Meta rec and Very Scientific Poll

[ash48]

bardicvoice has written some great meta on why we see Sam and Dean differently: The Rainbow Connection, or Can You See What I See?

I like the ideas presented - it all makes perfect sense to me. It should help people realise that it's OK to see the show differently and arguing about it (read "being nasty") isn't going to achieve much. I think discussing is valuable because I think sharing the differing views can be interesting. Though, as bardicvoice's put it - "You're going to believe what you believe no matter what I say, unless I happen upon an explanation that fits your emotional reality and both allows and persuades you to change your point of view. Trust me, those occasions are few and far between".

She also refers to an article written about why we connect to fictional characters in such a passionate way. This is fascinating also.

If you enjoy this type of analysis I highly recommend it.

She can't answer what it is in each of our personalities that makes us respond the way we do, unfortunately. I imagine such a study would be extraordinarily difficult.

However...I did wonder if we might be able to do a highly (un)scientific survey to see if there's anything we can pin down that make us either a Sam!person or a Dean!person or a both bro!person.



I think of myself as a Sam!girl (who adores Dean <333). I often wonder what draws me to Sam and I think I can simply put it down to:

1) He's the younger brother
2) He has long hair
3) I find Jared ridiculously attractive

(I find Jensen ridiculously attractive too. I love Dean and there's no way I would adore Sam the way I do without Dean being there).

In most TV/film partnerships I've always favored the younger of a pair - Luke over Han, AJ over Rick (Simon and Simon), Stephen over Mike (in the Tomorrow People). I have no idea why that is. I've sometimes wondered if it has anything to do with my position in my family. I am the eldest.

Which makes me wonder if the way we favour either Sam or Dean has anything to do with whether or not we have younger or older siblings? (I think not, but it might be fun to see if there is any trend).


[Poll #1918144]


It's just for fun (and I'm curious...). In all honesty I imagine there are a number of factors dictating not only the way we sympathise with a particular character but also how we interpret story lines and "see" the show. I don't know how you'd ever find out what makes one person see it one way and other a different way. It would be quite a study I should imagine.

Comments

[casey28.livejournal.com]

I identify a lot with Sam, I always have. But I'm a bi-bro Samgirl, I can't have one without the other! I love Dean so much too, especially when he's protective of Sam.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Yeah - bibro Samgirl for me too. Dean is awesome. <3

[bt-kady.livejournal.com]

I marked myself as being both a Sam person as well as bi-bro. I've been a Sam girl from the beginning, but I have come to love Dean too. As for sibs, I have both older and younger ones. I'm your typical middle kid.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :) I think I started bibro and slanted toward Sam as the seasons went on. though I am still loving both boys like Whoa!

[purenegative.livejournal.com]

Just thought I'd leave this here - I only answered the Dean!person question, and have no siblings (three cats don't count, right?).

I was wondering about this too, by the way! Judging from the rests you got, there seems to be no correlation, though we could come to the conclusion that a large portion of Supernatural fans who responded to the survey have younger siblings!

[ash48.livejournal.com]

(three cats don't count, right?)

Ha! I should have included that. :) (though I do wish I had included something about children in this one...)

though we could come to the conclusion that a large portion of Supernatural fans who responded to the survey have younger siblings!

I know. Even now that the participant number has doubled the trend is still the same - more older siblings than any other group. Interesting...

[tess4.livejournal.com]

I saw your ask on all_spn so,

I have a younger sister and:

In season 1 I liked Sam better,
Season 2 I liked both of them equally
season 3 - I prefered Dean
since season 4 I love Castiel the most
...
so I don't know...I would click "I consider myself neither a Dean!person or Sam!person" but I don't fully understand what you mean by "bi bro all the way!". I met some people who called themselves bibro fans and were very hostile towards everything and everyone who wasn't Sam or Dean (especially Castiel and his fans), and that I'm not.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hi. Thanks.

Bibro - just meaning no preference for one over the other. Some who who genuinely sees them both in the same light. It doesn't mean they hate other characters at all. I think of myself as bi bro with a Sam slant. Doesn't mean I don't adore Dean (or many of the other characters) though. If fact there isn't Sam without Dean for me. <3

As for the fluctuating...um...some have ticked all the boxes because there preferences changed as the season changed.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hey,

bi bro all the way!

I simply meant both brothers equally. Bi -bro is a term I've often seen meaning someone who loves Sam and Dean equally. No favs.

I didn't even consider that meaning "anti" other characters when I wrote bi!bro I have to say. I didn't include Cas mainly because I was interested in the Sam and Dean leanings for this one.

Personally I don't understand character hate. I mean, I understand people not liking a particular character but hating on a character or fans that like that character has never made any sense to me. ;))

[cha.livejournal.com]

heh :) I don't fit in y our survey - but thought I would throw this out there out of interest. Sam!person - had a younger brother but he passed away when I was very y oung

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hi cha,

Thanks for stopping by. I'm sorry to hear about your brother.

I did think that maybe people with younger siblings might be attracted to Sam because of some sort of nurturing instinct or something, but that just hasn't been the case.

[nicccc.livejournal.com]

I love Sam and Dean both, but I favour Sam of the two. I relate more with Sam - his thought processes and general ability to see in shades of grey, whereas Dean is more likely to see things as being black-and-white (and his being so righteous can sometimes grate on my nerves), is far more like me. Sam being more at home with his research and books is a plus in my column. Sam comes across to me as being way more even-keeled emotionally, which I dig.

I do love Dean - he's got a lot of great traits, but his flaws are the kind that tend to most frustrate me in other people, whereas Sam's don't. Like, if I were to hang out with Dean, I would think him great fun, a wonderful friend, and full of so much good, but I won't deny there would be loads of moments where I'd simultaneously want to punch him.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

I would think him great fun, a wonderful friend, and full of so much good, but I won't deny there would be loads of moments where I'd simultaneously want to punch him.

Ha!! I think that might be a great way to sum Dean up (and I'm sure some might say the same for Sam) They are both awesome and at the same time very frustrating....

[sailorhathor.livejournal.com]

I am probably a textbook example of what this "study" is about. I am the youngest of my family and I favor Dean because he's so damn protective of his younger sibling. It was one of the first things that made me love Dean so much. Since our parents have both passed away, my older sibs couldn't care less what happens to me, so watching Dean care so much about Sam is like fantasy fulfillment for me. It's also why I enjoy writing fanfic in which Dean and Sam have a sister. It's all so psychological!

[ash48.livejournal.com]

I love Dean's protectiveness SO MUCH! It makes him such a hero in my books. I lean toward Sam and I've often wondered if it's because I'm the eldest and have a protective streak of my own (and as a mother it's even stronger).

Living out our fantasies through them or the show would be something that we all experience I should imagine.

Sorry to hear about your sibs though.

[violue.livejournal.com]

I'm a Cas person, but before that I was a Dean person, so I answered as a Dean person o-o hope that's okay.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

All good! Sorry about not having a Cas option. Mostly because I was interested in the relationship between them as siblings and what siblings fans had.
xx

[quickreaver.livejournal.com]

Been meaning to comment on this! Had to skim the responses first.

Of course I don't like bashing either character. Both of them can be asshole shit-heads sometimes. Hey, THEY'RE MEN. *hee!*

I'm a Sam!girl but God, I love Dean too. When it comes to getting that fluttery feeling in my belly, though, it's Sam/Jared. Call it chemistry. Though I confess to understanding Dean a helluva lot better. I'm also the eldest of four and married to a very Dean-ish man. Go figure.

After reading Bardicvoice's article, I can't say I agree with it 100%. Most of it? Yes! We will always see things through our own filters. But I think it's important to keep an open mind and invite discussion, but more importantly, be willing to admit when we might be unduly prejudiced or coming to a negative conclusion that is possibly unwarranted or misdirected.

I love thoughtfully butting heads. I've had some wonderful discussions where the outcome was "We'll have to agree to disagree" on certain points, but we end up understanding each other better, and there are no hurt feelings. And we might even look at things differently next time.

My most, hmm, uneasy(?) moments are when solid fanfic authors--whose writing I heartily enjoy--make their preferences known by word choice and dialogue, not obvious plot events. Such a golden light is aimed at one brother to the point the other looks dull in comparison. One is used to make the other look better. Clearly, it's not intentional but it's noticeable nonetheless, and kinda makes me pouty. Those are tough to reconcile for me.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Though I confess to understanding Dean a helluva lot better. I'm also the eldest of four and married to a very Dean-ish man. Go figure.

Oh me too! I can't figure it either (and hence the poll). Sammy/Jared just does things to me....*swoon*

I've had some wonderful discussions where the outcome was "We'll have to agree to disagree" on certain points, but we end up understanding each other better, and there are no hurt feelings. And we might even look at things differently next time.

I love these too. It's hard to have these conversations sometimes but when it happens it's great. I had one recently after the Destiel post and we respectfully disagreed with each other the whole time. :)

Such a golden light is aimed at one brother to the point the other looks dull in comparison. One is used to make the other look better.

Yeah. That's tricky. I imagine if writers actually believe that one character is somehow "better" than the other then that will come through in their writing - even if they don't intend it to be that way.

[yourlibrarian]

That is rather interesting how many people are the oldest sibling -- or perhaps it's just that older siblings are more likely to take polls ;)

Intriguing poll idea!

[ash48.livejournal.com]

or perhaps it's just that older siblings are more likely to take polls ;)

I definitely considered this! Or that LJ has older users and therefore they are more likely to have younger siblings. Even now with 194 participants the older siblings outweigh the younger ones.

[lexslave.livejournal.com]

started off as a sam!person, morphed into a dean!person...and was swept away by cas. now it's destiel ALL THE WAY!!! but, i would have NEVER, at ANY time, kicked sammy out of bed. ;)

[ash48.livejournal.com]

but, i would have NEVER, at ANY time, kicked sammy out of bed. ;)

HA! I hear ya! ;D

lol

[maguie.livejournal.com]

LOL the options for "I chose not to participate in this survey because"...

lol by clicking I'm participating :D

Re: lol

[ash48.livejournal.com]

hee...I'm glad you got my joke...;)

xox

[hunters-retreat.livejournal.com]

Okay, so I find it hard to chose Sam or Dean because I love both brothers. However, I did pick Dean because I happen to relate more to him. I grew up in the mid-west and a lot of the relationship that I see between Sam/Dean/John is very familiar to me in terms of how I grew up seeing families communicate. I also happen to be a big sister to a little brother. My brother and I are very close in age (only 11 months apart and for 3 weeks out of every year we are actually the same age ;P) so we've always been close. He was my best friend for a large part of my life and still one of my closest. I lived with him for two years in college and when I moved from the midwest to the west coast he followed me out three years later. So I'm really close to my brother and whenever I think about the things Dean does, I totally get it because I would sell my soul to save my brother and I would be pissed if he ever did the same :P I try to take care of my little brother and I keep an eye on him as much as I can. So yeah, I think my family position definitely influences who I identify with more on the show :P Plus... my little brother was the smart one and I was the party girl :P

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hi,

I love your story. It's so nice to hear you being so close. I have a younger brother but we aren't close at all. I am with my sisters though.

I thought that maybe all older siblings might gravitate toward Dean for the same reason you mention but looks like that's not the case. I am sure our reasons for who we lean towards are each as individual as we are. (I have to confess that I would love to find something that's a trend, but it would be far too complicated a survey. And hard get a good sample).
xx

Because I'm a big sister

[(Anonymous)]

I watch this show for the brothers. I am both an older and a younger sister. My older siblings aren't really like family though. My younger brother means the world to me and I'd do anything for him. Anything. So I like that Dean is all badass and awesome and a great big brother because it reminds me of myself. My brother and I have been through hell and even if they are fictional, it's nice to watch someone else struggle to keep their younger sibling safe. I'd say I'm a Dean person, even though I love Sam as well.

Re: Because I'm a big sister

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hi,

It's lovely to hear you have that relationship with your brother. It would be nice to have that kind of connection to Dean also - understanding where he's coming from. :)