If the Hugo Awards are so Irrelevant...

[kevin_standlee]

...then why do so many people who profess to disdain them spend so much time criticizing them?

Most of the arguments I happened to hear today come down to "My personal taste is so much better than what won that the system is stupid/corrupt/broken."

Why is is so difficult for people to accept that other people like other things? It's as though they're so insecure that they demand that others stop liking other things in order to validate their preferences in some way.

Saying, "I don't like the things you like" isn't being exclusionary, but somehow, some people seem to think it is. I don't like cherry ice cream, but that doesn't make you a bad person or part of a Grand Conspiracy Against Humanity because you eat it.

Comments

[j. c. salomon (from livejournal.com)]

There are different complaints I’ve heard:

• “The stuff I like never wins.”
So your tastes are in the minority; deal with it.

• “The stuff I like never gets nominated.”
Hmm. Your tastes are either really far from the mainstream, or folks with your tastes are under-represented in the jury. Pay $40 and join WorldCon, and get your fellow-fans to do the same.

• “The stuff I like (e.g. WoT) gets booed when it gets a nomination.”
This does look like a problem. It’s tempting to say people are trying to write you out of fandom, but give them a chance to explain otherwise.

I’m seeing a lot of the first response to the second and third complaints.

"The stuff I Like - "

[retro-rider55.livejournal.com]

Ee-Yep; I doubt my musical tastes will ever be represented at most Con dances, either. Doesn't stop me from being satisfied with being me.