Wiscon '08: The Year We Were Bitchy

[vito_excalibur]

Let me say at the outset that I love Wiscon, I always love Wiscon, and this year was no different. I am bitchier than usual about it this year for a number of reasons, including that four panels turns out to be just too many for me to be on, and that I didn't get organized enough to write my notes before I left, so I missed a lot of stuff I wanted

Comments

[kethlenda]

Love this post.

[kethlenda]

Oh, and I would like to add the following:

People should stop criticizing the Bush administration so much...

I created this genre!

[vito_excalibur]

You know, I'll disagree with you on this one. Well, if it's relevant to the panel. :) The Bush administration one, not so good on a Terry Pratchett panel, good on a modern politics panel. Because these are things you can argue about! You can give reasons for and against! You'd better be able to back it up though.

[kethlenda]

Well, it depends on what the panel was about. I don't remember what this one was supposed to be about, but one of the panelists randomly started scolding about how people criticized the admin too much for the way they'd dealt with Katrina and how we should all be proud instead. It wasn't relevant to the topic and the antagonistic tone was sort of out of the blue, since no one had actually said a darn thing about Katrina or Bush during the discussion. It was kind of out of left field.

But yeah, I could see a discussion where it would fit in, you're right. :)

Now, as for people claiming they invented a genre...

Not that I was there, but...

[shoutingboy]

The Bush administration one looks to me like a special case of the general rule "this is not necessarily the place to grind that axe". And heaven knows the opposing axe is ground plenty of times, too--lots of people just find any opportunity to shove their hatred of Current Administration into whatever discussion they're in. I mean, I love you, baby, but OH JOHN SCALZI NO.

Re: Not that I was there, but...

[kethlenda]

Yes, exactly. "Back away from the axe...it's a rather irrelevant axe at the moment."

This incident was not at Wiscon but at another con, but it popped to mind reading this post.

[tavella]

I'm boggled at the idea of someone trying to claim that Katrina was handled well, even if it was on topic. At *Wiscon*?

[kethlenda]

Nah, different con. :)

[badger2305]

Would you mind terribly much if I simply clipped your post and included it in next year's Moderator Tip Sheet? I think sometimes we try to hard to make it all sound nice and positive and vague, when what we also could use are some negative examples as things to avoid. Mind?

[kethlenda]

Was this meant for the OP? :)

[vito_excalibur]

Assuming you were talking to me, sure. :)

p.s. HEE you iconed it.

[badgerbag]

hahah good icon!