Readercon looms
Yes, I’ll be at Readercon this year.
This despite the fact that many of the pals I usually look forward to hanging out with will be absent, due to the great Readercon disinvitation sweep. (See Jeff Carver’s post about it, which is pretty representative of the experience of most of the disinvited.)
Given all that, why am I going? Well. I think it’s because I want to find out if the infamous letter really was misinterpreted, as is claimed by Readercon, or if it actually represents a real shift in Readercon’s attitude. And one way to find that out is to see what sort of convention results. I shall decide about future participation based on that.
Anyway, here’s my schedule:
Friday, 6PM Kaffeeklatsch. Sign up to hang out with me over coffee and discuss whatever comes up!
Friday, 7:30 Reading. Yes! I shall be reading from The Changes of the Dark AKA Book 5.
Friday, 9PM Radical Elders, with Barbara Krasnoff (moderator), Sabrina Vourvoulias, Elizabeth Hand and James Patrick Kelly. Â Â Here’s the verbatim description from the official schedule: “On the page, as in GOH Nisi Shawl’s Everfair, and in real life, as in the careers of authors such as Ursula K. Le Guin, elders are speaking their minds and upsetting the status quo. How can age intersect with radicalism and pioneering thought? How is the cognitive estrangement of aging relevant to speculative fiction and fannish communities, and what’s the best way of acknowledging that relevance? ”
Yeah, the thing that made me want to sign up for that was the sentence: How is the cognitive estrangement of aging relevant to speculative fiction and fannish communities, and what’s the best way of acknowledging that relevance?
I cannot adequately express (she said in that quiet and overly-calm voice she uses when she is struggling to be polite while actually seething in fury) how much I dislike that sentence.
The cognitive estrangement of aging?
The cognitive estrangement of aging ?
Which cognitive estrangement is that, now?  The one of  aging?
That cognitive estrangement?  Oh, yes, everybody gets that ol’ cognitive estrangement, we’d better address that one. We should definitely endeavor to adequately acknowledge its social relevance to the community and some stuff.
Really, it sounds like exactly the sort of sentence you’d use when trying to bullshit your thesis advisor. Â Â A phony, faked-up concept, insultingly applied — and obviously designed as a sop for any people who think that Readercon just might not be sensitive to, and inclusive of, the issues of elders.
Yeah. I’m gonna be on that panel.
And also:
Saturday 1PM: Autographing.
That’s it — but I am looking forward to attending panels as well. Here’s the full program listing.
In other news… Lost many hours and significant portions of several days dealing with my computer finally breaking down. New computer successfully purchased and updated with the wisely-backed-up files, at the cost of much annoyance and angst.
It’s a laptop, and rather larger than I would have liked. But, unlike other items you might purchase in your life (house, car, boat, furniture, plot of land) the smaller ones are much more expensive.
June 30th, 2018 at 2:07 am
How will I know if I’m cognitively estranged, or are we automatically assigned it when we are designated “elderly?”
I’m not estranged from cognition, I just have a different relationship. We’ve agreed to disagree on occasion, but it’s quite civil.
July 1st, 2018 at 1:03 am
Heh.
Yeah, I plan to do a detailed unpacking of the statement… is it saying that elders are estranged from cognition, or that our cognition itself is estranged from — well, from what? And is it automatic?
Exploring this should make for an interesting discussion. And a little vim never hurts!
June 30th, 2018 at 6:47 am
Personally I try not to cognate more than absolutely necessary. I find it takes away from my opinions. As you know it is almost impossible to FB without opinions.
June 30th, 2018 at 8:54 am
The older I get the estranger I get. I am relieved that you are on this panel. Give ’em hell.
July 8th, 2018 at 4:31 pm
Given what seems to be the general theme of this Readercon, will there be a panel discussing “Logan’s Run”?
Probably not; all those who would get it have been dis-invited.