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Agenbite of Inwit, whole no. 4, Spring 1944
Page 4
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******************************************************************** Agenbite of Inwit -- Spring, 1944 -- Page Four ******************************************************************** WITH MALICE AFORETHOUGHT or Comments on the Mailing Comic Circle Commentator The main flaws are that this can be read, is moderately literate in expression, and shows a sense of humor. Anyone from Moskowitz to Claude will tell you that you can't save fandom that way. Incidentally, should we hail Degler as the New Moskowitz? Fan-Dango I agree with your definition of the term "Fan", relating to the science-fiction and/or fantasy species. By that definition I am not such. Which is oke by me, chum. Anyway, I still like Fapa. Phanny What, precisely is genius? And further, is it not in reference to a given field of endeavour? For example, hwen young Wolfga Amadeus (that's probably misspelled; no apologies) playes the harpsichord fluently at a most tender age, and composes rather intricate music as well, still slight in years, we mutter genius. Which is our way of saying that Mozart was so constituted that he scarcely needed to be taught the art of making music. What about John Doe, who does just as extraordinary things with music, though not as a child, but with the same facility? Genius again. We say such people are genuises, a word deriving from magic and folklore, because they manage to do what the ordinary person could do at all only with difficulty, and then only after diligent study and practice had brought facility. It seems verily as if these geniuses have found some magic royal road to accomplishment. Not that they do not work hard; many of them worked prodigiously hard; but somehow, they didn't have to go through the arduously extended process of learning how, before they could really dig in; they knew how all the time; it was like throwing a bird into the air; no trouble in flying so long as it is old enough and strong enough to manipulate the wings. This genius, this perplexing facility with which a person will take up some pursuit, apparenty without or with very little, training, and begin to outstrip persons who have spent years in diligent preparation for such work, leaving miles behind those who started out with them, in the same class -- what is it? Superior intelligence? The personal histories of many geniuses tend to say no. Outside of this one talent, a wild talent, they did not distinguish themselves; Mozart was unable to direct his life, outside of music, to any appreciable degree of advantage. And what is intelligence if not facility in adaptability, the ability to adjust oneself to a varied [kind?] of surroundings; to be able to get along with difers peoples and in variegated conditions? What, further, if not the ability to disntinguish between the momentary benefit, and the long-rage good, to indentify the best interests of the community in which one lives, with one's own security and well-being, to realize that safety and security for the individual can result only when there is safety and security for the mass, the total of individuals? Gregariousness is a fundamental human trair, with can be, and often is frustrated or inhibited. Genius does not, of itself, renounce affinities with non-genius. If a child shows genius, and is made to feel that he is different -- is either shunned, hated, persecuted by other children on that score, or is denied contact with them, and taught to disregard or look down on them, then you will find your genius drawn apart, aloof. Art Young once said that every child is a genius until he is suffocated by civilization. I think there is a good deal of truth in the
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******************************************************************** Agenbite of Inwit -- Spring, 1944 -- Page Four ******************************************************************** WITH MALICE AFORETHOUGHT or Comments on the Mailing Comic Circle Commentator The main flaws are that this can be read, is moderately literate in expression, and shows a sense of humor. Anyone from Moskowitz to Claude will tell you that you can't save fandom that way. Incidentally, should we hail Degler as the New Moskowitz? Fan-Dango I agree with your definition of the term "Fan", relating to the science-fiction and/or fantasy species. By that definition I am not such. Which is oke by me, chum. Anyway, I still like Fapa. Phanny What, precisely is genius? And further, is it not in reference to a given field of endeavour? For example, hwen young Wolfga Amadeus (that's probably misspelled; no apologies) playes the harpsichord fluently at a most tender age, and composes rather intricate music as well, still slight in years, we mutter genius. Which is our way of saying that Mozart was so constituted that he scarcely needed to be taught the art of making music. What about John Doe, who does just as extraordinary things with music, though not as a child, but with the same facility? Genius again. We say such people are genuises, a word deriving from magic and folklore, because they manage to do what the ordinary person could do at all only with difficulty, and then only after diligent study and practice had brought facility. It seems verily as if these geniuses have found some magic royal road to accomplishment. Not that they do not work hard; many of them worked prodigiously hard; but somehow, they didn't have to go through the arduously extended process of learning how, before they could really dig in; they knew how all the time; it was like throwing a bird into the air; no trouble in flying so long as it is old enough and strong enough to manipulate the wings. This genius, this perplexing facility with which a person will take up some pursuit, apparenty without or with very little, training, and begin to outstrip persons who have spent years in diligent preparation for such work, leaving miles behind those who started out with them, in the same class -- what is it? Superior intelligence? The personal histories of many geniuses tend to say no. Outside of this one talent, a wild talent, they did not distinguish themselves; Mozart was unable to direct his life, outside of music, to any appreciable degree of advantage. And what is intelligence if not facility in adaptability, the ability to adjust oneself to a varied [kind?] of surroundings; to be able to get along with difers peoples and in variegated conditions? What, further, if not the ability to disntinguish between the momentary benefit, and the long-rage good, to indentify the best interests of the community in which one lives, with one's own security and well-being, to realize that safety and security for the individual can result only when there is safety and security for the mass, the total of individuals? Gregariousness is a fundamental human trair, with can be, and often is frustrated or inhibited. Genius does not, of itself, renounce affinities with non-genius. If a child shows genius, and is made to feel that he is different -- is either shunned, hated, persecuted by other children on that score, or is denied contact with them, and taught to disregard or look down on them, then you will find your genius drawn apart, aloof. Art Young once said that every child is a genius until he is suffocated by civilization. I think there is a good deal of truth in the
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