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Spaceways, v. 4, issue 2, January 1942
Page 20
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20 SPACEWAYS THE READERS ALWAYS WRITE personally knew--the medieval, feudal hierarchy of his bit of time-space--unchanged by any of it. He worked up a conflict-theme in which the hero was torn between his duty to these new devices he had invented and his duty to his lord. It looked as if he were about to tear up his inventions, perhaps at peril to many, out of his inherited loyalty to his lord--" " The flaw in a story like this is easily seen. But when a group of not half bad writers who should know better make the same blunder in a leading stf magazine, it passes virtually without notice. " The argument "human nature does not change" is, of course, as phoney as the proverbial glass eye. In fact, most of those who are constantly yapping about "human nature" do not mean "human nature" at all. They mean "human behaviour." And that is incessantly changing. It's changing day by day and hour by hour. Heinlein gave an example when he remarked at Denver that, five years ago, he could not have uttered the word "syphilis" from the platform without causing an uproar. At Denver, no one fainted or felt unduly shocked, so far as visible reactions were concerned. And I'm willing to wager that no one felt unduly shocked period. " I'm not arguing in favor of "political" science fiction or suggesting that stories be imbued with various kinds of this or that political propaganda. There's no need for it, even if some editors may think it desirable. But I am objecting to stories which show the future as no different from the present except for the gleaming rocket ships, ray guns, etc., or which depict ways of living long obsolete--unless sound reason for same can be given, and them motif of the tale is to depict a struggle, against this projected background, towards sanity. " That's why I list "Universe" and its sequel as my favorite stf tale of 1941. Not because the picture it presents is necessarily "hopeful", or even pleasant. But it's realistic and logical enough, given the background and it doesn't offend my intelligence as do other stories published during the same twelve months. Those latter are the kind of stories I'm not using in Future. " Conflict, drama, tragedy--sure. They belong--but with rules. " Is it any clearer now, DB? " Comments: Spaceways needs more columns and good features. is pretty dull these days. Cyril Kornbluth (whose address we know not) postals: What's the matter--Ackerman's nudes get you envious? anyway, that back cover of Sp was simply and downright disgusting. If you publish any more androgynes please don't send them to our address. Lucky you have no fan feuds on; your enemies would tip off the feds. Donald A. Wollheim: 224 W. 74th St., New York, N. Y. notes: I agree with Doc when he thinks that Spaceways is becoming dull. You do need some good columnists. Also watch out--you're becoming too specialized and devoting too much time to a few fans' non-stf doings. The space spent on Widner's trip is not fantasy material. It's interesting doings of personalities known to a few. But this sort of thing can be found in any sort of local club sheet--a fantasy fan magazine should be what it seems: a journal of news, criticism, literary analysis, review, and collector's material. Not long winded accounts of someone's auto trip. (At present, with departments and regular features occupying half of each issue, and "If I Werewolf" and Croutch's article to continue for sometime yet, addition of more columns would leave almost no room for independent articles. but if the majority wishes, we'll add more column. Votes, please. HW) Harry Jenkins, Jr., 2409 Santee Ave., Columbia, S. C. types: Front cover: I'll refrain from commenting, for if I rated it, it would sink to the bottom of the list. I will say that it's better than the last front cover and let it go at that. Back cover: Haw! not as bad as the invisible spaceship, and yet better than the Lowndes cover: 4.5. From the Control Room: Three long, long years; well, I'm hoping for that many issues of Jinx. By all means, Harry, please continue the illustrations and department heads. Reiterating what I've said before, get Widner to do the dept. heads. He's undisputed tops in this dept. Merry Chrismas to thee, Harry, and an 8 for the editorial. "The Log of the FooFoo Special"--I whee, I glee, I--gee--it's puhfuctly boo'ful. Art slipped up in several spots where he was using Pepystyle. Golly, i have Art a 10 last
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20 SPACEWAYS THE READERS ALWAYS WRITE personally knew--the medieval, feudal hierarchy of his bit of time-space--unchanged by any of it. He worked up a conflict-theme in which the hero was torn between his duty to these new devices he had invented and his duty to his lord. It looked as if he were about to tear up his inventions, perhaps at peril to many, out of his inherited loyalty to his lord--" " The flaw in a story like this is easily seen. But when a group of not half bad writers who should know better make the same blunder in a leading stf magazine, it passes virtually without notice. " The argument "human nature does not change" is, of course, as phoney as the proverbial glass eye. In fact, most of those who are constantly yapping about "human nature" do not mean "human nature" at all. They mean "human behaviour." And that is incessantly changing. It's changing day by day and hour by hour. Heinlein gave an example when he remarked at Denver that, five years ago, he could not have uttered the word "syphilis" from the platform without causing an uproar. At Denver, no one fainted or felt unduly shocked, so far as visible reactions were concerned. And I'm willing to wager that no one felt unduly shocked period. " I'm not arguing in favor of "political" science fiction or suggesting that stories be imbued with various kinds of this or that political propaganda. There's no need for it, even if some editors may think it desirable. But I am objecting to stories which show the future as no different from the present except for the gleaming rocket ships, ray guns, etc., or which depict ways of living long obsolete--unless sound reason for same can be given, and them motif of the tale is to depict a struggle, against this projected background, towards sanity. " That's why I list "Universe" and its sequel as my favorite stf tale of 1941. Not because the picture it presents is necessarily "hopeful", or even pleasant. But it's realistic and logical enough, given the background and it doesn't offend my intelligence as do other stories published during the same twelve months. Those latter are the kind of stories I'm not using in Future. " Conflict, drama, tragedy--sure. They belong--but with rules. " Is it any clearer now, DB? " Comments: Spaceways needs more columns and good features. is pretty dull these days. Cyril Kornbluth (whose address we know not) postals: What's the matter--Ackerman's nudes get you envious? anyway, that back cover of Sp was simply and downright disgusting. If you publish any more androgynes please don't send them to our address. Lucky you have no fan feuds on; your enemies would tip off the feds. Donald A. Wollheim: 224 W. 74th St., New York, N. Y. notes: I agree with Doc when he thinks that Spaceways is becoming dull. You do need some good columnists. Also watch out--you're becoming too specialized and devoting too much time to a few fans' non-stf doings. The space spent on Widner's trip is not fantasy material. It's interesting doings of personalities known to a few. But this sort of thing can be found in any sort of local club sheet--a fantasy fan magazine should be what it seems: a journal of news, criticism, literary analysis, review, and collector's material. Not long winded accounts of someone's auto trip. (At present, with departments and regular features occupying half of each issue, and "If I Werewolf" and Croutch's article to continue for sometime yet, addition of more columns would leave almost no room for independent articles. but if the majority wishes, we'll add more column. Votes, please. HW) Harry Jenkins, Jr., 2409 Santee Ave., Columbia, S. C. types: Front cover: I'll refrain from commenting, for if I rated it, it would sink to the bottom of the list. I will say that it's better than the last front cover and let it go at that. Back cover: Haw! not as bad as the invisible spaceship, and yet better than the Lowndes cover: 4.5. From the Control Room: Three long, long years; well, I'm hoping for that many issues of Jinx. By all means, Harry, please continue the illustrations and department heads. Reiterating what I've said before, get Widner to do the dept. heads. He's undisputed tops in this dept. Merry Chrismas to thee, Harry, and an 8 for the editorial. "The Log of the FooFoo Special"--I whee, I glee, I--gee--it's puhfuctly boo'ful. Art slipped up in several spots where he was using Pepystyle. Golly, i have Art a 10 last
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