So about those Puppies (and sorry to anyone who has no clue what I'm blathering about yet again).
To put it in general terms, a bunch of people have now decided they want to boycott a major sci fi publisher. In part this seems to be because they don't like the publisher anyways, but the stated reasoning is given as an objection to something one of the art directors said (more or less referenced in my previous post). Basically, they reckon she insulted them.
There is some debate on the specifics. *cough*understatement*cough*
And so they want an apology. Which they got, but they don't feel it was appropriately worded. So some of them want her fired, or think she should have been fired, and some... the publisher has a few other staff who have been openly critical, if not as incendiary, and so some of the group may want them fired as well.
It's getting ugly. Uglier. Whatever.
I won't get into the wheres and whyfores, let alone the whereasmuches, but there are a few things I wanted to note after spending a few hours as part of a thread on Facebook relating to this palaver.
One, the Puppies have adopted a few new memes. Such as 'she insulted us on company time!', which is... bizarre? How would they know what her break schedule is? I'll concede that the egregious comment occurred in relation to a post relating to one of the publisher's upcoming releases, albeit on an official press release or company communique, but... company time? Really?
The other one is to claim that she personally insulted a particular person who spent years fighting actual neo-Nazis in the struggle against apartheid. Except I'm not sure anyone outside their group, let alone the lady at the centre of the dispute, even knows who the dude is. I didn't. To top it all off, he doesn't even claim to be PART of their group, just supporting from the sidelines... so how was he personally insulted, anyways? Even if you accept that she did call the group 'neo-Nazis', he's not part of the group, right?
One genius claimed apartheid was in South America. I just really hope that was an autocorrect failure.
Also, do not ask for proof that he did the fighting. Just... don't.
The other thing I really want to note is the absurdity of the boycott itself. So.... you're not buying their books. Some of you wouldn't anyways, either because you have a grudge against the publisher to begin with, or against some of their authors, or you reckon they just don't publish anything you like.
To those people, you're trying to punish them by not doing something you were never gonna do anyways. Congratulations on achieving less than nothing.
For everyone else... so you're not buying their books. As opposed to all the other days you were not buying their books. Unless you're someone who buys a book a day, but who the hell has that kinda time and money? So anyways, you're not doing something that... say, anywhere from 50-90% of the time, you weren't gonna do it anyways. Congratulations on achieving nothing. It's more than less than nothing, but it's still nothing.
Seriously, if they can stir up the greater mass of readers out their to join them in their batshittery, I will be impressed. Mostly, I suspect they won't make much difference.
The other bizarre part is that, on at least one blog, they're getting people to take photos of their collection of books from this publisher to, I dunno, demonstrate what good customers they are? Or were. One guy sent in a picture of two books. A whole two books. Man, I can feel the bottom line plummet, losing a customer so dedicated and loyal.
On the flipside, some people have a lot of books. Like, a LOT. Shelves and shelves worth. They have been good customers.... and if it were me, I would be looking at such photos and thinking, "Well, we already have their money anyways".
The whole thing is a farce.
Oh, and another thing I noted from the thread? It's really hard to take seriously people whose argument consists of "You assholes called me names!" and other such potkettles. Basically everything they accuse other people of doing, they do themselves, often in the accusation. Also, on top of that, it seems like they're coopting ideas and language from their opponents. It's weird.
And lastly... I mocked one guy for being a twit, and he told me he did not find me funny.
Somehow, that being the whole point seemed to escape him.
Some days, it's like being in a Monty Python skit.
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