An Interesting Discussion Regarding Arisia

[zentinal.livejournal.com]

An interesting discussion between an Arisia newcomer / observer & someone who dismisses f&sf fandom in total - Weigh In, Have Fun! http://bit.ly/8Wt2d6

Comments

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

There is indeed some interesting stuff there. I'm a bit confused, though, at how a seemingly-intelligent person like the writer appears to be can really believe that what a person does at Arisia is accurately representative of what they do the other 361 days of the year. Does he think we wear those costumes to work, too?

He acknowledges that it's all fine in moderation but then jumps to the conclusion that Arisia attendees use "escapism" as a lifestyle. I'm sure that's true for some people, but it's certainly not the case for the most of the ones I know.

[thevirtualjim.livejournal.com]

Heh, interesting is one word for it. I never understood why when some people don't like something they have to bash it.

I was indirectly quoted in the article too :)

[tehuti.livejournal.com]

What bit was that?

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

It's so tempting to jump in and join the fray, but unlike what the guy seems to believe, I have shit to do in the "real world."

here and in general...

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

Do not feed the troll.

[thevirtualjim.livejournal.com]

the joke about steampunks are goths who discovered brown :)

[leenah.livejournal.com]

ok, all i've read is this version of the joke, just this, but OMG, that's FUNNY.

goths in brown. hee hee!!!!

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Hee! :)

[aristabulus.livejournal.com]

You think the article is rough? Skim the comment branch with quackenbush; he makes rosenfield look like a saint by comparison.

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

wow. Crazy. :P

I figure with most group activities, you get out what you put into it.

"steampunk are goths who discovered brown"

that is totally awesome and funny :D

[thevirtualjim.livejournal.com]

Oh I read that too. It reads to me like that guy had some serious traumatic experience with a SF fan sometime in the past...

[ron_newman]

Are you the Shira (not verified) who shows up in a couple of the comments? If so, I admire your restraint.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

I do my best. More and more I'm reminded that I'm the public face of a lot of stuff... and if it seems like the person's teachable, I try to engage rather than yell at 'em.

Sometimes they aren't teachable. Which is why I'm not responding to that one commenter.

Re: here and in general...

[aquila-dominus.livejournal.com]

I had started down the path of feeding, realized what I was about to do and then deleted the comment and decided I didn't need a piece of that.

[octoberland.livejournal.com]

Ha, that's awesome. That totally made me laugh. :)

[ultimatepsi.livejournal.com]

Honestly, the turning point of the article is the line "I spent most of the con trying to understand exactly why, rather than feeling like I belonged, I felt extremely uncomfortable, even repulsed." Before that it seems like an entirely reasonable report of a con experience, after that a post hoc justification for feelings of discomfort.

I believe that as a community we would do well to acknowledge that some people who share our interest in sci-fi and fantasy are uncomfortable at Arisia. I have heard this sentiment of "I was told Arisia would be like home, but it very much wasn't" from friends more than once. It is a valid complaint and not an attack.

[tehuti.livejournal.com]

Nice. :-)

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

It's SO TRUE.

(sticking to my black, dammit, it's more flattering to my complexion)

Re: here and in general...

[alpha-helixx.livejournal.com]

Agreed. The quackenbush person especially seems to be looking for a fight. :/

Though, I do want to quote one comment that I feel sums up what I think about this whole thing. I think this person has the right idea.

"I'm an Arisia-goer, who would much rather be sewing a costume or making up a filk song than broadcasting cruel and hurtful things about an entire community of people. I think a real test of being a "grown-up" is knowing when to keep your smallminded opinions to yourself. Shame on you."

[robdamnit.livejournal.com]

While I am glad to see some of my fannish friends contributing to the effort of educating this egocentric boor I have no time to engage a person so clearly beneath my contempt.

[cos]

Why are you using the URL shortener here? I, and many other people, often don't click on shortened URLs because they don't let us see where we're going to be led until we go there (all normal links let you see that by hovering the mouse over the link without clicking).

[zentinal.livejournal.com]

Habit.

I very, very, very, rarely post to LJ.

[thespian.livejournal.com]

a response from the 'woman I talked to [who] referred to Arisia specifically as a “lifestyle con”.'

http://thespian.livejournal.com/1504407.html

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

Okay, I actually couldn't resist. But I only wrote a couple of lines, unlike the several-paragraph response I was preparing in my head.

Re: here and in general...

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :-D