tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360814020056871156.post4406991516678537380..comments2024-03-03T13:55:46.243-08:00Comments on Ambling Along the Aqueduct: RaceFail '09: This hurts us allTimmi Duchamphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00673465487533328661noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360814020056871156.post-20517234804687070512009-03-07T10:07:00.000-08:002009-03-07T10:07:00.000-08:00In terms of commenting or failing to comment out o...<I>In terms of commenting or failing to comment out of fear - Well - fear of WHAT? Fear of not-selling a $500 story or not selling a $5,000 book? Fear of losing a thousand readers? A truly successful author - would not have such a fear.</I><BR/><BR/>Indeed not, but...so? $500 or $5000 seem like decent sums to me and I'm sure would be for most people. $500 is a month's rent in many parts of the country, and most people would suffer significantly from a $5000 paycut.<BR/><BR/>Many writers struggle as they are operating in a low-margin and culturally marginally business. That it is made worse by the sort of bizarre behavior of most established personal is notable and worrying, not trivial simply because more successful writers would have less to fear.<BR/><BR/>Or do only the opinions and economic positions of successful writers count?NMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11764993707175344260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360814020056871156.post-63088229862730880172009-03-05T12:45:00.000-08:002009-03-05T12:45:00.000-08:00Hi, this is Oyce, the poster (Timmi runs the blog,...Hi, this is Oyce, the poster (Timmi runs the blog, but many people post here and do not speak for her).<BR/><BR/>I am not exactly clear on what you are saying. I think it is that people should not stay silent out of fear? Although I am not sure who you are referencing when you mention victims?<BR/><BR/>Although I am a proponent of not being silent, I think it is not as easy to break down as fear of not selling a story or fear of losing readers. Many of the POC posting, for instance, fear speaking out because they have been the target of racist harassment in the past or seen other POC subjected to that harassment.Oyceterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04015948736643816202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5360814020056871156.post-63580062740661772042009-03-05T12:17:00.000-08:002009-03-05T12:17:00.000-08:00Hi Timmi. Lots O Comments!!I became aware of this...Hi Timmi. Lots O Comments!!<BR/><BR/>I became aware of this because I am Kathryn Cramer's friend. I see that it is a large, encompassing conversation and that there are many serious issues being discussed.<BR/><BR/>Here's what I just commented to Kathryn: "This one's full of hot buttons, Kathryn. People are running away from the real, sick, pathological - and pathetic - abuse situations. It's not just "resounding silence on racism". I am pretty stunned to see all the stuff that I've seen today. But a lot of egopanties are definitely showing. And that's not to the bad."<BR/><BR/>I do not know why it is so difficult for people to acknowledge differing perspectives. I have no answer for that. But I can comment a bit as an "outsider" - maybe I might seem like an "insider" to those who do not know me, but I am not - I have never fit with the SF/F status quo - and everything I've sold and published in the so-called "industry" has been against the grain.<BR/><BR/>In terms of commenting or failing to comment out of fear - Well - fear of WHAT? Fear of not-selling a $500 story or not selling a $5,000 book? Fear of losing a thousand readers? A truly successful author - would not have such a fear.<BR/><BR/>To me, it's all about perspective. To denigrate people's honest statements and sincere experiences out of a desire to maintain one's image of one's self as - "a good person" or whatever? If I went about my teaching, daily life, business and writing like that, I'd really suck and be a real failure. How is it so hard to see that people are each unique individuals - and to stop blaming the victim and own one's own behavior?<BR/><BR/>Pretty difficult, I guess - <BR/><BR/>Ego's a bad bad thing. And no, I don't think I'm better than anybody else just because it's a little easier for me to put things in perspective and listen without putting people down than others.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com