Grumpy Old Fen

[kevin_standlee]

bovil has written about issue 16 of John Purcell's In A Prior Lifetime #16. In it, Ted White has an article about the fan Hugo Awards and complains generally about Worldcons. I've sent a LOC responding to this article, although I did not include my usual observation about people who gripe about the Hugo Awards, which is that IMO most people dissatisfied with the Hugos do so because the Awards don't reflect their personal preferences for who should be winning them.

Edit, 23 Oct 22:30: Added subject line omitted when originally composed.

Comments

Re: Secret Masters of Golden-Age Fandom?

[colin-hinz.livejournal.com]

I have a pretty inclusive definition of fandom, too. You'd notice this if you actually read my initial comment as I wrote it, instead of reading into it stuff that isn't there.

Where is it written that I have advocated the abolition of the Fan Hugos? Again, read closely what I wrote. I do think that if the subject of "the Fan Hugos have not kept pace with fandom itself" is being discussed, that the abolition position is logically one that ought to be considered. I don't agree with it, but neither do I agree with shouting it down with ad hominem remarks. Really, Kevin, since you pride yourself as being a parliamentarian I expect a whole lot better from you.

Where your understanding of my position completely falls apart is this: Back in the Old Days, fanzines were a pretty central part of fandom and it was indeed an honour amongst "fans in general" to receive a Best Fanzine Hugo. The world has changed, and whether anybody likes it or not, fanzines are more and more a fringe activity. Why have an award for an activity that fewer and fewer fans care about? Why encourage people to vote for an award under the circumstances?

Wouldn't it make more sense to broaden the scope of the award, instead? Big-tent awards for big-tent fandom?

See, that's my real position on the matter. And remember, I write this solely as myself, and I'm not the factional groupthinker that you seem to think I am.

Re: Secret Masters of Golden-Age Fandom?

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

Well, if that's really how you feel, that's different. Remember that I was among those who were involved with two Worldcons (2002, 2005) experimenting with a Best Web Site Hugo Award? Well, I think it would be appropriate to explicitly broaden the scope of the Best Fanzine category to include web site (probably including weblogs explicitly, thanks to the fannish tendency to assume anything not explicitly allowed is prohibited).