8FOLD: Mighty Medley # 34, November 2016, by Messrs. Brenton, McClure, and Russell

[Tom Russell]

On Friday, November 25, 2016 at 2:57:18 AM UTC-5, Drew Perron wrote:
> On 11/23/2016 8:03 PM, Tom Russell wrote:

> >    So, let's set aside the weirdness of this whole thing, and how
> > creepy it all is, because let's face it, every sub-culture feels weird
> > and creepy on the outside.
> 
> Hrm. ^^; So, to preface, I don't mean to make you feel bad, this isn't a 
> personal thing, but I want to be honest with my feedback, so...
> 
> I find this sort of comment... uncomfortable. Because, well, being into what 
> makes you happy *isn't* weird and *isn't* creepy, and framing it as "oh well of 
> *course* you'll think badly of people being into their own little non-mainstream 
> hobbies, that's just how it *is*", especially when the story is about them being 
> basically sociopathic and uncaring in their pursuit of it... bwah, I'm sorry 
> @-@; It's got a good point, it's just, yeah.

I understand where you're coming from, but the thing to remember is that this is a story written in first-person, and therefore from a specific character's specific viewpoint. And that character, being marginalized herself, really /should/ have a less jaundiced view of sub-cultures, but Cal is also acting out of anger toward the treatment of the AIs; it colors her view of things. She's also someone who contains a lot of contradictions in her character. (Though even geeks who are hardcore into one obsessive hobby can turn up their nose at another; a lot of folks look at historical military boardgames, of the hex-and-counter variety that I publish, as being ghoulish and promoting warfare-- which, no, that's not how it works, at all.)

So, no, your comment doesn't make me feel bad, no worries there-- I share your point of view, I was just trying to represent Cal's POV and character as best I could.

Best,

Tom