Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Classy responses to an impossible situation
I was very sorry to hear this afternoon that Marko Kloos, whom I consider a friend, and Annie Bellet, whom I don't know personally, have both withdrawn their works from the Hugo Awards shortlist for 2015. You'll find their statements concerning the matter at the links provided.
I've been even more sorry (not to mention very angry!) to read some of the comments left on their blogs by those who disagreed with their decision. They show a lack of class, consideration and courtesy. Such decisions are the authors' alone to make, and should not be second-guessed by those who aren't in their shoes. Under the present highly politicized circumstances surrounding the Hugo Awards, I daresay more than a few of those nominated have had to take a long, hard look at the situation and ask themselves, "Is it worth it?" I can't for a moment blame Marko or Annie for deciding that in their cases, it wasn't. Indeed, had I been nominated in the extraordinarily bitter, biased and controversial circumstances prevailing at present, I might have been tempted to do likewise. Thankfully (and I really mean that!), the situation did not arise.
I've known Marko for the best part of twenty years, initially online when we were both members of the same Internet forum, and later in meatspace through our mutual friendship with Tamara. We have several things in common; we're both veterans of foreign military service, both immigrants to the USA, and both of us have married American ladies. I enjoy his military science fiction, and expect to continue to do so. I don't know Annie Bellet at all, but based on her response to such difficult and trying circumstances I intend to buy at least one of her books. It's the best way I can think of to thank her for the classy, polite and respectful manner in which she's handled what must have been an almost impossible situation. I wish some of the extremists on both sides would learn from her example, and from Marko's.
I wish Marko and Annie every success with their future careers, and I hope they each receive future Hugo nominations untrammeled by political correctness or partisan discord.
Peter
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13 comments:
You're a fucking psychopath to support authors shitting on fans because they were harassed and bullied. Fuck you, fuck your retard buddies, and fuck the Hugos.
I'm going to let the above comment stand. It illustrates better than any words of mine the attitude of the extremists on both, repeat, BOTH sides of this issue.
"Anonymous" says it all, really.
Very Sad. Things have moved to put everyone into a difficult position. My sympathy to Marko.
It is indeed sad. I cannot blame either of them.
Larry Correia declined his nomination and stated he would not accept any Hugo nominations in years to come. Anonymous should tell him the same thing he said to you, in person! (Please tell me when and where, I'm angling for the popcorn concession.)
It is a sad thing that those who would be considered as on "our side" would fall into the exact same online behavior as the 'SJW's' they rail against.
When one's online post are pretty much indistinguishable from those of notorious troll & stalker Clamps/Yamma/ect, one really needs to have a serious look at themselves.
I see Science Fiction & the Hugo Awards as representative of what is occurring in society, where there is a large group of people who have become quite powerful by fanning the grievances of "Victim groups", and doling out favors to the group, and punishment to the group's enemies, in return for political power.
I'd like to be able to compromise, or be left alone (live and let live), but unfortunately, those on the other side have declared that compromise no longer an option. I may not want to pay attention to the SJWs and their issues, but the SJWs are going to pay attention to me, and depending on their level of hate, go thru my life looking for something they can use to destroy me.
No Award is the Hugo SJW's literary equivalent, and again, you will toe the line, or be <A HREF="http://accordingtohoyt.com/2015/04/15/le-grand-jete/ destroyed. </A>
As long as that is the case, and your business/career can be destroyed by these people, I don't see it ending, except in civil war, as you have noted.
-- Steve
Damn shame, damn shame.
I don't begrudge either of them in their decision. As for Marko, I know he's got a family to feed, and the little bonus check that comes with the Hugo is a help. Kids are friggin' expensive. I can't for the life of me understand why someone like the first commentator, who likely has exactly zero skin in the game, believes that he knows better than Marko as to how to live according to ones' own moral code.
Special thanks to Anonymous for pulling an auto da fe in our little crowded elevator.
I'd like to note Vox Day's statement on this:
"As to anyone feeling betrayed by this, don't be. Leave them alone and respect their decision; do not criticize them for it. Regardless of why they chose to withdraw, that is their right and their choice, and it is neither a problem nor a concern of ours."
I understand Annie's reasoning, and even applaud it. It's not fair she's was drafted into this mess (though as I like to say, just because you are not interested in war does not mean war is not interested in you).
My feelings towards Marko Kloos are a little more complex. His views are pretty parallel to mine. Although how he can be fans with John Scalzi is beyond me, considering how Scalzi shoots his mouth off. Maybe it's like how John 'Totalbiscuit' Bain is friends with Joe 'Angry Joe' Vargas.
Wow, I'm such a geek.
In any case, as I hear it Marko does not want to associate with Vox Day. Fair enough. But I have a question about the organization of Sad Puppies/Rabid Puppies; were these 'slates' not public knowledge or something? Could Annie and Marko not go to Vox when he started RP and say 'Dude, pull us off'?
I'm not pointing fingers here, but I have to wonder about the mechanics of this.
Recaptcha: alsoy. Yeah, it all tastes better with soy.
Science fiction has been referred to as the business of extrapolating trends and making making predictions about the future in literary form. I recall reading "Lucifers Hammer" years ago and one of Pournelle's protagonists
had a home computer she was experimenting with- in 1977!
Steve, above, has the most likely outcome, IMO. This is not just about sci fi, it is a microcosm of a culture war.
I have watched the "bitter clingers" be demonized now by 99% of the news media for at least forty years.
It is said, "it ain't paranoia when they really ARE out to get you."
Came across an article recently about why, after being presented with unassailable evidence their position was wrong, members of a group would believe in it even more passionately. The explanation was that the moderate members , upon seeing reality for themselves, tend to sift out of the group, leaving more extreme members in the majority.
This is related to the technique described by Bill Whittle in his recent video on the military, how the emphasis on all the PC crap is creating an incentive for the traditional minded warfighters (bitter clingers) to retire out of the military.- leaving of course, the SJW types in greater concentration. That is how we can end up with a military that has no compunctions about using force on American civilians.
I just want to point out that Sad Puppies and Rabid Puppies are two completely different, separate, and distinct "entities", and should not be combined or conflated together in any way.
To add one more perspective:
My friend and codefendant Stacy McCain has a essay up that expands on a post by Megan McArdle that explains the collective hate that joins people into groups such as Team Kimberlin. Stacy writes:
It was that phrase — “people who are joined in collective hate” — which caught my eye in McArdle’s piece, for this reason: Most conservatives cannot comprehend the intensity of hatred that motivates and unites the Left. Any attempt to out-hate them is futile.
http://hogewash.com/2015/04/21/the-ties-that-bind/
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