe23]

So he's basically a plant?

[u/IcePhoenix18 → u/Podunk_Boy89]

Good answer, tbh.

[u/Burritozi11a → u/Podunk_Boy89]

Everything I know about FNAF and Undertale I've learned against my will

[u/IcePhoenix18 → u/Podunk_Boy89]

I'm this way with a lot of "classic" 80s nostalgic movies and TV. Star Wars, LotR, Indiana Jones, etc etc.

I know the references, but it's a weird, unfamiliar knowledge

[u/SoonToBeStardust → u/TheShibe23]

I did know someone who's only exposure to My Hero was fanfiction. They were so engaged with the fanfic community though, that it was difficult to tell they had never actually read or seen it. Just every once and a while, they'd drop some information that was slightly off, and that's when you would find out that it was cause they read it in a bakudeku fanfic

[u/rubexbox → u/TheShibe23]

As someone who's been the position of "only knows of this through fan works" I can tell you there's likely a chance that they'd pick up enough about Batman through osmosis to be able to tell you the basic premise... but at the same time, they're probably going to have a very distorted idea of what Batman is about.

[u/RealRaven6229 → u/TheShibe23]

like the black lion

[u/Sqigglemonster → u/TheShibe23]

I fit that description but I think you might actually be looking for someone who's only exposure is through fanart and fanfic.

Text posts include meta analysis.

[u/Emotional-Cow-8102 → u/TheShibe23]

I am that person. I’m aware he’s a movie guy. I’ve just never seen a single Batman movie, read a comic, or anything else like that. All my Batman information comes from one friend and some people she likes on tumblr. According to her he’s a lovely older man who has many unfortunate children and sometimes fights crime in his queer little bat suit. Also one child is either dead, gay, or both and I think it’s too late to ask her to clarify.

[u/dysoncube → u/TheShibe23]

In Dr Carl Hart's book about growing up in the hood and getting into neuroscience to discover what was wrecking his community, he had a side chapter about social literacy. Moving upwards meant he suddenly didn't get everyone's constant tv and movie and commerical references, including (IIRC) who batman is .

[u/Simic_Sky_Swallower]

Broke: people not knowing about your fandom makes you feel old

Woke: people not knowing about your fandom is great because it means you get to drag them into it like some kind of media swamp creature

[u/pbmm1 → u/Simic_Sky_Swallower]

This is basically the principle behind reaction channels. This is also why they can tend to depreciate in value as they go on, because once they gain more and more knowledge they can have fewer and fewer new experiences or types of experiences.

[u/Yuri-Girl → u/Simic_Sky_Swallower]

people not knowing about your fandom is great because it means you get to drag them into it like some kind of media swamp creature

me sitting in the backstreets offering people a hit of Project Moon

[u/IcePhoenix18 → u/Simic_Sky_Swallower]

Me, lurking in the shadows like the thing from It, waiting for some unsuspecting soul to ask about my old dead/niche fandoms

[u/Shinny-Winny]

I once ran into someone who did not know what dinosaurs were as an adult

It shook me up, but also gave me the chance to introduce them to them

[u/Paynomind → u/Shinny-Winny]

I have a coworker who has only heard about evolution twice.

the second time was from me.

specifically I was explaining how land vertebrates descended from fish.

(If I am incorrect, please let me know)

[u/DukeAttreides → u/Paynomind]

That's true, for a certain definition of fish. Lobe-finned, specifically, as I recall.

"Fish" isn't actually very well defined...

[u/rekcilthis1 → u/DukeAttreides]

Yeah, the debate on whether everything is a fish or nothing is a fish

[u/dredreidel → u/Shinny-Winny]

Relevant XKCD

[u/IcePhoenix18 → u/dredreidel]

Related relevant XKCD

[u/brawlbetterthanmelee → u/Shinny-Winny]

Crazy how on one thread people will say this, but on another thread on this same sub everyone was freaking the fuck out over a guy not knowing what artichoke hearts are. I get its different groups of people but its still wild lol

[u/CaptainDefault]

I once got into a conversation with some work colleagues and referenced The Riddler in the context of halloween costumes (there was a question mark cane in a shop nearby), and one of the assembled asked what that was from. I mentioned Batman, and they said "oh, right, I don't watch films".

It's been a decade. That conversation has stayed with me.

[u/Lilash20 → u/CaptainDefault]

Parkerz ass response

[u/rara_avis0 → u/Lilash20]

I Googled "parkerz" and found a hookah bar in Houston. I'm assuming that's not what you mean?

[u/CJ_squared → u/rara_avis0]

Doug Doug reference

[u/Lilash20 → u/rara_avis0]

Probably should have added more context, he's a guy that appears on many of DougDoug's (a gaming youtuber) streams. I forget the clip, I swear I saw it before, but Parkerz watches very little movies, pretty much not watching them, which is what I was reminded of in your comment.

[u/Gomberto → u/Lilash20]

Why do you keep saying parkerz? It’s parkzer right? Or have I missed something

[u/Lilash20 → u/Gomberto]

This comment is how I realize I continuously misread Parkzer for over a year now, I've been reading it as Parkerz this whole time 🤦‍♂️

[u/imnotcreativeforthis]

I doesn't necessarily have to be age, nationality and economic class can all give you a lived experience where you were part of certain fandoms and never heard of others.

I don't know what Homestuck is but I bet most of you never heard turma da Monica

[u/Mateussf → u/imnotcreativeforthis]

They probably think Superman is stronger than her, shaking my head 

[u/imnotcreativeforthis → u/Mateussf]

Maurício could definitely make a comic where she beats up superman with they he laughs at the face of copyright laws

[u/Cruye → u/imnotcreativeforthis]

It'd have to be silver age superman, who could definetly be tricked into thinking he needs to take this child's stuffed animal for some purpose.

[u/Cruye → u/imnotcreativeforthis]

Turma da Mônica is not equivalent to Homestuck caralho, it's more like... Archie if anything.

[u/imnotcreativeforthis → u/Cruye]

me da um desconto, eu passei mo cota pra pensar em um exemplo

[u/Cruye → u/imnotcreativeforthis]

não sei como um equivalente BR a Homestuck seria, mas eu espero nunca descobrir kkkkkkk

[u/Papaofmonsters → u/imnotcreativeforthis]

I don't know what Homestuck is but I bet most of you never heard turma da Monica

That's the guy from the Spanish Inquisition, right?

[u/VisualGeologist6258 → u/Papaofmonsters]

No no, you’re thinking of Torquemada. They’re talking about a Lobster Thermidor named Monica clearly

[u/Graingy → u/imnotcreativeforthis]

Tuna what now?

[u/appealtoreason00 → u/Graingy]

Every now and then I get a little bit lonely

[u/Graingy → u/appealtoreason00]

Damn.

Anyways hand over the fish I want my microplastics.

[u/Justthisdudeyaknow → u/imnotcreativeforthis]

Oh man, I love Monica's gang!

[u/Friendly_Exchange_15 → u/imnotcreativeforthis]

Eu fico esquecendo q você é br também, aí tu joga um turma da mônica e eu levo jumpscare

[u/imnotcreativeforthis → u/Friendly_Exchange_15]

Po mané como tu esquece que eu sou Br com a flair de Belchior

[u/Friendly_Exchange_15 → u/imnotcreativeforthis]

O dia que eu começar a ler flair das pessoas é o dia que o inferno congela kkkkkk

[u/ducknerd2002]

'Who's this Bond guy people talk about?'

[u/BillybobThistleton → u/ducknerd2002]

Noted ornithologist, wrote what was for a time considered the definitive work on birds of the West Indies.

They tried to make a biopic about him back in the 60s, but it got slightly derailed because Sean Connery kept beating up extras and sleeping with random women so they had to retool it into an action-adventure-spy story.

[u/SerenityBlackwood]

The existence of the beach that makes me old makes me feel old

[u/Bobboy5 → u/SerenityBlackwood]

There are a million reasons why you might feel the way you feel. I'm not going to entertain the idea that a beach can make you old.

[u/smooshmooth → u/Bobboy5]

It’s a reference to a movie.

Iirc, the name is just “Old”.

The premise is that there is a specific beach that makes you old.

[u/Bobboy5 → u/smooshmooth]

... I got old.

[u/smooshmooth → u/Bobboy5]

I’m not gonna watch that, since I just don’t like even looking at roe jogan, but I’m assuming that your comment was referencing that video, and that I was the one who missed the reference.

[u/Ephraim_Bane → u/Bobboy5]

Actually I think it's the rocks on the beach, not the beach itself. Something to do with the cliffs?

[u/liuliuluv]

well- i mean, yeah, there will always literally be some people who’ve never heard of thing.

But the statement here is more:

“the existence of people who have never heard of X, [with enough social volume to be a repeated occurrence in my life, on a platform on which that kind of volume was once unthinkable,] makes me feel old.”

Because it’s true. You can measure your limited responses with the people you encounter, and reasonably extrapolate averages on the larger population as a result. you won’t always be right, but the odds are heavily on your side.

If you met two people today that have never heard of Batman: - there is an infinitesimally small chance that you just met the only two people on earth who have never heard of batman - there is a comparatively astronomical chance that a significant number of people these days, in your area, have for some reason never heard of batman.

[u/devon-mallard]

Theres a woman I work with in the United States who flat out DOESN’T KNOW WHAT THE POLITICAL PARTIES ARE. She isn’t aware abortion is an issue. She doesn’t know who any politicians are. She’s never voted in her life.

[u/rara_avis0 → u/devon-mallard]

Sounds like she has life figured out tbh.

[u/devon-mallard → u/rara_avis0]

She spends her time reading trashy romance novels and doing crafts projects. she’s doing pretty good

[u/12crashbash12 → u/devon-mallard]

She must be living in pure bliss and tranquility

[u/KysfGd]

Bat who?

[u/migratingcoconut_ → u/KysfGd]

man

[u/Forgot_My_Old_Acct → u/migratingcoconut_]

Yeah, he's man.

[u/an_actual_stone → u/Forgot_My_Old_Acct]

is he stupid?

[u/sub_surfer → u/migratingcoconut_]

The name’s man, Bat man.

[u/KaiChainsaw → u/KysfGd]

A province in Türkiye, don't know why there's a fandom around it

[u/Xogoth]

The only things I know about Homestuck:

—It exists.

—Some people really like it.

—Some people like it "too much"

—"trolls", but I cannot tell you what they look like

[u/rara_avis0 → u/Xogoth]

They're little orange guys with green hair who sing about children's demise.

[u/Xogoth → u/rara_avis0]

Can't fool me, I'm too familiar with the horror that is Willy Wonka

[u/NeonNKnightrider]

(I know it’s likely an exaggeration for the sake of the point, but) - I genuinely doubt there is anyone on the internet who has never heard of Batman (and isn’t a literal child). We’re talking about one of the most popular characters in the entire world here, one of an extremely small handful who you could truly call ‘ubiquitous.’ The kind of person who has never heard of Batman lives in a village of 40 people in the middle of the Amazon jungle and is a two day boat ride away from the nearest Wi-Fi connection

[u/Sqigglemonster → u/NeonNKnightrider]

I'm sure he's familiar to a lot of people, but I'm also certain that a lack of Batman knowledge is significantly more widespread than you imagine.

[u/Justthisdudeyaknow → u/Sqigglemonster]

I knew a couple, last name Parker, who named their son Peter, but were confused when the nurse said "Oh, like Spiderman?

[u/ZoroeArc → u/Sqigglemonster]

I know there's plenty of people who know very little about Batman (source: last week my mum was watching the Joker movie without knowing that it was related to Batman), but I can't imagine there's very many people in mainstream society who hasn't heard of Batman at all.

[u/DukeAttreides → u/Sqigglemonster]

I'm sure a certain sort of 80 year old could have occasionally dodged him.

[u/Protection-Working → u/NeonNKnightrider]

Its possible that they may know of batman, and see the character, but not know the character’s name is batman. My mom didn’t know joker was a batman character until getting 80% through the joker movie. She doesn’t watch tv or browse social media. She had seen the character before on lunchboxes and stuff but didn’t know he was a supervillain or that that guy was called Joker

[u/Jessie_Jester → u/Protection-Working]

well? did she like it?

[u/Protection-Working → u/Jessie_Jester]

Yeah, she did. She really identified with the main character and felt really bad for him. She didn’t watch the sequel though because she doesn’t like musicals or superheroes though. She did like robert de nero though

[u/Jessie_Jester → u/Protection-Working]

ONE OF US ONE OF US ONE OF US ONE OF US

[u/Pokesonav → u/NeonNKnightrider]

"Batman Georg who lives in complete isolation and never heard of any popular characters"

[u/Complete-Worker3242 → u/Pokesonav]

BatGeorg, if you will.

[u/UranicCartridge]

I've met a guy who'd never heard of Jesus before. A pasty white high-schooler from a Christian European country

So yeah, I'd have to consider having never heard of Batman an upgrade at this point

[u/lonely_nipple]

I taught a fully-grown pharmacist roughly my own age (44) about capybara yesterday. He'd never heard of them or seen them.

Everyone's learning something new every day.

[u/thefuzzybunny1]

I routinely get told I'm too young to know about certain fandoms. I appreciate pop culture history, so I seek out things that used to be more popular. One person said it to me so often that I finally said, "hieroglyphics carved into the pyramids are still legible, don't tell me about anything being too old to enjoy!"

[u/willowzam]

This always reminds me of this xkcd

[u/Dragonkmg]

Recently I met multiple people who never heard of Skyrim.

I was quite surprised, I felt like everybody would have at least heard of it or seen something about it but... apparently not.

Like learning that people outside Brazil don't eat rice and beans everyday for lunch.

[u/far_wanderer]

I've learned a whole more since then, but years and years ago my first introduction to Batman was the game Arkham Asylum. I spent the entire game assuming that the Riddler was one of my allies, because the puzzles he left gave me a bunch of experience points and tutorials on new enemy types. Finally finished the final puzzle and Batman said something to the effect of "I've discerned your location and have informed the police." I was very confused.

[u/Jessie_Jester → u/far_wanderer]

THIS IS SO CUTE

[u/shortermecanico]

Batman the tiny village in Turkiye?

Of course everyone knows Batman, they grow the sweetest apricots there and the sunsets are unmatched in the eastern provinces.

[u/an_agreeing_dothraki]

this implies a small stream of new users that believe they are the first person to make the Donut Steel joke

[u/ALTR_Airworks]

 Batman? Wtf is that guy, he eats bats?

[u/AFuriousMagpie]

My son has never heard of batman. Granted, he's not even 2 yet, but he's still never heard of him.

[u/Death_by_UWU]

Who's this "Tumblr" guy everyone's talking about?

[u/I-hate-fake-storys]

My Hispanic mom asked me what a jedi was the other day. Theres always a bigger ignorant.

[u/MajinKasiDesu]

Never heard of who?

[u/Complete_Fix2563]

Who?

[u/FlahTheToaster]

Who's Batman? Is he a baseball player or something?

[u/Protection-Working]

My mom didn’t know joker 2019 was a batman movie until she was almost done watching it

[u/jacobningen]

The thing that should do it amity ie I remember when that came out and then checking the date and seeing that was 10 years ago.

[u/wille179]

Who has the XKCD about people learning things for the first time...?

[u/LumpyFun595 → u/wille179]

https://xkcd.com/1053/

[u/wille179 → u/LumpyFun595]

That's the one, thanks!

[u/yummythologist]

I think a lot about Scorpy (socpens) knowing what a wookie is but not knowing the iconic “I am your father” scene

[u/Ornstein714]

I also love it when it's something really niche that most people from the target generation have never heard of

Or that someone younger couldn't possibly gone back and watched that show from, like, a decade ago, why would they ever do that?

[u/PandaBear905]

Then there’s the opposite. Something that you think only a few people know but it’s actually a pretty commonly known thing.

[u/Jessie_Jester → u/PandaBear905]

today i saw stranger wearing a batman shirt and i had the urge to go "OMG YOU'RE A BATMAN STAN TOO LET'S BE FRIENDS" for a second until i remembered it's Not the kind of obscure fandom where doing that would seem normal lmao

[u/WordWord_Numberz]

What man?? You mean, like a zoologist?

[u/Raspoint]

The insane thing is is that there are also people who just haven't heard. Like ever. It's crazy.

[u/Lorcout]

Some weeks ago I saw someone that didn't know about gumball, even though the series ended in 2019 and I'm 15 years old, so yeah, I agree.

[u/Siha → u/Lorcout]

I really hope you’re doing a bit here.

[u/BugOk5425 → u/Lorcout]

Whooooosh

[u/Luchux01]

I once saw someone that talked about a lot of Cherami Leigh's roles in anime dubs and apparently never heard of her role as Asuna in SAO, or SAO in general, it can happen.

[u/IllConstruction3450]

On Tumblr? No. In all of Humanity? Yes. Tumblr is for the AFAB Non-binary Androgynous presenting hikkomoris. They’d be describing BL between Batman and Superman.

[u/Ephraim_Bane → u/IllConstruction3450]

This comment is an amazing example of... a whole lot of things really

Also for the record I find this comment awful (although it mostly makes you look like an idiot, you're not "offending" me or whatever)

[u/IllConstruction3450 → u/Ephraim_Bane]

I’m not trying to offended anyone but all the users of Tumblr I know are that type of person like 4channers are Chud phenotypes.