[GUEST] Shipping: Making Our Lives Better

Do you know what “shipping” represents in fan culture?

Please absolutely do not think it represents sending packages to other places!

It actually means taking an interest in or hoping for a romantic relationship with others, such as celebrities or fictional characters.

They might or might not be a real couple or even know each other. They might be a heterosexual or homosexual couple, or strangely, they might not even be human.

(Source: Cecilia)

“There is nothing you can’t imagine, and nothing they can’t ship.”

For example, Jelena (Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez), Sherlock Holmes & John Watson, Deadpool & Spiderman…

Benefit of “Shipping”

Shippers get a lot of benefits through shipping couples.

Please stick with me. I can convince you.

First of all, “shippers” will ship couples from all over the world, which means they will be exposed to languages from around the world. It could be those Asian languages such as Japanese, Korean, or Chinese, or a European language such as Norwegian or French.

Take me as an example, I’ve learned basic Thai just because I ship Thai couples.

Additionally, shippers will create content for their couple of imagination, such as writing novels, editing videos, and crafting fan art. Through these passion-driven pursuits, these shippers are also able to acquire a variety of valuable skills which they could eventually monetise to support their hobby.

They share these self-made contents on various online platforms to allow fellow fan shippers to enjoy which can draw more people into appreciating their favourite couple. These fan ‘arts’ can be found on popular platforms such as Archive of Our Own (AO3), Lofter, X(formerly known as Twitter), Pixiv, YouTube, and TikTok.

Of course, the most important thing is for shippers to relieve stress and get happiness by shipping their favourites.

Imagine after a tiring day, you watch those sweet moments of them and almost instantly, your day and mood just got that much better.

Why Are They Shipping?

Still, why do some people become so immersed in the shipping culture?

Shipping could satisfy their imagination and fantasies towards love. Shippers reflect their own emotional needs on shipping others into relationships. This allowed them to fulfil their need for love without diving into a real-life relationship.

“Shipping a good couple is better than getting into a hurtful relationship!” - Yap Ai Ling.

Getting into a relationship will eventually cost a lot of time, money and emotional value. Love is something unpredictable. They might risk getting an unpleasant experience that is undoubtedly hard to detach from.

But shipping distanced itself from other acts. If you no longer like a particular couple, you can start liking another one. You can even ship many couples at the same time, experiencing different vibes in between their relationship.

In short, you don’t have to endure the hardships of love; rather, you only savour the sweetness of it.

Psychology of Shipping

To delve into the phenomenon of shipping, we can switch our attention to the psychological side.

Ang Sin Yee, a psychology student from New Era University College explores the world of shipping with me. She pointed out that shipping can be a way for individuals to seek emotional connections and a sense of belonging.

Drawing on Sigmund Freud’s concept of “substitutive satisfaction”, she explains that people seek substitutes when they cannot fulfil their real desires. Shippers often project their ideal relationships onto fictional characters or celebrities to satisfy their emotional needs.

To pursue the hobby of shipping, we must find a balance with real life. Sin Yee’s insights remind us that maintaining this balance is key to enjoyable shipping. It is essential to distinguish between fiction and reality.

Experience of Shipper

To offer a personal glimpse into the shippers’ world, I had the pleasure of speaking with Cecilia, an experienced shipper deeply involved in the fandom community.

She began as an admirer, revelling in the imagined relationships of her favourite couple. However, for Cecilia, ‘shipping’ was more than a hobby. It evolved into forming lasting friendships. She and her friends created a close-knit community through shipping. They discuss their beloved couples, regardless of whether they share the same favourites.

Studying in Taiwan brought her closer to her dream of meeting actors from her favourite Taiwanese drama. From attending signings to birthday celebrations, Cecilia cherished each moment, even if she realized the chances of seeing her beloved couple together might be limited.

Merchandise became a tangible representation of her fandom. She proudly displayed magazine covers and other items to show her support and love for the shipped couple.

To those unfamiliar with this culture, Cecilia explains that it’s not just about romance; it’s about enjoying all kinds of love, whether between family members or friends.

“Whether you ‘ship’ or not, let’s respect love!” she opined.

To Cecilia and many others, shipping is a world of endless possibilities, a way to explore real feelings and share happiness with other shippers.

Advice from Shippers

“Shipping” is undoubtedly a source of happiness or escapism, but there are some pieces of advice from experienced shippers:

First, not every couple you ship is real. It’s crucial to respect real-life boundaries.

Accepting that the couples you ship exist solely in your imagination could be a harsh reality. The characters you’re shipping are fictional, and the actors portraying them have their own real lives.

They might eventually break up even if they are truly together in real life. There’s no need to get angry or saddened by it or even attack these actors.

The beauty of shipping lies in its imaginative and creative nature, where shippers can explore diverse pairings without limitations.

So, please always respect their privacy and distinguish rationally between fiction and reality.

And also, don’t overspend for your ships. It is understandable that avoiding activities related to your favourite couple or refraining from purchasing couple-related merchandise can be extremely challenging. Some of it is fine artworks, which explains why most people interviewed bought them.

However, spending too much on these items is not wise because your interests may change over time. While indulging in fandom is undeniably exciting, it’s wise to not overspend on merchandise or events related to your ships.

“Maintaining a healthy balance between your fandom activities and real-life responsibilities is crucial,” advised Ang.

Shipping brings a sparkle to many lives. It's an outlet for creativity, a source of emotional fulfilment, and a refuge from the intricacies of real-world ties.

Whether you're a seasoned shipper or just dipping your toes into this world, it's undeniable: shipping has sprinkled joy into our lives.

Imagine if we could 'ship' real-life relationships with such enthusiasm!

Whether you’re in or out of this culture, one thing's clear: love truly conquers all.

After all, isn't love one of the most magical experiences on Earth?

Let's celebrate it, one ship at a time!

This guest feature article is contributed by Quat Siew Ching, a Year 1 Bachelor of Mass Communication (Honours) in Advertising and Brand Management student from the Media Writing module at the School of Media and Communication, Taylor’s University.