Pixel Scroll 8/18 The Ballot of the Sad Sharpei

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I have to pack and get to their airport, so I will scroll and skate.

(1) Vox posted a story that celebrates the Chronicles of Prydain as “the best fantasy series ever.” (The site Vox, not the person Vox.)

Let me tell you about the best fantasy/adventure series ever written for young people.

Nope, it’s not about Harry Potter. Don’t get me wrong, I like Harry Potter just fine. I read all seven of those books aloud to my kids, which, believe me, takes some dedication. And I’ve read and loved dozens and dozens of other sci-fi and fantasy books for youngsters over the years, including the ones with the Hobbits and the ones with the dragons (no, the other one with the dragons).

But one fantasy series will always come first in my heart: The Chronicles of Prydain, by Lloyd Alexander. Published in the late ’60s, it was one of the first true high fantasy series written by an American, and the first to rival the British greats like Tolkien.

Loosely based on Welsh myths, the books tell a fairly conventional story: A young boy bored with his ordinary life sets off on a series of adventures, learns some lessons, confronts a great evil, becomes a man, and assumes a place of leadership. It’s all squarely in Joseph Campbell territory.

(2) John C. Wright contests statements about Puppy leaders in Yes! Magazine. (An article linked by Pixel Scroll the other day: here).

As for the sentence quoted in the hit piece, let me say a word or three:

I have no views on People of Color and have never written a single word on the topic. Baptism is not a racial characteristic but a spiritual one. Sainthood is not an inherited characteristic.

My views on woman are those of a dyed-in-the-wool romantic of the chivalrous Christian school, who adores both Saint Mary and Saint Mary Magdalen as saints. I also have a healthy fascination with the character of Nausicaa from Miyazaki’s VALLEY OF THE WIND (see below) and an unhealthy fascination for the character of the Catwoman. And this is being condemned, why, again exactly? Because I respect both saints and sinners of the fair sex, both princesses and cat-burglars? Why is having contempt for woman a sign of Political Correctness, again, exactly, please?

My views, to the best of my knowledge, and have no point of overlap with the dour cynicism of my publisher and friend Theodore Beale, so the sentence as it stands is meaningless. It is like saying, “The views of the Easter Bunny and Count Dracula on avoiding the drinking human blood during Lent go beyond the pale.” But there is no view the Bunny and the Count share on this point.

My views on homosexuals are the views of the Roman Catholic Church, which is to say, the views of Western Civilization since the time of Constantine onward. Those views are ones of love and respect, more respect indeed by far than felt by those who would encourage the sexual desecration of the human person. Why is pitiless contempt for those suffering sexual aberration a sign of Political Correctness, again, exactly, please?

(3) Who do the lurkers really support? “Almost No One Sided with #GamerGate: A Research Paper on the Internet’s Reaction to Last Year’s Mob”.

Lately I’ve been troubled by the fact that GamerGate’s supporters and I seem to have completely opposite perceptions about what most people think of their movement. I’ve had GamerGaters tell me that most people don’t equate GamerGate with online harassment and that most people (or at least, most gamers) are actually on GamerGate’s side. How is it that our perceptions of “what most people think” are so different? Could it be that we all live inside some social-media echo chamber that makes us oblivious to other points of view?

[Thanks to Rob for one of these stories. Title credit goes to File 770 contributing editor of the day Will R.]

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882 thoughts on “Pixel Scroll 8/18 The Ballot of the Sad Sharpei”

  1. @Bruce: Ginger, we had a lot of questions for the vet, and they did well to help us

    Having a good vet is a blessing–ours is wonderful.

    We lost quite a few of our original thirteen to kidney disease–it’s hard (it’s always hard), but like with your loved and lovely Montano, we tried to remember that they’d had a wonderful (and being rescue cats, much longer life) with us than could have been. It doesn’t help that much, but it helps a little.

  2. Hines’s excellent article is exactly what I was looking for in a comprehensive link roundup.

    Seeing Hines’ well-written and thoroughly sourced article lined up next to Torgersen’s pile of codswallop really showed just how self-serving and baseless the Pups’ claims really are.

  3. *is now crying*

    Bruce, Montano reminds me a whole bunch of my CB (which stood for Cuddlebug). I got him and his sister (black longhair) my third month in Texas; I was talked into judging the local humane association’s children’s pet show (main requirement being ability to make up creative categories so every child/pet won). I thought, hey it’s a pet show, I’ll be safe and enjoy the pets. One savvy woman had brought a playpen and her litter of four kittens: she’d promised her children they could keep two (they chose the grey ones–I learned after this a lot of people in the area are superstitious about black cats–I love ’em)–I walked away from the pet show holding two black kittens. And became a regular at the humane association, leading to the adoption of more….*sniffles*

    *goes to hug kitties and puppies*

  4. Rrede, thank you for the biography recommendation! Onto the pile it goes.

    And yes, the intellectual knowledge of making good decisions and having provided much good has to carry the emotions sometimes.

    It seems like more than half of all black cats look like each other’s siblings. Certainly there are friends’ cats that seem like they’re Montano from the next universe over.

  5. Somehow I managed to reverse my comment from one thread and another. That last comment was intended for another thread. I’m not sure how I managed this feat.

  6. @ Aaron — Indeed. What struck me (and probably many others) was that Jim Hines’ essay was full of links to substantiante his comments, whereas Brad Torgersen’s essay repeats by-now-familiar accusations and claims (some of them already ably dismantled, in old essays that Hines also links to) and does so once again without any substantiation.

  8. @Laura: Check my link in the latest post in the Random Thursday Sasquan thread. Be prepared to pick your jaw up from the floor.

  9. My condolences on your loss, Bruce. I’m so happy to hear that you (and he) were able to enjoy those moments together today.

  10. I’m reading through the notes in my copy of Riverside. Nothing about political differences yet. Maybe I need to find an essay specifically on textual differences between the quartos?

    Cumberbatch’s Hamlet is going to be shown in theaters in October? Huh, will have to talk to some of my lady friends, they of course are in love with the man, it might be worth a trip.

  11. @Laura thanks for the article. Yeah, just from a stylistic point of view it’s a little too easy to see (between Torgersen and Hines) who is working in a reality-based environment and who’s relying on “truthiness”.

    Oh and for the io9 article, despite my (various!) issues with Kinja, that’s still one of the strongest arguments I see for a moderated comments area.

  12. P.S. But in Jim Hines’ otherwise excellent essay on Zauberspiegel, I would have recommended omitting the bit about Brad Torgersen’s reputed ambition to become the “anti-Scalzi.” It’s just hearsay from a private verbal conversation, and Brad Torgersen has denied saying it. As a “he said/he said” thing, it might be marginally juicy gossip on a dull day on the internet, but it’s not proof of anything.

  14. I would have recommended omitting the bit about Brad Torgersen’s reputed ambition to become the “anti-Scalzi.”

    Yeah. Torgersen has donned clown shoes often enough that no one needs to attribute quotes of dubious provenance to him.

  15. The other correction in Hines’ response is that Three Body Problem got on only because 2 puppy nominees withdrew, not 1 – Correia also declined his nomination IIRC.

    For Torgersen’s response…I would’nt even know where to start correcting it, it’s a mess.

  17. Bruce, I’m waiting until my husband gets home so we can have two voices reciting the funeral speech. (I texted him: “Need your help…” He texted back: “Lo, there do I see the line of my people back to the beginning.” We will honor Montano.)

    In the meantime, I offer one of my favorite pieces about a beloved cat, Christopher Smart’s “For I will consider my Cat Jeoffrey” from Jubilate Agno.

    “For he counteracts the Devil, who is death, by brisking about the life.”

  19. “He got to go surrounded by his people, in one of his most favorite positions, feeling our love.”

    Bruce, many people would be grateful to have so peaceful an end. I’m glad you got one last lovely memory before he went.

  20. Bruce, my condolences on Montano’s passing.

    And I wholeheartedly agree that the creative silliness & quirky fun posted by File770 commenters is a treasure & balm in difficult times. It helped earlier this month when my father died.

    @Lori Coulson, that is beautiful.

  21. Torgersen’s piece is well written rethorics. One generally has to know the background story to catch the factual errors.

    For example when he describes SP as being about getting more people to participate in the nomination process – and omits the part where he also told them what to nominate.

  22. Forgive me if I have selected the wrong thread, but as I’m feverish at the moment…

    From Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Bat-Man:

    “I am the very model of a billionaire philanthropist…”

  23. “I am the very model of a billionaire philanthropist,
    At night I lurk in shadows fighting crime and urban terrorists…”

  24. It would be The Last Man that would be my choice for an obscure Mary Shelley SF question. Buwaya seems to only list books that have had popular paperback editions.

    On the other hand I am doubtful that there are many works that are both foundational and obscure. how can authors build on works that they do not know?

  25. Corgi is literally translated as Dwarf(Cor) Dog(gi)

    Which would make Gurgi beaten dog.

  26. Simeon Beresford on August 21, 2015 at 3:32 am said:
    Corgi is literally translated as Dwarf(Cor) Dog(gi)

    Which would make Gurgi beaten dog.

    I guess that makes sense. 🙁

  27. I’m sorry about your cat Bruce, everything and everyone passes away, but the joy remains in memory and the sorrow fades.

    On a lighter theme, the collected ‘films we’d hate to see / films we’d like to see list’ is going to go up on my blog – if I missed any let me know there and I’ll add them.

  30. But in Jim Hines’ otherwise excellent essay on Zauberspiegel, I would have recommended omitting the bit about Brad Torgersen’s reputed ambition to become the “anti-Scalzi.” It’s just hearsay from a private verbal conversation, and Brad Torgersen has denied saying it.

    I wouldn’t leave it out, as long as it’s attributed to the person who heard it.

    Torgersen has been dishonest about enough Puppy-related matters — such as repeatedly calling his slate process open and democratic — that his denial of saying those remarks isn’t very credible.

  31. Sneaking on at work…

    Bruce, I’m so sorry. It is so difficult to lose a beloved cat. My condolences to you and your whole family.

  32. I find Patrick McCormack thought that its in fact Gwrgi Transliterated

    There are several characters in old Welsh legend called Gurgi – literally it means “Man-Hound.” One was Gwrgi Garwlwyd, who “used to make a corpse of one of the Cymry [Welsh] every day, and two on each Saturday so as not to slay on the Sunday.” Gwrgi Garwlwyd means “rough grey man-hound.” I always assumed this was the inspiration for Alexander’s Gurgi.

    far more compelling than my own.

    I can’t say that I ever thought of Gurgi. As slavish or servile. Its a long time since I read them but from what I recall he exhibits far to much independence for that.

  34. rrede

    Torgersen has been dishonest about enough Puppy-related matters — such as repeatedly calling his slate process open and democratic — that his denial of saying those remarks isn’t very credible.

    Wait, has he denied it? I thought he just said it was “heavily embellished”, without ever going into details as what he actually said?

    ETA: found the quote here:

    For the record, Steve Savile has heavily and creatively embellished his recollection of our conversations at WOTF in 2010. Also, those were private conservations. I am hurt that someone I have thought was my friend, for the past five years, has done this to me publicly. I don’t mind if Steve thinks Sad Puppies was a bad idea, but I do mind it that Steve has invented stuff for the sake of portraying me in a certain way, as well as portraying my motives in a certain way.

    Strikes me as more a “I was misquoted” rather than “I never said that”

  35. The idea of Gurgi as a dog-man puts a slightly different spin on his character though it doesn’t erase the Stepin Fetchit problem. Enh, I’m not that fond of dogs’ slavishness either.

  36. Strikes me as more a “I was misquoted” rather than “I never said that”

    Sounds about right. My guess is that Torgersen did tell Savile he thought being the right-wing version of Scalzi would be good for his career, but he knows that makes his Sad Puppies campaign look self-serving and he doesn’t want that perception, so he’s rewriting history just like Larry Correia did to his RenoCon experience.

    There’s a lot of myth-building going on with the Puppies.

    Just as an FYI, you got rcade and rrede mixed up in your quote attribution.

  37. Re: William Morris

    For anyone in/near London, I think John Lewis has a rather fine window display of Morris’ patterns at the moment. Layered up altogether – it looks great.

    @Bruce Baugh

    I’m very sorry to hear that. Montano sounds like he was a wonderful cat.

  38. @Simeon: On the other hand I am doubtful that there are many works that are both foundational and obscure. how can authors build on works that they do not know?

    There you go being all logical!

    Although…..being all english teacher-y pedantic, time washes away a lot. For example, Jane Austen’s work is pretty well known (even people who haven’t read it have an opinion on it, snicker), but how well do we know the work that was popular at the time she was writing and that could have been an influence on her (especially the women writers, “How to Suppress Women’s Writing,” by Russ, notices that one pattern of erasingn women’s writing is to pick ONE FAMOUS WOMAN and declare her UNIQUE).

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/0/21122727

    The whole foundational/influences debate is always fraught, and can turn into some real nasty behavior (and I’m not talking about fandom, I’m talking about ENGLIT types, shudder).

  39. Just as an FYI, you got rcade and rrede mixed up in your quote attribution.

    Argh, sorry but that!

  40. @rcade: I’m impressed at how seldom our two names get mixed up–heck, I’ve occasionally done it myself until I *see* your icon!

  42. Simon, your list gives credit for “Douglas Sirk’s Lobo” to “Bruce Anthers”.

    (For some reason, “Arthurs” seems to frequently get altered or bungled, even after I tell people “It’s like King Arthur, with an ‘s’ on the end.” I’ve seen Arders, Archers, Authurs, Aruders, and numerous other versions.)

  43. @Soon Lee

    I’m very glad that the File770 comments have been a help to you in a difficult time.

    And is the “very model of a billionaire philanthropist” an existing filk, or did you make that excellent 2nd line yourself? I googled it, but this page was the only hit…

    If so, well done!

  44. @Cat,

    I came up with a second line to Rev. Bob’s first and was kinda sorta hoping someone else would take it further. *hint*

  45. @Cat, @Soon Lee:

    The first line is original to my fevered brain, and maybe it can make SBJ’s list if we can get a full stanza!

  47. Simply being an early SF work that is remembered does not necessarily make it foundational . Look at Cold Comfort Farm. It is far more influenced by Science Fiction than influential on Science Fiction. Unless some one disagrees?

  48. Thanks for the credit, M.C. Simon Milligan.

    @Simeon Beresford:

    I agree. “Cold Comfort Farm” came out in 1932, the same year as “Brave New World” but had considerably less influence on SF (for all that I consider it a more enjoyable book).

  49. The following occurred to me yesterday while listening to the radio. Since its shelf life is rapidly dwindling, I give you:

    Slate Cowboy

    Some people call me a sad puppy, yeah
    Some call me a bringer of doom
    Some people call me Marmot
    When I happen to hark back to Barsoom

    People blog about me, baby
    Say I’m votin’ you wrong, votin’ you wrong,
    Well, don’t you worry, Sasquan, don’t worry,
    Cause I’ll vote weird, baby, vote weird, vote weird, vote weird at home

    ‘Cause I’m a slater
    Not a traitor
    I’m a trufan,
    A harmless ‘gator.
    I read my Heinlein in the sun.

    I’m a joker
    Like Bram Stoker
    Breq? I didn’t grok her.
    But I sure don’t want to hurt no one

    ‘Cause I’m a slater
    Not a traitor
    I’m a trufan,
    A harmless ‘gator.
    I like my sci-fi just for fun
    Wooo Woooo
    Wooo Hooooo

    Now you’re the cutest trophy
    I ever did see
    I really love your tailfins
    Want to set you free
    Rockem-sockem, rockem-sockem, rockem-sockem, rockem-sockem all the time
    Ooo-eee baby, I’ll show you off for a dime

    ‘Cause I’m a slater
    Don’t say ‘traitor’
    I’m a trufan,
    A harmless ‘gator.
    I take my sci-fi just for fun
    Wooo Woooo
    Wooo Hooooo

    People blog about me, baby
    Say I’m votin’ you wrong, votin’ you wrong,
    Well, don’t you worry, Sasquan, don’t worry,
    Cause I’ll vote weird, baby, vote weird, vote weird, vote weird at home
    You’re the cutest trophy
    I ever did see
    I really love your tailfins
    Want to set you free
    Rockem-sockem, rockem-sockem, rockem-sockem, rockem-sockem all the time
    Ooo-eee baby, I’ll show you off for a dime

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