Transcribe
Translate
Spaceways, v. 4, issue 2, January 1942
Page 19
More information
digital collection
archival collection guide
transcription tips
SPACEWAYS 19 THE READERS ALWAYS WRITE [[in margin]]POOH Are human beings any of these things? [NO!][[end margin text]] Robert W. Lowndes, 136 East 28th St., New York, N. Y. types: In regard to Spaceways' readers comments concerning the Cynic and me: well, I'd dearly love to write a column of the startreader nature for any regularly-appearing fanzine. But I can't. I can't express myself frankly without running headlong into a viscous (ghod help you, Harry, if you mistype that and it comes out "viscious") ephemeral thing known as "professional ethics". As it is, the constant speculations upon the identity of the Cynic become irritating; I've no objection of Joe Gilbert or Joe Fann sherlocks around and decides I'm the Cynic. But I can't have the thing bandied around constantly--and it's tough on the Cynic, too. He wants (and you want and Spaceways' readers want him) to be free to divulge his frank opinions on all matters relating to stf. fankind, etc., which don't violate the rag's policy. But it's getting to the point where he hesitates before spieling, wondering if it might step on my toes. I don't want that, as I said before. Soooo--I'm putting it squarely to the readers: if they like Beacon Light or find it interesting, and want it to continue, will they call a halt to spreading rumors as to who the Cynic might be in fanzines? If not, then the Beacon will have to close down; I've made it clear to the Cynic that he needn't worry, but he says if the fans won't play ball, he'll chuck it. " I see Thompson is wondering if I'm clear in my mind as to what my criterion in regard to "hopeful" future is. I think I am. That's just purely personal opinion, of course. But let's see if I can't clarify a bit. " First of all I am not a utopist or perfectionist. I'm anti-utopia and anti-perfectionism but definitely. I would say that my idea of a more "hopeful" future is a more sane and scientific future, a future where homo sap is secure economically and free from war and the basis of war. Not free from conflict. Conflict there will always be. But conflict is not limited by trying to outwit your fellow man. We've a nice big planet here that's never been really explored or settled as yet. We've a huge mass of relics from the past which we haven't clarified and all the indications are that there are scads more messages from the past lying around than as have been found. We've started to tap the energy of the atom--we have to learn how to control it and make it our servant. We've the matter of disease to fight and conquer; we've a terrific mystery to solve right at home--our own brains. And anyone who has delved deeply into any of the sciences can add on to the list infinitely. But we can't get feet and head first into these important conflicts so long as we spend most of our time fighting each other, cutting each other's throats in order to get our daily soup and reasonably firm grasp on the future. " and that's where I insist most of Astounding's yarns, many of them otherwise excellent, fall flat on their faces and become absurd as well as disgusting. They picture futures, some of them distant futures, where a lot of problems now confronting us have been solved, some of the big ones, too, but homo sap is still spending most of his energy cutting his fellow man's throat in order to get the daily kippers. That isn't scientific to say the least; it isn't sane; it isn't sensible. " I'll give an example of what I mean by quoting from a letter some reader once wrote in somewhere: "A yarn-spinner of AD 938 let his imagination loose. He visualized travel through the air and under the sea--even communication at the speed of light. Because he, too, had heard that 'human nature does not change', he left only human relationships he
Saving...
prev
next
SPACEWAYS 19 THE READERS ALWAYS WRITE [[in margin]]POOH Are human beings any of these things? [NO!][[end margin text]] Robert W. Lowndes, 136 East 28th St., New York, N. Y. types: In regard to Spaceways' readers comments concerning the Cynic and me: well, I'd dearly love to write a column of the startreader nature for any regularly-appearing fanzine. But I can't. I can't express myself frankly without running headlong into a viscous (ghod help you, Harry, if you mistype that and it comes out "viscious") ephemeral thing known as "professional ethics". As it is, the constant speculations upon the identity of the Cynic become irritating; I've no objection of Joe Gilbert or Joe Fann sherlocks around and decides I'm the Cynic. But I can't have the thing bandied around constantly--and it's tough on the Cynic, too. He wants (and you want and Spaceways' readers want him) to be free to divulge his frank opinions on all matters relating to stf. fankind, etc., which don't violate the rag's policy. But it's getting to the point where he hesitates before spieling, wondering if it might step on my toes. I don't want that, as I said before. Soooo--I'm putting it squarely to the readers: if they like Beacon Light or find it interesting, and want it to continue, will they call a halt to spreading rumors as to who the Cynic might be in fanzines? If not, then the Beacon will have to close down; I've made it clear to the Cynic that he needn't worry, but he says if the fans won't play ball, he'll chuck it. " I see Thompson is wondering if I'm clear in my mind as to what my criterion in regard to "hopeful" future is. I think I am. That's just purely personal opinion, of course. But let's see if I can't clarify a bit. " First of all I am not a utopist or perfectionist. I'm anti-utopia and anti-perfectionism but definitely. I would say that my idea of a more "hopeful" future is a more sane and scientific future, a future where homo sap is secure economically and free from war and the basis of war. Not free from conflict. Conflict there will always be. But conflict is not limited by trying to outwit your fellow man. We've a nice big planet here that's never been really explored or settled as yet. We've a huge mass of relics from the past which we haven't clarified and all the indications are that there are scads more messages from the past lying around than as have been found. We've started to tap the energy of the atom--we have to learn how to control it and make it our servant. We've the matter of disease to fight and conquer; we've a terrific mystery to solve right at home--our own brains. And anyone who has delved deeply into any of the sciences can add on to the list infinitely. But we can't get feet and head first into these important conflicts so long as we spend most of our time fighting each other, cutting each other's throats in order to get our daily soup and reasonably firm grasp on the future. " and that's where I insist most of Astounding's yarns, many of them otherwise excellent, fall flat on their faces and become absurd as well as disgusting. They picture futures, some of them distant futures, where a lot of problems now confronting us have been solved, some of the big ones, too, but homo sap is still spending most of his energy cutting his fellow man's throat in order to get the daily kippers. That isn't scientific to say the least; it isn't sane; it isn't sensible. " I'll give an example of what I mean by quoting from a letter some reader once wrote in somewhere: "A yarn-spinner of AD 938 let his imagination loose. He visualized travel through the air and under the sea--even communication at the speed of light. Because he, too, had heard that 'human nature does not change', he left only human relationships he
Hevelin Fanzines
sidebar
