The incredible capitalistic power of Hollywood and other mass entertainment generators have punctured social, physical, and relational boundaries with its content. As a result, fan culture has become the world's new common mythology. Presented under a proper guise of apolitical fiction, each international film or book series holds a unique didactic power over the hearts of consumers. Instead of writing metaphors from classic literature, long-dead philosophers, and ancient political theorists, fan activists draw their inspiration from more colloquial, more accessible mediums of mass entertainment. This phenomenon has encouraged (with varying degrees of success) a shift in attitude toward political participation and involvement; instead of formal methods of engagement (like protesting as a human, or associated human identity), people can unironically participate as fantastical creatures fighting for an ideology portrayed in popular media.
This fannish participation captures the public's attention and passion in a unique way; instead of attracting attention via communication of valid social concerns, fan activism's initial draw comes from the popular media it appropriates. The "Hunger is Not a Game" initiative serves as an example. This campaign was intended to encourage fans of Suzanne Collins's popular "Hunger Games" series to learn about and mobilize against world hunger. The initiative's graphics relied heavily on the pop-culture tie, drawing in people who were already involved with and/or passionate about Collins's franchise.
The Avatar incident discussed in Jenkin's article relies on a similar issues engagement--people involved in the Bil'in situation drew ties with a contemporary social canon and drew the interest of a world similarly interested in Cameron's film.
This fantastical approach to public action and discourse begs attention from every individual that engages with media. International entertainment or fan cultures may not inspire political action by themselves, but they do make those actions understandable and attractive to popular consumers.
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