Renaming Science Fiction Awards (Campbell Award, Titorri Award)
The John W. Campbell Award for Best Newcomer and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, as well as the James Titorri Jr. Award, are all planned to be renamed. This article is a summary of the ideas related to this renaming event.
abstract:
1. Why did it change its name?
2. Why did you change your name?
3. Will the evaluation of writers change with the times?
4. Shouldn't people and works be considered separately?
5. Isn't renaming a name a revision of history? Once a writer is labeled as evil, will he not disappear from history? Can't credit and fault be handled separately?
6. I hope everyone will consider the party who is suffering.
7. Different eras have different perspectives? Keep pace with the times and change your mind. No problem.
1. Why did it change its name?
The root cause is that someone has been hurt by the words and deeds of the relevant writers.
Some people think that John W. Campbell (1910-1971) has made remarks related to fascism and racial discrimination, and his mistakes outweigh his advantages, so it is not appropriate to name the award after him. Jeannette Ng (Wu Zhili), who won the Campbell Newcomer Award this year, criticized in her acceptance speech (link:/@ Nettlefish/John-W-Campbell-for-Who-This-Award-WAS-A-Fashion-F693323D3293), which caused great discussion and led to the final award.
James Tiptree, Jr1915-1971) is because it is considered unacceptable to kill a husband who needs care before his death. Although it is said that the ex-husband and wife had agreed to commit suicide many years after the incident, there is no relevant evidence to prove her husband's intention on the day of the incident. What is regarded as the key issue is not Tiptori's suicide, but the inability to prove that she did not kill on purpose. This question was actually put forward by some people who need to care in real life. In addition, the name change advocates also criticized that the previous application to WISCON (the awarding body of the Tip Tory Award) was not considered and adopted. At first, the operation team of the Tiptory Award issued a statement saying that it would not consider changing its name and refuted it, but the latest statement said that the award would no longer be able to use its current name. (Link:/Jeanette _ ng/status/1166453526287003648)
Now you say, "It's nonsense to attack here when it's obvious that it's ok so far!" Before you do, please think carefully about "Who is right for you?" ?
5. Isn't renaming a name a revision of history? Once a writer is labeled as evil, will he not disappear from history? Can't credit and fault be handled separately?
We can see that many people are worried about the adverse effects after the name change. But just by removing the name from the award, will that person be forgotten and his achievements disappear? I don't think it's as light as a feather. Turn a blind eye to the mistakes of merits and demerits, but it is a smear of history.
Let me give you an example before. At the beginning of 20 10, there was criticism that the medal of the World Fantasy Literature Award was H·P· Lovecraft's head. Because it is well known that he is a racist. Since 20 1 1, 1975, the first black writer who won the Best Novel Award in the World Fantasy Literature Award, Hautcolas learned from friends that Lovecraft was a racist and asked other writers for advice on this matter on Facebook. (link:/2011/lovecrafts-racism-world-fantasy-award.html) These authors include China Miéville and Steve Barnes, and Jeff VanderMeer. (According to Jeff Vandermill, he talks directly with the operation committee himself).
In 20 14, the writer Daniel Jose Alder launched a signature campaign and collected 2,500 signatures. (link:/2017/4/1530818/world-fantasy-award-h-p-lovecraft-toxic-legacy) Thus, "As a tribute to the award-winning writers,
However, does this change throw cold water on the vigorous development of the myth of Cthulhu? I don't feel that way. Victor Lavalle's novella The Ballad of Black Tom (20 16) is an amazing masterpiece from the perspective of African-Americans. At the beginning of the work, I wrote "For H.P. Lovecraft, with all my contradictory feelings." Dedicated to Lovecraft, with all my complicated feelings. Writer Victor Ravel admits that Lovecraft was one of his four favorite writers in his childhood. (Link:/arr Roberts/status/102186780349075456) Roberts posted this passage in "Meeting Rama": "Captain Norton thought a long time ago that some women should not be allowed on the ship at all-their breasts are there. It's enough when the chest doesn't move, but when it moves, plus the effect of * * * vibration, but every hot-blooded man can't hold it. As far as he knows, at least one serious space accident was caused by a plump female officer passing through the command module, which caused the crew to be seriously distracted. " )。 That's the chapter where women are not allowed to get on the boat. In fact, Roberts just added that when he first read it in his teens, he was completely moved. He read it again and found that he completely forgot to have such a description and didn't mention anything about how to treat Clark. In his reply to this tweet, many people commented that "I was shocked to cry when I read this", "Compared with other scenes, I first read it when I was a teenager, and I was most impressed", "Because of this, I can't read science fiction in the golden age without scruple". What do you think of this matter?
Some readers will be inadvertently hurt or depressed because of the chapters and fragments of the novel. What is needed at this time is definitely not something like "don't be hurt by past values" and "think about its historical value when reading". Of course, we can't just delete those chapters and paragraphs. Only by considering how to deal with such a situation together, such as taking measures such as reminding in advance. However, it is useless and thoughtless to answer "you are too sensitive" and "just bear with this question"
7. Different eras have different perspectives? Keep pace with the times and change your mind. No problem.
The following is the postscript of Theodore sturgeon's Venus Plus X, which is an article in June 1960. (Okubo, translated by Jean, National Book Association, 2005)
The work to be criticized should be The Lost World according to the postscript of the translator Okubo (1953). This novel is considered to be the first science fiction work that positively affirms homosexuality. Please read the rest of the article.
(Theodore sturgeon's original "My purpose in writing Venus Plus X" a) To write a declining book b) About sex. It is impossible to try such a thing without touching religion, and it is impossible to touch some of your toes. If it hurts, I'm sorry for the pain. My own toes are firmly standing on the two boards of the Bill of Rights. If you have a book that contradicts me, I promise that I will concentrate on reading it and I will not burn it. " )
I'm sure I'll step on others, but I'll keep my principles and be honest with criticism. I respect Theodore sturgeon for showing such a gesture. To tell the truth, I didn't expect to hurt anyone at all, and I didn't accept any criticism. I still have no principles. There are many such people. You can imagine criticizing his enthusiasm 66 years ago. It may not be as short as it is now on social media, but there were many criticisms 66 years ago.
Theodore sturgeon's Lost World made Samuel R. Delaney, aged 12, cry. This may also be one of the reasons why Delaney was attracted by science fiction. According to him, Theodore sturgeon was almost expelled from science fiction because of this article "The World Well Lost". It is said that an editor who received the manuscript called around to tell others that Theodore sturgeon had created such an immoral novel that no one should publish his works again. (link: /sfs/sturgeon.htm), and then it was left out for a long time. The works adapted by different people in different times are also different. It is not absolute which works will be criticized and which works will be accepted. But to be honest and annoying, the progress of sturgeon and the hope of Delaney have not reached Japan for a long time.
Samuel R. Delanis mentioned it in his article Racism and Science Fiction published in 1998 (link: /racism-and-science-fiction-). Html) said that the manuscript of his novel New Star was sent to John in the second half of 1960. (Some people may think that "it's a reader's problem, and it's not pitiful to let Campbell take the responsibility alone", but in fact Campbell published a novel featuring black people written by white writer Mack Reynolds in the early 1960s) (link: /fsf/blog/forum/topic.php? id = 1880797 # post-205900 1)
Just as Campbell discovered some unknown works, there were also cases where acclaimed writers were demoted. The most important thing is to be in high spirits after winning the prize and be yearned for by everyone. Awards are for present and future people. I hope that science fiction in the English circle will flourish as a group that can gather and update more diverse people. So I strongly support renaming.
Gossip 1: I saw someone say that "if the award is renamed, it should be re-established as another award/the number of awards should be reset". I don't quite understand the logic. As long as the concept of the award and its operating group has not changed, how to change the name will not change its essence. For example, the British Prize for Women's Fiction is specially awarded to novels written by women authors, which used to be called the Orange Award. Because Orange Company is no longer a sponsor, 2065 438+04-2065 438+07 was sponsored by Baileys, so it was renamed as Baileys Women's Novel Award. After Bailey stopped sponsoring, it was sponsored by Bookshelf Company, so it was no longer named after the sponsor.
Myth 2: I'm a little hesitant to sum up Campbell's words and deeds.