Thanks for sharing this thoughtful piece, Lincoln. I’m wary of an increased focus on the author (akin to a brand or commodity), and how “who” the author is relates to the author’s work. If this focus obstructs or stifles creativity, then it makes sense that some authors (who have steady offline followings) stay away from social media. Going forward, I wonder if writers will be able to succeed as authors and maintain privacy, or if one comes at the expense of the other.
Who gets to decide what’s bigotry and what’s valid nuance? Your wrong about JK Rowling being transphobic, for example, and stating it as a fact is perpetuating exactly what you’re criticising.
I agree with you about art, except in this: it is unclear to me why art deserves a special exemption. Why should art and artists be afforded leeway not afforded to other people? Should not this same tolerance extend to other people and other activities?
It is hard to build a culture of condemnation and then set boundaries around the arts. And why should the arts have boundaries around them that are denied to philosophers, scientists, journalists, or politicians? What makes us so special?
How about we dismantle the whole culture of condemnation, rather than trying to build a wall around ourselves, especially as that wall has no chance of holding under current conditions?
'But what unites these people is aesthetic puritanism.'
What unites these people is that they're semi-illiterate, wannabe-totalitarian dullards.
Fall's story may have been the best SF debut I've seen in the last decade or two. Heck, I was reading the stuff when Tiptree/Sheldon first appeared and 'Helicopters' had the energy and attack of that.
Thanks for sharing this thoughtful piece, Lincoln. I’m wary of an increased focus on the author (akin to a brand or commodity), and how “who” the author is relates to the author’s work. If this focus obstructs or stifles creativity, then it makes sense that some authors (who have steady offline followings) stay away from social media. Going forward, I wonder if writers will be able to succeed as authors and maintain privacy, or if one comes at the expense of the other.
Thank you. So much. There are so many talented writers these days who are straight-up scared to write anything because they fear the angry mobs.
Amen.
Who gets to decide what’s bigotry and what’s valid nuance? Your wrong about JK Rowling being transphobic, for example, and stating it as a fact is perpetuating exactly what you’re criticising.
I agree with you about art, except in this: it is unclear to me why art deserves a special exemption. Why should art and artists be afforded leeway not afforded to other people? Should not this same tolerance extend to other people and other activities?
It is hard to build a culture of condemnation and then set boundaries around the arts. And why should the arts have boundaries around them that are denied to philosophers, scientists, journalists, or politicians? What makes us so special?
How about we dismantle the whole culture of condemnation, rather than trying to build a wall around ourselves, especially as that wall has no chance of holding under current conditions?
I'm interested in reading Fall's story. Is the text available anywhere? It seems to have been removed from the waybackmachine.
'But what unites these people is aesthetic puritanism.'
What unites these people is that they're semi-illiterate, wannabe-totalitarian dullards.
Fall's story may have been the best SF debut I've seen in the last decade or two. Heck, I was reading the stuff when Tiptree/Sheldon first appeared and 'Helicopters' had the energy and attack of that.