My first Worldcon was 1998 (I haven't been to every Worldcon since, however). 1998 through 2016, Worldcon's 35% non-U.S., which seems pretty good to me, given demographics (even when outside the U.S.), and given it's historically an English-speaking con. Heck, looking at only the past most-recently-seated Worldcons, it's even "better" (?!) - 40% non-U.S.
Sure, taking a very narrow view - let's say, 2012-2016 - it's only 20% non-U.S. But a similarly totally arbirtrary-but-recent timeframe, 2005-2010, is 67% non-U.S. It's all in how one spins the numbers - all in what one emphasizes. And I feel like some people are wearing blinders when complaining about it being in the U.S. "too much."
(I'd be happy if Helsinki won, despite living in the DC area. There are other non-U.S. bids coming up in the next 5 years that I hope do well, but they must compete like any other bid.)
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My first Worldcon was 1998 (I haven't been to every Worldcon since, however). 1998 through 2016, Worldcon's 35% non-U.S., which seems pretty good to me, given demographics (even when outside the U.S.), and given it's historically an English-speaking con. Heck, looking at only the past most-recently-seated Worldcons, it's even "better" (?!) - 40% non-U.S.
Sure, taking a very narrow view - let's say, 2012-2016 - it's only 20% non-U.S. But a similarly totally arbirtrary-but-recent timeframe, 2005-2010, is 67% non-U.S. It's all in how one spins the numbers - all in what one emphasizes. And I feel like some people are wearing blinders when complaining about it being in the U.S. "too much."
(I'd be happy if Helsinki won, despite living in the DC area. There are other non-U.S. bids coming up in the next 5 years that I hope do well, but they must compete like any other bid.)