Dept. of Linky

[kaffy_r]

A Couple of Puppy-related Things

Not me talking; I just like them.

First, the relative clarity of this explanation of the Puppy Hugo Wars over at - oh, hell, now I'm giggling; why? Just take a look at the name of the site - obviously written for folks who have little acquaintance with fandom.

Second, Jim Hines' cogent commentary on why it shouldn't, perhaps be seen as Puppy Hugo Wars - or at least, that we should remember we're disagreeing with real people, in a real world that has edges, shadows, three dimensions etc., not taking paint-ball aim at two-dee shooting gallery cardboard rectangles.

Comments

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Read both of these and I must say, I really like what JH said here:

Criticism is not war. Choosing not to read or support things you don’t like isn’t censorship. Liking something problematic doesn’t make you a bad person.

I think, a lot of times, being the flawed beings we are (and taking everything on from our own experiences and perspectives, limited as they are), we forget that people cannot always fit into the box we try to jam them in. And unfortunately, when they don't we get even MORE pissed because we think they should.

We are all humans. We all are NOT perfect. And we're not always going to agree.

But it seems that those tensions were deliberately stirred and that still doesn't sit well with me. But then, I'm going off of my own experiences. I cannot comprehend what sither side thought it was doing, because I'm not any of the individuals who started this mess.

Sometimes our experiences are our saving grace. But sometimes...

*HUGS*

[kaffy_r]

But it seems that those tensions were deliberately stirred and that still doesn't sit well with me.

Nor with me. And the group that stirred the pot was basically imagining itself as a group of victims being unfairly put upon by an imaginary cabal that really, truly doesn't exist.

I think general SF fandom is big enough, flexible enough and resilient enough to get past this, but it's been truly unpleasant. Hines is a very calm and thoughtful voice in the whole situation.

*hugs*

[apostle-of-eris.livejournal.com]

“How conservatives took over sci-fi's most prestigious award” is so wrong-headed and ignorant that it hardly matters what's below it on the page. Since when are vandals "conservatives"?

[kaffy_r]

I don't consider that wrong-headed at all. These people are politically and socially conservative. That has little to do with whether they are vandals or not, although I agree that "vandals" may also be a correct label.

[liadt]

Whatever happens I think the two sides have effectively trashed the Hugo's standing as an awards ceremony and made any award worthless.

[kaffy_r]

The problem is that there really aren't two sides.

The sad and rabid puppy slate supporters have come in claiming to be under fire from secret cabals that simply. don't. exist. They are dealing in a particularly virulent form of false equivalency that tries to tell the world at large that they are arrayed against an equally active force.

But there isn't an equally active force, nor are there vast hordes of monolithically similar liberals/progressives/sjws yada-yada trying to destroy them, or their careers, or their chances at a Hugo award. It's pretty much all in their heads.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

I've only followed this from a pretty great distance, but I'm clapping on principle with anyone who defends nuance vs. quick judgment, attacking people over disagreements instead of trying to discuss and online wars in general… Here's to a bit more faith in humanity ;)