Hm. I can see the misogyny argument, and I admit I have moments where I'm not entirely comfortable with "pimp" as common fannish terminology. The arguments about American urban culture make me really, really uncomfortable, though, as they seem to be robbing Peter to pay Paul. I'm not at all happy, to say the least, with the primary argument against the word's usage being a classist and/or racist one rather than an anti-sexist one.
I also agree hardcore that without something to take its place, there's no way it's going to work. "Push", maybe, but eh. Thesaurus.com brings up the synonym "puff" for "publicize", which I like and which I think might have the best chance of catching on.
AFAIK, Lenox Macbeth is in no way speaking for Saeva, just in a space Saeva opened up. I've certainly had people say things I disagree with in my comments.
Puff actually has something to it. I think if I get more than a couple of decent suggestions, I'll run a poll.
The problem I see with puff is that "puffery" refers to permissible exaggeration in advertising. Like the old Joe Isuzu commercials - something so overblown that there's no danger the audience will believe it. I don't think that's the connotation we would want.
But dang! I like the idea of coming up with a snappy alternative. Then we can pimp it around promote it to fandom at large.
I don't know that we need (or want) a 1:1 correspondence in meaning. It's certainly not as if we use the word pimp to refer to the sex trade, and we don't use it with the same meaning as other slang and colloquial usages, either.
That's very true - but if we're trying to convince people to pick up a new expression, I think it'll be easier if we can find one without problematic connotations, like "false advertising."
Of course, that may be an impossible dream.
OTOH, "puff" does have a cool sort of physical meaning, like blowing dandelion seeds.
Let my Puff my new fandom: Eureks- Silly scientists- lots of geeks and a hot chick with a gun fetish- what's not to love?
... Take your puffery elsewhere- I have too many fandoms as it is!
As much as it does have a negative connotation with advertising, I kinda like it. (and not just because I have a tendency to get physically worked up while enthusiastic, and forget to breathe while I am talking...)
On some level, some of the negative connotations might work towards the right goal- to accuse an article or written work of being a "puff piece" is to accuse it of being biased and overly positive, and I have yet to have a fandom pitch that wasn't both of those things (except for Sentinel, for which I was told- watch the fort 10 minutes and the last ten, and read the fic...)
Oh, yeah, I made sure I was reading both right before I jumped to conclusions about Saeva. It just got me going "hmm" in response, and wondering where the whole class/race issue fits into the use of "pimp", because I suspect there's a great deal to be said there as well as re: the gender issues.
\o/ I sort of like "push", but it's a bit dull, and I suspect you'd need something with a little more zing to it for it to catch on in fandom at large. The drug connotations fit in with fandom's use of "crack", though... *g*
See, yeah, I could see it being problematic from that end, though in some ways it fits into fandom's speech patterns. I think there may be an element of classism somewhere in there, too, but I'm too much into summer mode already to quite suss it out, heh. "Pump" might work, and I find it's easier to change my own speech patterns if the substitution I'm using is closer to the problematic term (e.g. "sketchy" for "skanky"), so it's got that as an advantage, but again, it's a bit dull.
I also agree hardcore that without something to take its place, there's no way it's going to work. "Push", maybe, but eh. Thesaurus.com brings up the synonym "puff" for "publicize", which I like and which I think might have the best chance of catching on.
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Puff actually has something to it. I think if I get more than a couple of decent suggestions, I'll run a poll.
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But dang! I like the idea of coming up with a snappy alternative. Then we can pimp it around promote it to fandom at large.
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Of course, that may be an impossible dream.
OTOH, "puff" does have a cool sort of physical meaning, like blowing dandelion seeds.
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...I likey!
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It's not enough
You love blow
and I love puff
And life is like a pipe....
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Let my Puff my new fandom: Eureks- Silly scientists- lots of geeks and a hot chick with a gun fetish- what's not to love?
... Take your puffery elsewhere- I have too many fandoms as it is!
As much as it does have a negative connotation with advertising, I kinda like it. (and not just because I have a tendency to get physically worked up while enthusiastic, and forget to breathe while I am talking...)
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\o/ I sort of like "push", but it's a bit dull, and I suspect you'd need something with a little more zing to it for it to catch on in fandom at large. The drug connotations fit in with fandom's use of "crack", though... *g*
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Oh, that's a good point. But that's always kinda made me go "ewwww" - more than the pimp/whore references, for reasons I haven't adequately examined.
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We could try "hump." Hump my fandom! Hm. Maybe not.
I tried the thesaurus too (good idea) for "promote." "Tout" makes me think of a sneaky little guy hanging around a racetrack. "Plug" ... meh.
What about "pitch"?
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