From: Walter Miles <waltmiles at comcast.net>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Date: Sun, 03 Jun 2007 11:42:08 -0400
Subject: [WSFA] Open and Shut Parties  (was Re: Slan...)
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

Part of the foundational mythology of fandom used to be that most
of us were shy, solitary readers who weren't invited to parties,
and were rejected and sometimes mistreated by our peers (in high
school, if you will).  Then we found this strange, nomadic feast-
of-the-elves where we were allowed in, our weirdnesses accepted,
often encouraged, where we could exercise and develop those
(beneficial and necessary!) parts of ourselves that we could never
even reveal in our pale previous lives.

I believe that there was essential truth there.  Many of us were
shy, or socially backward, or felt real or apparent rejection or
alienation in society.  We experienced powerful liberation
and affirmation of ourselves in fandom, and this has helped a good
number of fans do better in the wider world as well.

Our mythology
also suggested, or should suggest, our
responsibility to our fannish fellows and those who come after us.
We must not climb into the rescue boat and promptly pull up
the lifeline.

Open fannish parties may well be our central ritual practice.
They embody the mythology [I have referred to].  They say "I don't
know you, but I shall.  Tell me what you know.  Show me what you
can do.  What do you think of this?"

Not every party needs to be open, but open parties reinforce the
best part of our mythology

An apparently open party, from which only a few are humiliatingly
excluded (even for the "best" reasons).

Soul killing.

Some of us are/were so socially timid,  we would be reluctant to
enter any party, however <inviting> open.

When you hold an open party you never know who will come through the
door, a murderous pervert, a crushing bore, your next best friend or true
love.

===========================================================
<Pls note the new "from" address, I'm slowly shifting over>
-----------------------------------------------------------
Walter A. Miles, Jr.  waltmiles at comcast.net  (301) 891-2815
217 Spring Avenue, Takoma Park, MD  20912