Transcribe
Translate
Satellite, v. 1, issue 1, October 1938
Page 21
More information
digital collection
archival collection guide
transcription tips
The Rational Viewpoint by David Mathwain There exists in this benighted world, a peculiar creature known as the "Michelist", which may be found haunting reminder shops for S.F. classics; or, alternatively, spending its time shouting "Hear! Hear!" at Communist meetings. This creature, through some strange warp in its mental make-up, seeks to Improve the World; and hopes to achieve this wondeful Utopia of its dreams by stuffing Science Fiction with inane propoganda. It believes that Messrs. Binder, Fearn, Cummings, etc., should turn out Socialistic Science-Fiction, event at the risk of starving to death on a mound of rejection slips. Equally bad is the Escapist, which, intimidated by the gloomy outlook, (political and meteorological), of the world around it, cuddles up in its den, and lives in a non-existent world of dreams, - the idea being that all S.F. fans read Science Fiction in order to make their escape from the cruel reality of life. While each of the above creatures may be THEORETICALLY correct in its reasoning, PRACTICALLY they are both all wrong. The average SF fan reads Science Fiction for entertainment only, and collects it simply because he wishes to possess more than the other fellow, in a spirit of competition, as it were. Fantasy appeals to him, because it is a form of literature which deals with those metaphysical problems which come to upset the even tenour [sic] of every thinking person's ways. Science-Fiction supplies
Saving...
prev
next
The Rational Viewpoint by David Mathwain There exists in this benighted world, a peculiar creature known as the "Michelist", which may be found haunting reminder shops for S.F. classics; or, alternatively, spending its time shouting "Hear! Hear!" at Communist meetings. This creature, through some strange warp in its mental make-up, seeks to Improve the World; and hopes to achieve this wondeful Utopia of its dreams by stuffing Science Fiction with inane propoganda. It believes that Messrs. Binder, Fearn, Cummings, etc., should turn out Socialistic Science-Fiction, event at the risk of starving to death on a mound of rejection slips. Equally bad is the Escapist, which, intimidated by the gloomy outlook, (political and meteorological), of the world around it, cuddles up in its den, and lives in a non-existent world of dreams, - the idea being that all S.F. fans read Science Fiction in order to make their escape from the cruel reality of life. While each of the above creatures may be THEORETICALLY correct in its reasoning, PRACTICALLY they are both all wrong. The average SF fan reads Science Fiction for entertainment only, and collects it simply because he wishes to possess more than the other fellow, in a spirit of competition, as it were. Fantasy appeals to him, because it is a form of literature which deals with those metaphysical problems which come to upset the even tenour [sic] of every thinking person's ways. Science-Fiction supplies
Hevelin Fanzines
sidebar
