I'm still trying to rationalize all of this. I keep coming back to the Cricket War Robots in one of the Hitchhiker books. When they get outside of their dust cloud they find there's a universe out there and decide it's got to go. I'm feeling like a lot of internet puppies (to coin a phrase :)) got on line, started creating fandom (for the first time obviously) and were really surprised to find there were already people there doing it and had been for a long time and doing it without any regard for the new kids.
The thing is, a physical convention can be a frightening and intimidating place, especially if you don't know many people. No physical event actually owes a duty of care to anybody to be welcoming, even if you could work out what that means. It's fairly scary going into something for the first time when you don't know people and imposing yourself on a bunch of new people. In the old days you'd probably do your first conventions with a college or university or local SF group and avoid that. If your only access to fandom is online then turning up at a smaller convention where there's a much lower probability of even vaguely knowing people is going to be potentially terrifying.
Still, the thing is, in my experience of social and work events, the probability of a successful event goes up with smaller events. I'm not sure large events are a panacea, unless it's purely as a way to ensure you can go with people you know.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2013-09-17 04:20 pm (UTC)The thing is, a physical convention can be a frightening and intimidating place, especially if you don't know many people. No physical event actually owes a duty of care to anybody to be welcoming, even if you could work out what that means. It's fairly scary going into something for the first time when you don't know people and imposing yourself on a bunch of new people. In the old days you'd probably do your first conventions with a college or university or local SF group and avoid that. If your only access to fandom is online then turning up at a smaller convention where there's a much lower probability of even vaguely knowing people is going to be potentially terrifying.
Still, the thing is, in my experience of social and work events, the probability of a successful event goes up with smaller events. I'm not sure large events are a panacea, unless it's purely as a way to ensure you can go with people you know.