Ligotti panel at NecronomiCon Providence 2017

[Robert Adam Gilmour]

Has the size of the convention grown much over the years?

[Sam]

It seemed about the same in 2015 as 2013. Not sure of those numbers, but this year attendance is capped at 1,800.

[Nemonymous]

What's this all about? Don't understand any of it. Perhaps best not to do so.

[Robert Adam Gilmour]

It's a good ratio right now and as long as it never goes much below a quarter Lovecraft, I think it'll be fine. As much as I like Lovecraft, I don't think I'd have much interest in a convention completely devoted to him.

[Jeff Matthews]

So the current kerfluffle is that S.T. Joshi has pulled out of all 7 of his panels because organizer Niels Hobbs refused to blacklist a certain author whom Joshi perceives as a Lovecraft hater (due to a joke about pissing on HPL's grave). Quite the bit of Facebook drama.

I'm presenting this info dispassionately, not to stir up any drama here, but because it is sending shockwaves through the convention.

[Evans]

It is a shame that this has happened but it comes as no surprise to me nor can I say that I don't take a sort of grim satisfaction from it. The 'New Lovecraft' movement initiated by Joshi and co was crudely politicized from the start with their dishonest and bullying lul-catz New Atheist style rhetoric. Unsurprisingly said rhetoric contained a good deal of hostility and chauvinism towards other cultures. Now the tables have turned with the push for diversity: the slaves who slew the slayers are themselves slain.

Of course it would have been nice to have an event where we could celebrate Lovecraft's life and writings without it being high-jacked by agenderists, but no 'cause = US politics! US politics!

[Shadenuat]

Let us not pretend that Nicolay, Older and the rest of that gang are some sort of "good guys" here, by any stretch of imagination. "Enemy of my enemy" is not something to live by in every single situation.

[Evans]

Quote Originally Posted by Shadenuat

Let us not pretend that Nicolay, Older and the rest of that gang are some sort of "good guys" here, by any stretch of imagination. "Enemy of my enemy" is not something to live by in every single situation.

I don't think they are those individuals are good (although I'm more inclined to think that *some* of them are motivated by good intentions, whilst those of Joshi, Price and co were malicious), only that there was never a golden age where Weird Fiction fandom was free from heavy agenda pushing.

If people were reasonable all it should take is a polite 'I disagree with Lovecraft's views on X but think his fiction was of great literary value', but no, liking Lovecraft has to mean one is on X's team.

[Shadenuat]

You are foolish if you think that, say, Nicolay would have been at all tolerant of you (going by what some of your views must be, as expressed in your posts) if he was in such a position and you were a fledgling author.
Joshi, on the other hand, has no issue with championing authors whose views are far removed from his own, as long as they produce quality fiction.

[Robert Adam Gilmour]

Who were Joshi, Price (and more?) bullying before Older and Nicolay became their concern?