Head Canon is DUMB

[rereboy]

But you can't have your own canon. The fact that you think so, shows that it's a term that leads to confusion.

You can. In your head, as an hypothetical one. He isn't confused.

You said that "headcanon" can't refer to something subjective because "canon" doesn't refer to something subjective. AKA, you were saying that they can't refer to different things.

Not what I wrote.

Right, you said that one can't refer to an objective thing while the other refers to an subjective thing. Even though they are different things. Just because "canon" is part of the name.

But you can't have your own canon.

Why the fuck not? -_-

Obviously, you can have your own hypothetical canon in your head, as long as you don't think that your preference actually applies, objectively, to the franchise and other people. ABED just believes that people should, painstakingly, go out of their way to state that they don't think that their preference actually applies to the franchise and other people because he believes people are confused about it.

Language is a living organism, not stagnating and which gets a lot of multiple meanings by common usage. You have to accept that there is a thing such as head-canon. Just as you have to accept that a strawberry is called a berry even though it is scientifically wrong.

The only dumb thing is when people say "won't accept it even if its canon" and therefore ignore what is true which can get annoying in arguments. Because that is what really is a waste of time. But that's it. As long as people don't annoy in such arguments or at least understand that authority decides what the real deal is, it is fine.

That's a pretty good example. And I agree with your point.

[Dbzfan94]

I whole heartedly disagree. Head canon can be used to think of fun little things that we never see, like what happens at Christmas time at the Son house. If you don't like that type of thing that's fine but it's not dumb.

[Deathbringer]

I have altered my signature as to not cause any further confusion, I also apologise for confusing everyone by using this dumb term that lumps together two opposing concepts.

[ABED]

But you can't have your own canon.

Why the fuck not? -_-

Because it ceases to be canon. Canon is what some official body says it is. Why are you so desperate to want canon to be whatever you want?

Head canon can be used to think of fun little things that we never see, like what happens at Christmas time at the Son house

Not what I mean. If you want to create imaginary scenarios with characters you didn't create, more power to you. I have no problem with that, it can be fun, but that's not what I think is dumb.

In your head, as an hypothetical one

Then it ceases to be canon. It's simply what you would like to have happened.

Language is a living organism, not stagnating and which gets a lot of multiple meanings by common usage.

Your berry example is well taken, but it's benign in comparison to the ways in which people have used this excuse in order to change the way people thing of things by making them vague and creating package deals. Canon vs. "head canon" isn't as insideous as changing the meaning of liberal, but there's still no good reason to create such a term.

Right, you said that one can't refer to an objective thing while the other refers to an subjective thing. Even though they are different things. Just because "canon" is part of the name.

Still not what I wrote. It's partially true, but doesn't go to the heart of the matter.

[rereboy]

Then it ceases to be canon. It's simply what you would like to have happened.

It's hypothetical canon, according to my preference.

If I imagine a female Goku, for example, it's obviously still Goku even though it's not the "real" Goku, it's just an hypothetical Goku because it doesn't exist in the franchise, but it exists in my head as an hypothetical version or take on Goku.

Hypothetical, by definition, means that it's not real. It's imagined, an "what if". And it does exist in my head, in my preference, in my imagination. That's the whole point of it. A personal take on canon, just like I might have a personal take on Goku within my head.

Still not what I wrote. It's partially true, but doesn't go to the heart of the matter.

It's what you wrote, just in other words.

[kinisking]

Head Canon is amazing. It fills in holes and enriches the experience! However, if actual Canon ends up going against it, they'res no need to freak out. Unfortunately, some people go to far.

[Anime Kitten]

Canon is what some official body says it is.

And what does one do when some official body has not declared a canon?

[Lord Beerus]

I have to admit that I've never really liked the term "head canon". But people only really say that term because it's a much simpler and abbreviated fashion of expressing their own interpretation of a story. It doesn't make it what they say to be any more factual than what is stated in the actual story they are providing their interpretation of. The term itself really has no real weight or meaning to it. It's basically another way of saying, "In my opinion".

[Cetra]

I have to admit that I've never really liked the term "head canon". But people only really say that term because it's a much simpler and abbreviated fashion of expressing their own interpretation of a story. It doesn't make it what they say to be any more factual than what is stated in the actual story they are providing their interpretation of. The term itself really has no real weight or meaning to it. It's basically another way of saying, "In my opinion".

Yeah, I hate whenever people actually act like them ignoring something would play any role for a franchise but as long as they don't, fine by me.

[sintzu]

But you can't have your own canon.

Why the fuck not? -_-

I have one.

[Zephyr]

There's no way that someone who is helping to Make Sonic Great Again™ could possibly be dumb.

[TheGreatness25]

"Head canon" and "personal canon" are now in the urban dictionary, so regardless of their proper use, they have become acceptable terms with a particular definition assigned to them. This thread was literally opened up with the words "I hate." "Hate?" Seriously? Hate is a really strong word for something like this. And yet it was used the way people generally use it... kind of like "headcanon" has been used on here.

People are just using these terms the way they have been conditioned to using them; starting a crusade on here against the semantics of the terms is not going to change them in general society... or whoever uses them.

[simtek34]

There's no way that someone who is helping to Make Sonic Great Again™ could possibly be dumb.

HAHA! We really need Sonic 3&K Remastered.

[ABED]

"Head canon" and "personal canon" are now in the urban dictionary, so regardless of their proper use, they have become acceptable terms with a particular definition assigned to them. This thread was literally opened up with the words "I hate." "Hate?" Seriously? Hate is a really strong word for something like this. And yet it was used the way people generally use it... kind of like "headcanon" has been used on here.

People are just using these terms the way they have been conditioned to using them; starting a crusade on here against the semantics of the terms is not going to change them in general society... or whoever uses them.

You're using urban dictionary as proof? And fair enough about hate. I dislike it.

And what does one do when some official body has not declared a canon?

Go on with your life? Does anything have to be explicitly declared as canon? Were Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes stories not canon even though the term was not used in such contexts during his lifetime (as far as I know?)

[Ssenrof]

Wow, I've had many debates regarding canon- it's kinda a staple in the DB community. Never have I encountered someone who argued that head-canon is a confusing/redundant/irrelevant term.

However, I will take your word for it for the sake of argument.

An oxymoron is a set of words that have contrary definitions. A shining darkness, smart stupid personality, etc...

Just because two words have contradicting definitions doesn't mean they can't accurately respresent a real word situation. For example: Fictional Reality.

1) Fictional: Not depicting reality
2) Reality: Depicts Reality

1 and 2 have condradicting definitions. That doesn't mean they can't be used in conjunction to describe something beyond their independent usage:

Fictional Reality - the reality that exists within a non real world.

Dragon Ball Z takes place in a fictional reality.

Does that statement make sense to you? Is the fact that reality and fictional are used together confusing or without purpose? Should we not use the term Fictional Reality?

Is the fact that Dragon Ball is fictional imply that it cannot be a type of reality? Similar to how ones personal thoughts cannot be a type of Cannon?

Let's compare this example to head-cannon.

1) head - refers to Ones personal opinions/thoughts
2) cannon- refers to a entities official product/continuity.

Head-cannon: refers to Ones personal interpretations
Regarding another's works.

The word has been expanded in the community to discuss all things related to wishes/explanations regarding cannon that have not been officially explained.

Let me elaborate by detailing a situation where the term head-canon would make sense to use.

It's my head-cannon that Child Trunks/Goten "inherited" Their fathers ability to to turn Super Sayain.

Here is another version of the same idea without the use of the word head-canon.

I believe that it would be reasonable to assume that a theoretical in universe explanation for why Goten and Trunks transform into Super Sayains so easily could be that they inherited their fathers strength.

Both statements accuratly depict a a real world thought process that many fans have gone through. In order to easily communicate these ideas on message boards fans use colloquial interpretations of words for simplicity. Head-canon simply refers to ones own personal views/interpretations on a canonical work.

Headcannon is to cannon like Fictional Reality is to

_________.

Similar words describe identical processes in other contexts.

Historiography describes ones personal interpretations on history. How do historians think Rome fell? What was the greatest factor? The term historiography refers to the theories on the how and why certain events happened throughout history. Historians developed theories as to how certain events came about- these theories aren't strictly "history" since it's unknown what the actual reason is.

This process directly parallels how fans develope theories as to how/why certain Events happened in the canonical work of An author/agency.

Just because historical events are objective doesn't stop individual humans from interpreting them in a subjective fashion.


Hopefully, I have explained the reasoning and usage of the word adequately for you.

If not please elaborate on exactly what is confusing so they we can continue discussion and I could
Try to explain the situation more Clearly.

[Ki Breaker]

Sorry that made me crack up..
Yes, I was also confused when I first joined the community..
What a head canon? What does canon even freaking mean.. how do I confirm these mean what I think it means? Dictionary definition doesn't do it for these things most of the times, so it's confusing at first..

But it actually does have its own charm.. as you dive deeper into this community you being to get familiar with these terms.. head canon is a stupid word but it gets the job done, its kind of a common word, happens to be created when you need to repeat a sentence over and over again..
I personally never use the term head canon..

Another word like this is saying 'I had a brain fart'
Something about this grinds my gears

[TheGreatness25]

You're using urban dictionary as proof?

As proof that it's exists in our society and used and understood in a certain way enough to justify people using if? Yes.

[TekTheNinja]

And what does one do when some official body has not declared a canon?

Go on with your life? Does anything have to be explicitly declared as canon? Were Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes stories not canon even though the term was not used in such contexts during his lifetime (as far as I know?)

I think you missed his entire point.

[TheMohawkAndroid]

That's why I say "in my head movies" instead

[RedRibbonSoldier#42]

You're using urban dictionary as proof?

As proof that it's exists in our society and used and understood in a certain way enough to justify people using if? Yes.

"head-canon" is not in my head-dictionary.

I agree with ABED. It's a nonsense term. It also does nothing. What happens to works not a part of you head-canon? Do you forget they exist? Can't do any more VS battles about it? Burn your DVD's?