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Ági Szabados Does Not Need to Apologize to Me

whatever.scalzi.com

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Re: Ági Szabados Does Not Need to Apologize to Me

#51

Post by curun1r »

gnfargbl wrote: post #6

As far as I can tell, the story here is that 1. the person tasked with introducing an author talked more about her own initiative (getting people to read more) than the author; 2. the person was criticised for this; and 3. the author wants people to know that he doesn't mind not being talked about because he likes reading too, and he doesn't feel he needs help promoting himself. So far, so boring. There's also some m…

From my 5-minute read of the situation, this feels similar to the quote about politics in academia, “Academic politics is the most vicious and bitter form of politics, because the stakes are so low.”

The more you get out of the mainstream and you’re dealing with status in some tiny subculture, the more you’re going to see people delve into minutiae to undercut someone achieving that status. The lower the stakes, the nastier it often gets.

Chances are that this person has people who are envious of whatever limited celebrity she has and are waiting for opportunities to criticize her. When she gave them one, they jumped on it and used the defense of this author’s feelings as their pretense. But anyone thinking it was real outrage is missing the underlying dynamic.

Re: Ági Szabados Does Not Need to Apologize to Me

#54

Post by tempestn »

zrail wrote: post #22
madaxe_again wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I read “Old Man’s War” a few weeks back, and it left me totally cold - while he’s of course attempting to reach a broad audience, it struck me as so tropeful it made me squirm. Space marines having knife-fights with giant bugs in a thunderdome was right up there. There was also a weird bit where all of a sudden all of the characters are asking each other how old they are over the course of a dozen pages, which felt l…

Old Man's War was published almost two decades ago and was Scalzi's first novel. It shouldn't be surprising that it took a lot of inspiration from Heinlein et. al. His later works either lean way into tropes intentionally (Red Shirts, which I feel is more an exploration of form than a proper novel) or develop entirely new concepts, like the one way travel in the Interdependency series.

He also has a unique style. To me it appears intentional that he doesn't tend to write as realistic as possible depictions of possible futures, even allowing for the sci-fi elements. Rather, characters tend to act and speak like current day people thrust into a sci-fi scenario. Technology is highly advanced in some areas, but less so in others (which helps keep humans relevant). At times I found that took some getting used to, but it can also make the story more accessible, lends itself to humor, and can allow for exploration of how the kind of people we're familiar with would react in wildly different scenarios.

Basically, I can see how his style wouldn't be for everyone, but I enjoy his books.

Re: Ági Szabados Does Not Need to Apologize to Me

#55

Post by DandyDev »

zrail wrote: post #25
DandyDev wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The comment is factual, right? The person is young? Check. She is a content creator? Check. She promoted his books? Check. Nothing patronizing about that Edit: meant as a response to sibling comment

Ági Szabados is a 35 year old adult woman who runs a successful nationwide book club. "Young content creator" in this context absolutely is patronizing.

I didn't know her, so I googled her. What comes up the most: her YouTube videos and podcasts. That's the definition of "content creator".

I find 35 young. Young != not adult.

Having a successful nationwide bookclub does not stop her from (apparently) being a content creator. And vice versa, being a content creator does not diminish the success of her bookclub.

You seem to suggest that being a content creator is somehow "less worthy" than having a bookclub. Many people are super successful being content creators on YouTube. Are they less because they don't run a bookclub?

Sounds pretty elitist to me

Re: Ági Szabados Does Not Need to Apologize to Me

#56

Post by bowsamic »

tibbydudeza wrote: post #12
bowsamic wrote: post #9

I really don't understand how we are supposed to deal with this modern outrage culture

By not being on or engaging social media - if you messed up you could go to the next village and not get tarred and feathered there. I read about this incident living in a different continent proverbially 8400 miles away from Budapest. A global village you tell me - meh - it is a curse.

She would have been targeted even if she did not use social media

Re: Ági Szabados Does Not Need to Apologize to Me

#57

Post by fishywang »

bawolff wrote: post #3

I have a lot of respect for this. It would be so easy for him to just ignore the situation, not get involved. It is after all some controversy in a far away place in a different language/culture. Despite being "about" him, he arguably has nothing really to do with it. He does not need to be involved; he can walk away. Instead he tries to stop the inernet mob from demonizing someone in his name who did nothing to dese…

John Scalzi also has DRM removed from his every book on Google Play Books (and some other ebook platforms supporting this). I always respect him for that.

(And also for someone who is not native in English, I found his book easier to read compare to some other other authors.)

Re: Ági Szabados Does Not Need to Apologize to Me

#58

Post by tibbydudeza »

gorjusborg wrote: post #37
tibbydudeza wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By not being on or engaging social media - if you messed up you could go to the next village and not get tarred and feathered there. I read about this incident living in a different continent proverbially 8400 miles away from Budapest. A global village you tell me - meh - it is a curse.

Not engaging is a perfectly reasonable choice, especially when the negatives of engaging outweigh the positives. More selectively engaging could also work, in theory. In practice though, I suspect people succumb to industry engagement stimulation techniques and get pulled back in completely.

Or develop a very thick skin as well - the internet amplifies the unsavory aspects of human behavior because of $$$.

Re: Ági Szabados Does Not Need to Apologize to Me

#59

Post by sshine »

bawolff wrote: post #33
sshine wrote: post #27

John Scalzi clearly does not understand that being offended on behalf of someone else really has nothing to do with him.

I mean, i think he understands that perfectly fine. You can still engage with things that have nothing to do with you. You did it with your comment after all. You can still reasonably feel a moral obligation to intervene on stuff done in your name or on your behalf even if it isn't really about you.

I think he understands it very well, too.

I was being sarcastic.

I apologise for the lack of indicators.

Re: Ági Szabados Does Not Need to Apologize to Me

#60

Post by bimguy »

zrail wrote: post #25
DandyDev wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The comment is factual, right? The person is young? Check. She is a content creator? Check. She promoted his books? Check. Nothing patronizing about that Edit: meant as a response to sibling comment

Ági Szabados is a 35 year old adult woman who runs a successful nationwide book club. "Young content creator" in this context absolutely is patronizing.

Interestingly, you are the kind of person that Agi is facing ridicule from. Someone being offended FOR others, even though, nothing of offence actually occurred.
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