Flipboard Culture Desk<p>What's the difference between being interested in something, and being a die-hard fan? According to Michael Elliott, a professor of sociology at Towson University, the latter have a level of devotion that is almost religious — and in some cases, fandom can even provide a moral code. "Many fans describe comic-con culture as a source of principles — such as inclusivity, compassion and self-development — that guide their behavior," writes Elliott for <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://newsie.social/@TheConversationUS" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>TheConversationUS</span></a></span>. <br> <br><a href="https://flip.it/tBRq_6" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">flip.it/tBRq_6</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p><a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/ComicCon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ComicCon</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/Fandom" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Fandom</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/Culture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Culture</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/PopCulture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>PopCulture</span></a> <a href="https://flipboard.social/tags/ComicBooks" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ComicBooks</span></a></p>