It's actually an incredibly useful and complex term, one that serves to mark a very specific kind of experience and to simultaneously elevate and disparage it.

I agree! I have always understood feels as only appropriate for emotions generated by fannish things.

And, OMG that kaonashi gif! Wonderful! It reminded me of my love for Spirited Away and inspired me to this.

Edited (because actually this wasn't meant to be a reply to this thread but now it is): Besides, fandom is also a place to let go of our inner adult control-freak that has to present as professional uber!mature all the time.

Yes! My inner child is whooping with joy/crushed by despair/gleeful like a gleeful thing/etc over fannish things. It is a nice counterbalance to real life.