The difference between a worldcon and a Worldcon

[dalekboy]

The below is my opinion. No one has asked me to write this and if you have any problems with what I'm saying, take it up with me and no-one else.


There are a lot of pro-authors at this con, a chunk of whom I have met at other Worldcons, conventions and events. What has been amazing to me, and gratifying because I have some dear friends who have been responsible for the program, is that every one of them without exception has said that this is the most interesting and diverse Worldcon program that they've seen in ages.

Now I haven't been responsible for any of it. They have no reason to tell me this beyond simple conversation and the enthusiasm they feel for the program.

These people have been around for years, been to a lot of conventions, and they are seriously impressed, not just because it's a good program, but because it's a program so good they want to go to a lot of it. They've also commented on the way the programmers worked with them very favourably.

I mention this because there's stuff that has not been allowed to happen here.

The base reason seems to come down to - this is Worldcon, and you aren't allowed to do this, this, and that, because we don't do things that way. This is why the madcap entertainment events that are pretty much a staple of the evening program at many Australian conventions aren't happening here, because Worldcon doesn't do that.

I think the elephant in the room here is this - what is the bloody point of having the Worldcon in different countries if they have to do everything the same? Seriously, why even bother? It's like travelling all over the world and instead of eating in a variety of restaurants, only ever eating at McDonalds.

I would think the reason for having a World convention that moves from country to country would be to experience those other fandoms. Yes, there will be stuff you don't like, but there will also be the surprises. It's the difference between having a worldcon and a Worldcon.

I'm not saying that there isn't a lot of good advice to be given, a lot of experience to help avoid common perils and pitfalls, but there is a huge difference between offering help and knowledge, and dictating terms. And let's face it, even with all that pressure to do things in very particular ways, there are still Worldcons that are utter disasters.

So if even with all the pressure to do things the 'right' way it all goes hideously wrong, is there any point to trying to force the cookie-cutter convention on people? Why not instead help people to run their Worldcon, complete with all those exciting differences? Help them find ways of introducing people to the unique ways they celebrate they genre in their country, not to mention the individuality of the country itself.

Or is this need for things to be just so yet another example of that old fannish paradox, that the people who are in theory looking excitedly at a new and different future, are deathly afraid of anything remotely resembling change?

Comments

[dalekboy.livejournal.com]

It really seems to come down to, "This is the way we've always done it, so don't you dare try and change a thing."

What I find offensive about the programmers being told they weren't to run evening stuff is that the rooms are paid for for the entire day, and end up sitting there empty for the evenings. It's a huge waste of cash.

Also, for people who are shy and don't have friends at the con, this leaves them with nothing to attend beyond parties, which can be just too intimidating if you're shy.

And there is always the background threat of your worldcon being taken away from you and run by folks from overseas. I remember there was a real concern for a while in '99 that that might happen. So there's a very real feeling of 'our way or the highway.'

You raise a lot of good stuff that I'd love to talk with you about, but I'm flat out at the mo'.

[stephen-dedman.livejournal.com]

Agree with pretty much all of this, particularly evening programming. My first Worldcon was Conspiracy in 1987, where the hotel management prohibited parties (gee, that sounds familiar) and the only after-dinner options were filk and the video stream. If people are willing to be on panels or other events against the masquerade or the Hugos, why shouldn't they be permitted to do so?

[smofbabe.livejournal.com]

I would very much like to have more details about what was asked for, and what was refused and by whom. I do know that when I was asked in Program Ops for a room for an evening program ("Pirate People"), I provided one. While the Masquerade and Hugo ceremony are generally not programmed against any more than the GoH speeches are, other nights are generally more flexible.

And there is always the background threat of your worldcon being taken away from you and run by folks from overseas.

Frankly, I heard this from a few other people and I am pretty steamed about it. In several major areas, Australians initially volunteered to run areas and then decided it was too much work and bailed out. I think that the Australians who make this complaint should realise that they owe a debt of gratitude to the people from overseas who took over areas due to Australians reneging (in one case, literally the day before the convention) rather than complaining about not enough Australians running things. It especially annoys me when (present company excepted) Australians who never put their own hand up to volunteer to help feel free to complain about the lack of Australians running things.

[angriest.livejournal.com]

I don't want to participate in a mass post-con blamestorming session. I just wanted to confirm that I was specifically instructed not to develop any panels or presentations for the evenings.

I have also heard the whole "the American SMOFs will take over your Worldcon if they don't like how it's run" thing, and not just in relation to Aussiecon 4. I think it's just one of the running myths that comes from so many US fans working on the convention, no matter what country it gets held in.

[smofbabe.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, it's true that we didn't plan to run regular programming at night (which, btw, is not in any kind of worldcon locked-in tradition: some worldcons do and some don't). However, I thought Danny was talking about some sort of special local-themed evening happenings.