Saturday Book Discussion: So, how about those Hugos?
The 2014 Hugos will be awarded at WorldCon in London, August 14-18.
The 2014 Hugo Finalists
You may have heard there is some controversy this year, over the "Sad Puppies" slate of nominees promoted by Larry Correia and Vox Day. For those unaware of said controversy, Larry Correia (author of the popular "Monster Hunter" and Grimnoir Chronicles" series) is a conservative author involved in many recent genre brouhahas over the question of whether calls for "representation" and "diversity" are at odds with writing books that entertain and sell. Correia claimed that the Hugo nominees are a popularity contest constrained by ideological litmus tests - in other words, them PC librulz engage in logrolling and blacklisting to keep any conservatives from winning awards - and to prove it, used the power of his social influence to get a large number of his fans to nominate some of his fellow conservative authors in various categories. This gambit succeeded, to the howling outrage of his political opponents, many of who are now swearing to "No Vote" every single one of them unread.
I have hosted several previous Saturday Book Discussions on the topic of allowing one's opinion of an author affect one's view of their work. (See Do Author!Fails Affect Your Reading Decisions? and Boycotting Authors.)
Previously, my position has been that I may read an offensive author's work but would avoid giving them money or attention.
My position has changed.
The reaction to the Hugo nominees has been so vitriolic, so over-the-top, so self-righteous and moralizing, that even the likes of John Scalzi and Jim Hines, who generally dine uncritically at the temple of Social Justice, have been taken to task and accused of "fail" by finger-wagging ideologues for merely suggesting that people might want to actually read the nominees and judge them on their merits.
I respect anyone's right to boycott whomever they like, avoid reading works that offend them, and condemn people they find hateful. But at the point where you're telling other people that their reading choices are immoral, you lose me completely.
I am a Worldcon Supporting Member and thus a Hugo voter this year. I confess, I am tempted to vote for Larry Correia and Vox Day just to see the sight of heads exploding across the Internet.
But I won't... I'm going to read the nominees and judge them on their merits.
But I will find it awfully entertaining if Vox Day wins.
Poll Hugos 2014
Previous Saturday Book Discussions.
The 2014 Hugo Finalists
You may have heard there is some controversy this year, over the "Sad Puppies" slate of nominees promoted by Larry Correia and Vox Day. For those unaware of said controversy, Larry Correia (author of the popular "Monster Hunter" and Grimnoir Chronicles" series) is a conservative author involved in many recent genre brouhahas over the question of whether calls for "representation" and "diversity" are at odds with writing books that entertain and sell. Correia claimed that the Hugo nominees are a popularity contest constrained by ideological litmus tests - in other words, them PC librulz engage in logrolling and blacklisting to keep any conservatives from winning awards - and to prove it, used the power of his social influence to get a large number of his fans to nominate some of his fellow conservative authors in various categories. This gambit succeeded, to the howling outrage of his political opponents, many of who are now swearing to "No Vote" every single one of them unread.
I have hosted several previous Saturday Book Discussions on the topic of allowing one's opinion of an author affect one's view of their work. (See Do Author!Fails Affect Your Reading Decisions? and Boycotting Authors.)
Previously, my position has been that I may read an offensive author's work but would avoid giving them money or attention.
My position has changed.
The reaction to the Hugo nominees has been so vitriolic, so over-the-top, so self-righteous and moralizing, that even the likes of John Scalzi and Jim Hines, who generally dine uncritically at the temple of Social Justice, have been taken to task and accused of "fail" by finger-wagging ideologues for merely suggesting that people might want to actually read the nominees and judge them on their merits.
I respect anyone's right to boycott whomever they like, avoid reading works that offend them, and condemn people they find hateful. But at the point where you're telling other people that their reading choices are immoral, you lose me completely.
I am a Worldcon Supporting Member and thus a Hugo voter this year. I confess, I am tempted to vote for Larry Correia and Vox Day just to see the sight of heads exploding across the Internet.
But I won't... I'm going to read the nominees and judge them on their merits.
But I will find it awfully entertaining if Vox Day wins.
Poll Hugos 2014
Previous Saturday Book Discussions.