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Fan-Atic, v. 1, issue 3, May 1941
Page 12
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FAN-ATIC, Vol 1, No 3. May 1941. Page 12. "AS THE WIND LISTETH, SO WANDERETH MY THOUGHT." by D. B. Thompson. Continued. Some benighted fans persist in talking about a game called "ping ping." Ping pong, fellers, is simply the copyrighted name of the equipment made by a certain company. Ping pong is/are also the last/middle-and-last name of Hoy, an obscure Bloomington fan. But the game isn't "ping pong"---it's table tennis. Ask Beling or Chauvenet --------------- There are many curious sides to fan activity, but, of them all none is stranger than the tendency of fans to drop all interest in the pro magazines. The typical fan starts by reading one of the pro publications. He knows nothing, and cares nothing, about the existence of organized fandom. If he even so much as reads the letters in his favorite magazine they rouse only a mild curiosity concerning the type of individual who would waste his time in such bootless fashion. But, if he is a potential fan himself, he proceeds, eventually, to write a letter to the editor, or joins one of the pro-sponsored organizations, or both. His name appears in print, and some enterprising fanzine editor, on the look-out for more suckers, promptly sends him a sample copy of a neatly-mimeoed little mag. If it is one of the leading fanzines, the recipient is somewhat astonished at the high quality and entertainment value of the material. His interest is roused by the cryptic references to persons, characters, and things unknown. And so, quite unaware of the horrible outcome, he sends the editor twenty-five cents, in coin of the realm, and his doom is sealed. Six months pass, and he becomes an ardent, though somewhat artless fan, with very positive notions concerning the business of editing a science fiction magazine. He still likes to read the stories in the professional mags, but finds that he has no time to do so. This doesn't bother him much, however; for he discovers that many top ranking fans boast that they have gone beyond the stage of reading science fiction in the pro mags. By many, this is regarded as a mark of distinction, and, unless he is unusually level-headed, and the possessor of a lively sense of humor, he accepts this strange philosophy, and quits reading the pros himself; although he probably contnues to buy them. Now this abandonment of the professional magazines strikes us as being more than a little curious. Just consider: without the professional magazine in the first place, the new fan would not have made the acquaintance of the manifold aspects of fandom at all. Moreover, fandom itself could scarcely continue to exist. "What food feeds this our Fandom on, that it has grown so great?" to misquote a jolly scrivener of earlier days. What, indeed? The pro mags of course. There certainly wouldn't be much for the fans to feed on, if they could not cuss and discuss the pros. Completely disavowing the pros --- all of them --- is another example of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Next time the fanzines pall, try a pro! ------------------- Art Widner's remarks in "Too Many Fanmags" (FAN-ATIC for March) certainly merit the consideration of every fan, new or old. This Galluping Boskonian knows whereof he speaks. His exceptionally successful polls of last year were featured in many fanzines. He was largely instrumental in organizing the Boskone get-together. And last, but not (Next Page) (WASHINGTON IN '42)
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FAN-ATIC, Vol 1, No 3. May 1941. Page 12. "AS THE WIND LISTETH, SO WANDERETH MY THOUGHT." by D. B. Thompson. Continued. Some benighted fans persist in talking about a game called "ping ping." Ping pong, fellers, is simply the copyrighted name of the equipment made by a certain company. Ping pong is/are also the last/middle-and-last name of Hoy, an obscure Bloomington fan. But the game isn't "ping pong"---it's table tennis. Ask Beling or Chauvenet --------------- There are many curious sides to fan activity, but, of them all none is stranger than the tendency of fans to drop all interest in the pro magazines. The typical fan starts by reading one of the pro publications. He knows nothing, and cares nothing, about the existence of organized fandom. If he even so much as reads the letters in his favorite magazine they rouse only a mild curiosity concerning the type of individual who would waste his time in such bootless fashion. But, if he is a potential fan himself, he proceeds, eventually, to write a letter to the editor, or joins one of the pro-sponsored organizations, or both. His name appears in print, and some enterprising fanzine editor, on the look-out for more suckers, promptly sends him a sample copy of a neatly-mimeoed little mag. If it is one of the leading fanzines, the recipient is somewhat astonished at the high quality and entertainment value of the material. His interest is roused by the cryptic references to persons, characters, and things unknown. And so, quite unaware of the horrible outcome, he sends the editor twenty-five cents, in coin of the realm, and his doom is sealed. Six months pass, and he becomes an ardent, though somewhat artless fan, with very positive notions concerning the business of editing a science fiction magazine. He still likes to read the stories in the professional mags, but finds that he has no time to do so. This doesn't bother him much, however; for he discovers that many top ranking fans boast that they have gone beyond the stage of reading science fiction in the pro mags. By many, this is regarded as a mark of distinction, and, unless he is unusually level-headed, and the possessor of a lively sense of humor, he accepts this strange philosophy, and quits reading the pros himself; although he probably contnues to buy them. Now this abandonment of the professional magazines strikes us as being more than a little curious. Just consider: without the professional magazine in the first place, the new fan would not have made the acquaintance of the manifold aspects of fandom at all. Moreover, fandom itself could scarcely continue to exist. "What food feeds this our Fandom on, that it has grown so great?" to misquote a jolly scrivener of earlier days. What, indeed? The pro mags of course. There certainly wouldn't be much for the fans to feed on, if they could not cuss and discuss the pros. Completely disavowing the pros --- all of them --- is another example of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Next time the fanzines pall, try a pro! ------------------- Art Widner's remarks in "Too Many Fanmags" (FAN-ATIC for March) certainly merit the consideration of every fan, new or old. This Galluping Boskonian knows whereof he speaks. His exceptionally successful polls of last year were featured in many fanzines. He was largely instrumental in organizing the Boskone get-together. And last, but not (Next Page) (WASHINGTON IN '42)
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