Feeling Badgered
Jul. 31st, 2007 11:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kevin_standleePrior to last night's BASFA meeting, much deconstruction of the fannish train wreck that was Con-X-Treme happened. Among the foolish things the convention reportedly did was to use wristbands for admission rather than badges, and to require that every member have their photo taken, and that photo was made part of their convention membership credentials. When I expressed extreme incredulity that a convention would do what I consider such an incredibly stupid thing, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jorhett (who I should make it clear neither worked on Con-X-Treme nor was even there at the con and didn't even know it was happening) told me that having a photograph as part of your membership badge -- to make it "impossible" to share badges -- was standard operating procedure at "East Coast" cons.
I said, "When did that start? I've attended Boskone, and they don't do that there."
The reply: "Boskone? Is that in Boston? Well, I meant south of New York."
I raised an eyebrow, "So Massachusetts isn't on the American East Coast?"
But I digress. I find the idea that you would have to have a photo-badge to attend a convention absurd, for many reasons, but most notably because of what it tells me about the organizers' priorities. See this posting from last year and read my article "Feeling Badgered" in Argentus #6. In that article, I set out what I consider the main criteria for a convention membership badges are, and I make ticket-to-admit the second priority, not the first.
In my opinion. photo-badges for all members sets ticket-to-admit priority to stratospheric, and everything else to insignificant. It sets off all of my hot buttons. I know that Lisa isn't the only person I know who would refuse to attend a convention that required photo-badges for all attendees. Remember, I'm someone who doesn't think you should have to show government-issued photographic ID to collect your membership if you have one of the good alternatives such as your original membership receipt or convention publications received by mail or can be personally identified by a trusted convention staff member. I detest the "your papers pliz" culture that we've become.
Note that there are certain specific applications where a photo badge is justified. I wouldn't issue them to the entire convention staff and committee, but if there are certain very sensitive areas -- in particular ones where theTreasury Office That Does Not Exist is located -- there might be some justification for a small number of photo-badges, particularly if security is being provided by paid guards who don't know who the individuals involved are.
But requiring every member of the convention to have their photo taken and that photo appear on their convention badge or other token-of-admission-to-event? Not for me.
Edit, 13:50: Clarified that the person who brought up the photo-badges issue as "routine at east coast cons" was neither associated with Con-X-Treme nor attended it. My apologies if my earlier wording implied otherwise.
jorhett (who I should make it clear neither worked on Con-X-Treme nor was even there at the con and didn't even know it was happening) told me that having a photograph as part of your membership badge -- to make it "impossible" to share badges -- was standard operating procedure at "East Coast" cons.I said, "When did that start? I've attended Boskone, and they don't do that there."
The reply: "Boskone? Is that in Boston? Well, I meant south of New York."
I raised an eyebrow, "So Massachusetts isn't on the American East Coast?"
But I digress. I find the idea that you would have to have a photo-badge to attend a convention absurd, for many reasons, but most notably because of what it tells me about the organizers' priorities. See this posting from last year and read my article "Feeling Badgered" in Argentus #6. In that article, I set out what I consider the main criteria for a convention membership badges are, and I make ticket-to-admit the second priority, not the first.
In my opinion. photo-badges for all members sets ticket-to-admit priority to stratospheric, and everything else to insignificant. It sets off all of my hot buttons. I know that Lisa isn't the only person I know who would refuse to attend a convention that required photo-badges for all attendees. Remember, I'm someone who doesn't think you should have to show government-issued photographic ID to collect your membership if you have one of the good alternatives such as your original membership receipt or convention publications received by mail or can be personally identified by a trusted convention staff member. I detest the "your papers pliz" culture that we've become.
Note that there are certain specific applications where a photo badge is justified. I wouldn't issue them to the entire convention staff and committee, but if there are certain very sensitive areas -- in particular ones where the
But requiring every member of the convention to have their photo taken and that photo appear on their convention badge or other token-of-admission-to-event? Not for me.
Edit, 13:50: Clarified that the person who brought up the photo-badges issue as "routine at east coast cons" was neither associated with Con-X-Treme nor attended it. My apologies if my earlier wording implied otherwise.
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sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-07-31 07:55 pm (UTC)I absolutely believe that this is true. Not the change in priorities, but that it sets off your hot buttons. And that because your hot buttons are set off, you perceive it to be stratospheric.
In case you don't remember, I agree with you that "receipt for paid membership" was the second priority. I could even argue it as a THIRD, but then I would really confuse you since you can't seem to grasp the idea as "useful" but "not the most important thing ever".
Should you ever find yourself in a more relaxed mood regarding this issue, and willing to hear someone's thoughts as nothing more than their own experience with 20+ years of attending cons themselves, I'd enjoy discussing this with you. You've got quite a lot more experience than I do with this, and I wish the topic wasn't "too hot to touch" for you :-(
Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-07-31 08:02 pm (UTC)If the convention organizer going to that much effort, then the only significant purpose a badge has to the organizer is as an admission token. None of the other reasons is significant. Indeed, I think in those circumstances they'd be better off using hospital wristbands anyway.
Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-07-31 08:10 pm (UTC)Now *THIS* is the meat of the argument, and well worth discussing. To have that discussion, we'd have to sit down with some real numbers and discuss them. Sounds like a good thing to do in person, because online dialogs can turn into rants too quickly. I'm not the best online person, I tend to come off too black/white...
If the convention organizer going to that much effort, then the only significant purpose a badge has to the organizer is as an admission token. None of the other reasons is significant.
And here's your reaction talking again. I have actually been to a con which used picture badges that were near-useless for identification. The organizer was having fun with some modern special effects, and *EVERYONE* had many a good laugh about the pictures over the weekend.
C'mon, Kevin, you're smarter than this. I really do hope you find a calm space about this topic someday. (more for my curiosity in the useful outcome of a discussion of this type than any practical effect, because the chance of getting me to be involved in running a Con is somewhere lower than the chance of Pres Bush giving a damn what the american public feel about his policies)
Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-07-31 08:23 pm (UTC)I don't want anyone showing up who just wants a ticket to gawk at the funny-looking people. That's not why I started attending conventions, and I believe in running them to suit myself, to cater to a relatively like-minded set of people. Yes, I suppose that's "elitist" by one definition. But I don't get paid to organize conventions, so I don't see any reason not to try and organize them the way I want them organized.
____________________
*This doesn't mean there might not be pieces of a convention where a separate ticket might be required for various reasons, usually capacity-related. The general rule doesn't override specific exceptions.
Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-07-31 08:28 pm (UTC)Me too, and I agree with you on everything to some extent. But I think that rational discussion of this issue is impossible at this. Hopefully someday.
Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-08-01 03:55 am (UTC)If the person's name is printed in large clear type, then clearly "identifying to others" is an important point.
Suppose that were the most important issue, and preventing badge sharing/stealing were a close second. How would you do the latter?
Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-08-01 05:37 am (UTC)I am not a paragon of virtue. I borrowed someone's badge at a convention at which I was not a member, because the person I was trying to find was in a controlled area, the person loaning me the badge couldn't leave the spot he was in, and this was pre-mobile-phone, so the easiest way to get him was to go into the controlled area, find him, and leave. And even then I felt very guilty about doing it.
If a convention organizer decides that photo badges serve that convention's goals in the way they want to run it, that's fine. After all, I'm all for the people doing the work being the ones to make the decisions. But they won't do it with my money or my participation. That's not the community of which I consider myself a member.
Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-07-31 08:06 pm (UTC)Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-07-31 08:12 pm (UTC)The first is bad if it's the only way of verifying you are who you are for the purpose of collecting your membership. The second is even worse.
Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-07-31 08:16 pm (UTC)I simply can't argue with things that are this black and white. There are a dozen different requirements for just about anything. Are all dozen of them the "most important thing ever?" Surely, not. Everything has levels of importance.
Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-07-31 08:26 pm (UTC)And by the way, I have been going to convention for 24 years. I have never been forced to have my photo taken before I could get in, and if I did find a convention that did that I would not attend.
Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-07-31 08:32 pm (UTC)crazy person alert!
Date: 2007-07-31 08:36 pm (UTC)First of all, I have no idea what Convention you think I ran. I've never ran one, and I've never even worked in one except as "Security" <- try to keep hotel damage to a minimum (east coast) and Tech (west coast). In neither situation was I involved in badge checking.
If you are somehow confused that I was involved with Con-X-Treme, not only was I NOT THERE, but due to a complete lack of marketing on their part I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT WAS GOING ON!
Anyway, now that you've demonstrated quite clearly that rational conversation is impossible, I won't bother replying to you any more.
Re: crazy person alert!
Date: 2007-07-31 08:41 pm (UTC)I'm pretty sure I understand your justification of such a policy. If I was forced to do so, I could even construct a justification for it myself. I just strongly disagree with it for several reasons, on both principle and practical grounds.
Re: crazy person alert!
Date: 2007-07-31 10:37 pm (UTC)Hm. No, you don't. You've never heard my justication. Every time I have opened my mouth on the topic steam has started pouring out of your ears.
This is why I said I've love to talk with you about it... when rational conversation is possible.
Re: crazy person alert!
Date: 2007-07-31 08:47 pm (UTC)Now I'll happily admit that I got confused over your role in all this. I am, after all, several thousand miles away. But given that you didn't organize the event, let's frame things another way.
1. Did Con-X-Treme *require* attendees to have their photographs taken?
2. Do you approve of that being a *requirement* for convention membership?
3. If so, how do you justify your claim that having photos on badges is merely "useful"?
- Cheryl
Re: crazy person alert!
Date: 2007-07-31 10:43 pm (UTC)Cheryl, I'm sorry to have to learn this about you. I've always respected you, often read your stuff, and really thought I liked you. But when you pull out a statement like this:
So much for being willing to learn from others. Anyone who disagrees with you gets labeled "crazy" and you refuse to talk to them. Very adult of you.
...just a single comment after you said this:
That's a truly pathetic piece of weaseling.
Anyway, you didn't disagree with me. To disagree with me you'd have to hear my reasoning, which you haven't heard. In truth, you attacked me and you did that based on your misunderstanding and your bias on the situation. You had no real basis at all for your attack, especially given that my entire commentary from the beginning has mostly been "Let's stick to RATIONAL CONVERSATION".
Anyway, I'm done. I shouldn't have replied to this, but your obvious crap attempt to blame me for your own inconsidered comments was too much.
Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-07-31 08:35 pm (UTC)Re: sets off your hot buttons
Date: 2007-07-31 08:38 pm (UTC)Anyway, this conversation is quickly becoming irrational and I simply can't bother with that. I do welcome rational discussion at another time and place.