Some thoughts before the Hugo Awards

[Fox12]

A shameful display from The Escapist, and from Robert in particular.

The thing that bothers me most of all is that, three years later, we still don't have any evidence for the claims being made. No evidence of voting blocks. No evidence of back room dealings. No evidence that the system is rigged against right wing writers. Nothing. I expected this from Zontar. I asked him for evidence multiple times, in this thread and in others, and got nothing. But he's not in a position of responsibility. He can get away with that. But how on earth did an editor allow this article to get pushed through? And, more importantly, what on earth made Robert think he was qualified to correct the Guardian? If you want to improve the quality of journalism, you should seek to clean your own house first. Robert should feel embarrassed by his arrogant attitude and lack of evidence, but I know he's not, so I'll be embarrassed for him.

I just feel bad for the authors. I feel bad for Cory, and Grey, and Tingle, and anyone else who wouldn't have been there without the slates. I feel bad for the people who won, who have to question the validity of the awards. In truth, they shouldn't even matter. The art should matter. This display makes a mockery of everyone in the field. As an aspiring writer I can't imagine a worse feeling. Robert, if you want to shove your politics in everyone's face, then fine. But DO NOT claim that you are doing this for authors.

 

[Breakdown]

what on earth made Robert think he was qualified to correct the Guardian?

Anybody is qualified to correct the Guardian. That writer isn't even a journalist, he's just some guy who did some kind of creative writing course and now thinks he's an expert.

 

[Fox12]

what on earth made Robert think he was qualified to correct the Guardian?

Anybody is qualified to correct the Guardian. That writer isn't even a journalist, he's just some guy who did some kind of creative writing course and now thinks he's an expert.

Anyone is allowed to criticize the Guardian. To be qualified to correct it you would have to actually show some semblance of professionalism. The point is that it requires a certain amount of arrogance to criticize someone else while simultaneosly providing shoddy work yourself. If you're going to criticize others then you should make absolutely certain that all your ducks are in a row.

 

[Breakdown]

what on earth made Robert think he was qualified to correct the Guardian?

Anybody is qualified to correct the Guardian. That writer isn't even a journalist, he's just some guy who did some kind of creative writing course and now thinks he's an expert.

Anyone is allowed to criticize the Guardian. To be qualified to correct it you would have to actually show some semblance of professionalism. The point is that it requires a certain amount of arrogance to criticize someone else while simultaneosly providing shoddy work yourself. If you're going to criticize others then you should make absolutely certain that all your ducks are in a row.

This isn't even an article, it's a forum post. No editor was involved. Robert presumably wasn't paid, since this isn't the featured content forum. And the Guardian opinion piece or whatever it is makes clear factual errors and shows a lack of understanding of the subject matter. You seem to be getting offended over somebody writing a post on a forum that you disagree with.

 

[Fox12]

what on earth made Robert think he was qualified to correct the Guardian?

Anybody is qualified to correct the Guardian. That writer isn't even a journalist, he's just some guy who did some kind of creative writing course and now thinks he's an expert.

Anyone is allowed to criticize the Guardian. To be qualified to correct it you would have to actually show some semblance of professionalism. The point is that it requires a certain amount of arrogance to criticize someone else while simultaneosly providing shoddy work yourself. If you're going to criticize others then you should make absolutely certain that all your ducks are in a row.

This isn't even an article, it's a forum post. No editor was involved. Robert presumably wasn't paid, since this isn't the featured content forum. And the Guardian opinion piece or whatever it is makes clear factual errors and shows a lack of understanding of the subject matter. You seem to be getting offended over somebody writing a post on a forum that you disagree with.

He's an employee of The Escapist whose actively telling other sites how to write their articles while simultaneously making egregious errors himself. Just a forum post? Get real. That's a sad attempt to escape responsibility when the whole point of the post was to hold other people accountable. He has more responsibility then the average user to get his facts right, especially when he's fact checking another article. Even if you were correct, at best he would be committing hypocrisy.

 

[09philj]

He's an employee of The Escapist

I thought they made him redundant?

 

[Fox12]

He's an employee of The Escapist

I thought they made him redundant?

Apparently he's on the way out. Good riddance. I think he said he'd still be doing the odd job here and there.

 

[WindKnight]

He's an employee of The Escapist

I thought they made him redundant?

At the time of last years kerfuffle, he was part of the site and wrote an article or two on the coverage, which is part of what was being critiqued.

 

[Silvanus]

Apparently he's on the way out. Good riddance. I think he said he'd still be doing the odd job here and there.

Regardless of how you feel about the man (or his views or output), it's in bloody bad taste to express joy at somebody losing their job.

 

[09philj]

Apparently he's on the way out. Good riddance. I think he said he'd still be doing the odd job here and there.

Regardless of how you feel about the man (or his views or output), it's in bloody bad taste to express joy at somebody losing their job.

Unless they're Piers Morgan.

 

[Fox12]

Apparently he's on the way out. Good riddance. I think he said he'd still be doing the odd job here and there.

Regardless of how you feel about the man (or his views or output), it's in bloody bad taste to express joy at somebody losing their job.

Correct me if I'm mistaken, but, based on his profile, I wasn't under the impression that being an Escapist contributor was his primary form of employment? Rather, he was simply contributing the occasional article over the course of one year. If it is, then I apologize. I don't wish harm or Ill will on him or anyone else. That said, much like moviebob, I won't necessarily miss his soap boxing either. I don't think his recent behavior was in very good taste. All the same, I hope things turn out well for him.

 

[CaitSeith]

http://www.theverge.com/2016/8/20/12551696/2016-hugo-awards-nk-jemisin-fifth-season-science-fiction

So there's the results. I guess it's nice to see Andy Weir/The Martian get some recognition (moreso the book, less so the film), and I'm left to ask why The Cutie Map of all MLP episodes got nominated, and how an episode of anything could be better than Heaven Sent, but hey, don't ya know that it's all politically biaised?

No seriously, I'd love to hear what people thought of the 2016 list.

What!? The Sandman: Overture won against Erin Dies Alone!? Curse these freaking political war!!! /s

Now seriously, I was actually hoping for Grey and Cory to win (really unlikely, but still I was hoping). I'm glad that at least someone got an award in their category; and I hope the next time they are nominees is because lots of people appreciate their work (and not to be used as ammunition in a political battle).

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

http://www.theverge.com/2016/8/20/12551696/2016-hugo-awards-nk-jemisin-fifth-season-science-fiction

So there's the results. I guess it's nice to see Andy Weir/The Martian get some recognition (moreso the book, less so the film), and I'm left to ask why The Cutie Map of all MLP episodes got nominated, and how an episode of anything could be better than Heaven Sent, but hey, don't ya know that it's all politically biaised?

No seriously, I'd love to hear what people thought of the 2016 list.

What!? The Sandman: Overture won against Erin Dies Alone!? Curse these freaking political war!!! /s

Now seriously, I was actually hoping for Grey and Cory to win (really unlikely, but still I was hoping). I'm glad that at least someone got an award in their category; and I hope the next time they are nominees is because lots of people appreciate their work (and not to be used as ammunition in a political battle).

The weird part is, Sandman: Overture was also a Rabids pick. Hell, the rabid slate swept the "Best Graphic Story" category.

It's part of their "if we nominated things people already like anyway, we can claim victory" strategy.

I like Neil Gaiman's quote:"It meant a lot to see Sandman: Overture nominated for a Hugo Award, and was disappointing to see that it had been dragged into the unfortunate mess that the pitiable people who call themselves Puppy had attempted to inflict on Worldcon and its awards. I would have withdrawn it from consideration, but even that seemed like it would have been giving these sad losers too much acknowledgement."

I also like George R.R. Martian's "Alfie Award" for stuff pushed off the ballot by slates.