Comments on: On Not Being A Fan

By: crotchetyoldfan

crotchetyoldfan — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:37:57 +0000

I found the most interesting claim made in the original piece was the claim that ’science fiction [fandom]‘ self-selects for ghetoization and that this has somehow been able to convince mainstream reviewers everywhere to avoid covering the genre.

I also find it a bit problematic that you seem to state categorically that fandom, being an egalitarian collection of fans and authors are incapable of producing serious criticism.

I believe that you are confusing fannish history, anecdotes and tall tales with reality.

Kurt Vonnegut being shuffled off? Kurt publicly removed himself from an association with the genre, believing that it was hurting his sales. Fannish/industry reaction to that was obvious disappointment and outrage – but to suggest that this kind of thing gives fandom the power to include or exclude various authors from the genre is silly. Publishing houses, editors, agents and marketers make those decisions.

There have been many fine reviews and academic level criticism of SF – Kingsley Amis produced some to name one. SFRA and various other organizations disect the genre regularly, using “mainstream” critical techniques, and quite a few papers in the US, including the NY Times, regularly review science fiction.

In short, I think your position is way off.

By: On Being A Fan « Torque Control

On Being A Fan « Torque Control — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:46:29 +0000

[...] Lewis has already come close to articulating the first point I’d make in response to Dan, which is that while there are sf [...]

By: Martin

Martin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:09:43 +0000

It is a matter of degrees. When you talk of “putting aside some or all of one’s critical faculties” those seem like two very different propositions to me. There is a tribalism to both football and SF fandom that I can’t get on board with but at the same time the vast majority don’t abrogate all thought. They know when their team played badly (even if they won’t neccessarily thank you for pointing it out.)

By: danhartland

danhartland — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:12:33 +0000

I knew calling you a fan would get your goat up.

On the football thing – you’re right that I cottoned on to the dubiousness of the analogy, but by the same token I think you’re far too optimistic about the impartiality of the football fan. You might rag on a player, but he’s still your player. It’s only when he has the temerity to become someone else’s (or even flirt with someone else) that you really hate him.