Indeed they are. One of my close friends is a big fan of the show and she had no idea about the insanity permeating SPN fandom (or the Wincest, for that matter). She just made a D: face when I told her all about it. In general, I find a small corner of a fandom of choice to stay in; then when I venture out of it and into the fandom as a whole, I become horrified and go running back to my corner.