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New York, 6:03 AM
Mon Nov 23
18 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #sciencefiction more →

    Danticat & Diaz On Writing, Justice, And Being A "Nerd Of Color"

    To The Dream House, Spock!

    Conventional Crap: The Sun Is Already Setting On The RNC

    The Truth Is, Mulder & Scully Are Just “Two 40-Something Adults With Trust Issuesâ€

    Sharpen The Knives: A Science Fiction Convention Happened, And Some Fat People Came!

    Open Source Boob Project: The True Story Of One Epic Day Nerds Groped Free

    We Have Liftoff: Sister Site i09 Launches To Much (Girl Geek) Fanfare

    CIA Insect Cyborgs: Yeah, They're Tools Of Big Brother. But Are They As Gross?
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    Image of thesciencegirl thesciencegirl
    10/19/09

    In reply to Danticat & Diaz On Writing, Justice, And Being A "Nerd Of Color"
    My name is thesciencegirl, and I am a nerd of color. It's interesting... the ways in which being a nerd in communities of color can be alienating, and the ways in which being a person of color can be alienating in communities of nerds.

    I have heard many POCs in the scifi world lament the opposition to moving away from the prototype of the white male as protagonist observing the alien other. Google RaceFail for blog post upon blog post of discussion on that very topic. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    thesciencegirl was starred thesciencegirl was unstarred
    Image of wealhtheow wealhtheow
    10/19/09

    @thesciencegirl: Yeah, it's a double-whammy. And what's incredible is not just the opposition to anything but generic McEurope, but the constant claims that we can't have anything but Tolkein rip-offs and Asimov!light because there's no market for it. Because, you see, there is no such thing as a non-white, non-male nerd. Which--WHAT? It must be amazing to be able to completely ignore everyone that doesn't fit with your preconcieved notions of reality. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    thesciencegirl promoted this comment wealhtheow was starred wealhtheow was unstarred
    Image of Eriu Eriu
    10/19/09

    In reply to Danticat & Diaz On Writing, Justice, And Being A "Nerd Of Color"
    I would feel remiss if I didn't mention that Danticat's Brother, I'm Dying is absolutely amazing. Easily one of the best books I've read in years. I highly recommend it, as if her excerpt above doesn't already speak volumes.
     Reply
    hortense promoted this comment Edited by Eriu at 10/19/09 3:07 PM Eriu was starred Eriu was unstarred
    Image of Pizza!Pizza!Pizza! Pizza!Pizza!Pizza!
    10/19/09

    In reply to Danticat & Diaz On Writing, Justice, And Being A "Nerd Of Color"
    'Despite his experience with the nerd police, Diaz also advanced the somewhat debatable point that reading teaches compassion. He said reading a book was "one of the clearest ways to come into communion with another subjectivity.'

    Love him for this, and I totally agree. Kids can't sit back and not react to a book the same way you can a movie, TV show or videogame. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    Pizza!Pizza!Pizza! was starred Pizza!Pizza!Pizza! was unstarred
    Image of Anna N. Anna N.
    10/19/09

    @HeatherNumber1: I don't know -- I like books more than movies, TV, or videogames, in general, but I'm not sure they're actually any less passive. Videogames require actual physical interaction, for instance, and I think can improve some types of coordination and cognition. I do think that Diaz's point about "subjectivity" is smart, because it's possible to be closer to a character's mind in a book than it usually is in a movie or TV show -- you can actually read their thoughts, which usually isn't possible onscreen. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    Anna N. was starred Anna N. was unstarred
    Image of Pizza!Pizza!Pizza! Pizza!Pizza!Pizza!
    10/19/09

    @Anna N.: Oh, I don't think books are less passive (especially not after reading Everything Bad is Good for You), but as you say, kids who red books are almost forced to empathize, even if it's against their will. Maybe it's because I didn't have cable growing up, but reading was the first time I felt 'Somebody out there *gets* me.' #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    Pizza!Pizza!Pizza! was starred Pizza!Pizza!Pizza! was unstarred
    Image of lilbobbytables lilbobbytables
    10/19/09

    In reply to Danticat & Diaz On Writing, Justice, And Being A "Nerd Of Color"
    Reading has, I firmly believe, made me a better person. It has given me the opportunity to crawl into someone else's headspace and see 1) how that character/person responds to the world, and 2) how the world responds to the character/person. It has helped me, to paraphrase Atticus Finch, to walk in another's shoes. While inhabiting a world only of fiction or books can be isolating, for me it has helped tear down some walls, and allows me to more easily empathize with others.

    Such as. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    lilbobbytables was starred lilbobbytables was unstarred
    Image of thelastsara thelastsara
    10/19/09

    @lilbobbytables is a la-di-da feminist: I feel this way too. There are many things I've read in books that I would not know or even think about otherwise. I think this is what all art is supposed to do, but books have a particular way of becoming a part of you. I definitely see things differently after a really good read. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    cate3710 promoted this comment thelastsara was starred thelastsara was unstarred
    Image of Grim Reaper of the Forest Grim Reaper of the Forest
    10/19/09

    @lilbobbytables is a la-di-da feminist: Not to pat myself on the back, but I also feel like I am weirdly empathetic and I have always been a huge fiction reader. I love stories that can transport me into the mind of someone in other country or time. I'm not sure which came first, my nature or my reading. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    Grim Reaper of the Forest was starred Grim Reaper of the Forest was unstarred
    Image of Zombie Ms. Skittles Zombie Ms. Skittles
    10/19/09

    In reply to Danticat & Diaz On Writing, Justice, And Being A "Nerd Of Color"
    Probably a dumb question, but why was he "pilloried."

    What were his sci-fi reference crimes? What didn't they like? #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    Zombie Ms. Skittles was starred Zombie Ms. Skittles was unstarred
    Image of wealhtheow wealhtheow
    10/19/09

    @Zombie Ms. Skittles: "What didn't they like?"
    The constant objectification of women. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    Zombie Ms. Skittles promoted this comment wealhtheow was starred wealhtheow was unstarred
    Image of Zombie Ms. Skittles Zombie Ms. Skittles
    10/19/09

    @wealhtheow: No, I mean in this part:
    "Diaz said he'd been pilloried in the mainstream nerd press (only sort of an oxymoron) in a way that smacked of racism."

    What's that referring to? #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    Zombie Ms. Skittles was starred Zombie Ms. Skittles was unstarred
    Image of ucelluccia ucelluccia
    10/19/09

    @Zombie Ms. Skittles: *shrug* I haven't read it, but I am a pre-service teacher and know that several of my friends already working are using Oscar Wao in their classrooms. Apparently it's highly teachable -- a Pulitzer Prize winner, after all.

    From what I know about it, the main character is a comic book nerd -- maybe they just didn't care for the comics he liked? #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    ucelluccia was starred ucelluccia was unstarred
    Image of LaComtesse LaComtesse
    10/19/09

    @wealhtheow: ?! But women are some of the greatest characters in Oscar Wao and any objectification of them was done in a very character specific way that was in their voice(s), not the authors. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    LaComtesse was starred LaComtesse was unstarred
    Image of amy_b amy_b
    10/19/09

    @Zombie Ms. Skittles: Oscar Wao is a beautiful book. Highly recommended.

    What I don' t think they liked? Maybe they didn't care for the fact that Oscar was fat and a loser with the ladies. He was the stereotypical sci-fi dork, only with more melanin. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    cate3710 promoted this comment amy_b was starred amy_b was unstarred
    Image of wealhtheow wealhtheow
    10/19/09

    @Zombie Ms. Skittles: I spend a lot of time on sf/f book sites (like Diaz, I am a huge nerd), and the only criticism I've seen has been the sexism thang. It's possible he's gotten some flack because his work got recognized as literature. Generally, sf/f is very much NOT considered lit, which a lot of people, myself included, think a bit unfair. So there are numerous authors (Margaret Atwood springs to mind) who insist their work isn't science fiction or fantasy, even when it involves magic and post-apocalyptic scenarios. There's a brief mention of it here.

    But really, I don't know what criticism Diaz is talking about if he's not referring to the claims of sexism. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    wealhtheow was starred wealhtheow was unstarred
    Image of Anna N. Anna N.
    10/19/09

    @wealhtheow: There's a specific review in the New York Review of Science Fiction that he was referring to, which I wasn't able to find on their site. It sounded like the review said he was misusing the scifi references in some way, or didn't know enough about scifi to talk about it. I'll look again for the link though, my curiosity is re-piqued. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    Anna N. was starred Anna N. was unstarred
    Image of susanstohelit susanstohelit
    10/19/09

    @LaComtesse: Yeah, Feministing posted about this too, and I felt like the misogyny in the book was meant to be a critique of the culture, rather than Diaz's opinion of women. The female characters are strong, but in a culture that deeply devalues them, they have to cope anyway they can. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    LaComtesse promoted this comment susanstohelit was starred susanstohelit was unstarred
    Image of whynotshesaid whynotshesaid
    10/19/09

    @LaComtesse: I am glad to know I am not the only feminist woman who was not down with the criticisms of Oscar Wao as sexist. It was written from the POV of sexist dudes! The way it was written told me that Diaz was more than aware of the fact that they were sexist dudes and not because that's how he thought the world actually was. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    whynotshesaid was starred whynotshesaid was unstarred
    Image of LaComtesse LaComtesse
    10/19/09

    @whynotshesaid: @susanstohelit: Oh no, we can definitely form a club. If one cannot see the difference between a sexist narrator and a sexist book then they're not in a position to be critiquing in the first place. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    LaComtesse was starred LaComtesse was unstarred
    Image of Rooo sez BISH PLZ Rooo sez BISH PLZ
    10/19/09

    @wealhtheow: A lot of people miss this. Thank you for raising it. #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    Rooo sez BISH PLZ was starred Rooo sez BISH PLZ was unstarred
    Image of Rooo sez BISH PLZ Rooo sez BISH PLZ
    10/19/09

    @wealhtheow: It may well also have been the Spanglish thing. The book uses a lot of it, and as ridiculous as it is, I wouldn't have been surprised if some critics branded it 'alienating' on the way to heralding him as a 'new voice'.
    *eyeroll* #edwidgedanticat
     Reply
    Rooo sez BISH PLZ was starred Rooo sez BISH PLZ was unstarred
    Image of Jack_Burton Jack_Burton
    01/22/09

    In reply to To The Dream House, Spock!
    That reminds me of...


     Reply
    Jack_Burton was starred Jack_Burton was unstarred
    Image of BorgQueen BorgQueen
    01/22/09

    In reply to To The Dream House, Spock!
    I could sit here and write all sorts of snarky criticism about these dolls but who am I kidding? My geeky little heart is bursting with excitement at owning these!
     Reply
    BorgQueen was starred BorgQueen was unstarred
    Image of ellaesther ellaesther
    01/22/09

    @BorgQueen: My husband sent me something yesterday merely because the tagline was "'Oh bother,' said the Borg. 'We've assimilated Pooh.'"
     Reply
    ellaesther was starred ellaesther was unstarred
    Image of Red-headed bookworm Red-headed bookworm
    01/22/09

    @BorgQueen: Me too. I so want these. And I still want to buy the Addams family ones they had out years ago...
     Reply
    Red-headed bookworm was starred Red-headed bookworm was unstarred
    Image of BabyJane BabyJane
    01/22/09

    In reply to To The Dream House, Spock!
    Why does Captain Kirk look like Luke Perry?
     Reply
    BabyJane was starred BabyJane was unstarred
    Image of zombie.nancy is a godess of fierce zombie.nancy is a godess of fierce
    01/22/09

    @BabyJane: I think he's supposed to look like the actpr playing a young Capt Kirk in the upcoming movie. Not William Shatner
     Reply
    zombie.nancy is a godess of fierce was starred zombie.nancy is a godess of fierce was unstarred
    Image of cirocco cirocco
    01/22/09

    @BabyJane: Whoa, you're right! Kirk looks even more like Luke Perry than the actual Dylan doll:


    [cgi.ebay.com]

     Reply
    cirocco was starred cirocco was unstarred
    Image of BabyJane BabyJane
    01/22/09

    @nancy11372: I sort of figured that, but the hair is still off-putting!
     Reply
    BabyJane was starred BabyJane was unstarred
    Image of margareita metermaid margareita metermaid
    01/22/09

    In reply to To The Dream House, Spock!
    My Michael Jackson Thriller barbie would've played well with these Star Trek guys.

    We melted his face off with a lighter and he kind of ended up looking closer to how he looks today...the foreshadowing was uncanny.
     Reply
    margareita metermaid was starred margareita metermaid was unstarred
    Image of kimsama kimsama
    01/22/09

    In reply to To The Dream House, Spock!
    A Kirk with a flat, featureless crotch is hardly a Kirk, my dear sirs!
     Reply
    kimsama was starred kimsama was unstarred
    Image of rmric0.wedding.photographer.and.manny rmric0.wedding.photographer.and.manny
    01/22/09

    @kimsama: Why do you think he was always trying to prove how manly he was. Can you say compensating?
     Reply
    rmric0.wedding.photographer.and.manny was starred rmric0.wedding.photographer.and.manny was unstarred
    Image of randomnessish randomnessish
    01/22/09

    In reply to To The Dream House, Spock!
    You really think Uhura could hold a gun with those spindly little arms and those stick chicken legs?


    Bah.


    ...but at least they're geeky.

     Reply
    randomnessish was starred randomnessish was unstarred
    Image of ellaesther ellaesther
    01/22/09

    @randomnessish: I agree. She looks like she'd snap if she sneezed. At least Barbie has her ample bosom to cushion the fall when her ankles break!
     Reply
    ellaesther was starred ellaesther was unstarred
    Image of rmric0.wedding.photographer.and.manny rmric0.wedding.photographer.and.manny
    01/22/09

    @randomnessish: It's a phaser, not a .45 magnum.
     Reply
    rmric0.wedding.photographer.and.manny was starred rmric0.wedding.photographer.and.manny was unstarred
    Image of Red-headed bookworm Red-headed bookworm
    01/22/09

    @rmric0: Seriously, there aren't guns on Star Trek unless they do the go back in time episodes. :)
     Reply
    Red-headed bookworm was starred Red-headed bookworm was unstarred
    Image of ellaesther ellaesther
    01/22/09

    @rmric0: @Red-headed bookworm: Missing the point people! She's about the pass out from the weight of it!


    And yes. It's a phaser. Sorry@randomnessish: but, they're right.

     Reply
    ellaesther was starred ellaesther was unstarred
    Image of randomnessish randomnessish
    01/22/09

    @ellaesther: OKAY OKAY all of you, yes it's a phaser. I'm more of a Star Wars person than a Trekkie. So shoot--er, phase me!
     Reply
    randomnessish was starred randomnessish was unstarred
    Image of ellaesther ellaesther
    01/22/09

    @randomnessish: (Um, it's not like they had guns in Star Wars either. Just, you know, sayin').


    But the point stands! She looks like she's made of matchsticks!

     Reply
    ellaesther was starred ellaesther was unstarred
    Image of BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit) BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit)
    01/22/09

    In reply to To The Dream House, Spock!
    It's awesome they have Uhura a phaser instead of a fake computer pad to poke at.
     Reply
    BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit) was starred BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit) was unstarred
    Image of BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit) BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit)
    01/22/09

    In reply to To The Dream House, Spock!
    Finally! An excuse to spray paint my Barbies green. Kirk needs an alien harem.
     Reply
    BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit) was starred BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit) was unstarred
    Image of tscheese tscheese
    01/22/09

    @BrutallyHonestBabes: You needed an excuse?


    I just did it because...well, I had paints, and free time, and I liked green.

     Reply
    tscheese was starred tscheese was unstarred
    Image of AtomiClash: humanitarian misanthrope AtomiClash: humanitarian misanthrope
    01/22/09

    @BrutallyHonestBabes: Don't forget the pom-pom tribbles.


    Oh jeeze, my geek is showing again.

     Reply
    AtomiClash: humanitarian misanthrope was starred AtomiClash: humanitarian misanthrope was unstarred
    Image of morninggloria morninggloria
    01/22/09

    In reply to To The Dream House, Spock!
    Spock can has cheezburger?
     Reply
    morninggloria was starred morninggloria was unstarred
    Image of TurtleSpeak TurtleSpeak
    01/22/09

    In reply to To The Dream House, Spock!
    I can't help but notice that the lady Barbie looks skinnier than I remember my lady Barbies being.
     Reply
    TurtleSpeak was starred TurtleSpeak was unstarred
    Image of zombie.nancy is a godess of fierce zombie.nancy is a godess of fierce
    01/22/09

    @TurtleSpeak: you're rite. she does seem more wee than usual.


    oh crap, i hope this doesn't count as body snark.

     Reply
    zombie.nancy is a godess of fierce was starred zombie.nancy is a godess of fierce was unstarred
    Image of ellaesther ellaesther
    01/22/09

    @TurtleSpeak: I know. I'm mildly horrified over here.
     Reply
    ellaesther was starred ellaesther was unstarred
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