I wondered if I was 'man alone' when it comes to the following points of view extrtacted from the article:
Fame addiction has combined with another of modern society’s blights – political correctness in an extremely corrosive bit of chemistry. Individuals are posting pictures of their wargaming miniatures on the web which is absolutely fine but at the same time they are seeking public approbation for these unsolicited works. Now I am totally ok with the story so far but it is of course, not the whole story. Having posted and solicited comment it is anticipated that the world will lavish unqualified praise on said posting regardless of the quality. Heaven help the hapless but honest soul who tells the truth. The wrath of God will surely descend upon him and if not God’s wrath some hairy arsed grunger will threaten to beat him to pulp with a backpack if he ever shows his face in public again. EXTRACT
This worrying phenomenon has now infected numerous fora on the net where truly appalling brushwork is feted in superlative language with monotonous regularity. Let’s be totally honest some of it is just bloody rubbish but if you say so you become the subject of a fatwah by the many headed as some friends of mine have found to their cost. If you are going to put your work up for public scrutiny you’ve got to be prepared for whatever comment comes along. Working on something with the sole objective of trying to make people say nice things about it even if it is downright poor is delusional and probably counts as the wargaming equivalent of the X Factor auditions.… what a thought. EXTRACT
I’ve heard a few cases for the defence over the years ranging from… ‘well it’s a niche hobby and we really need to encourage as many people as possible to stay in it’ to ‘they are only a small company and really don’t have the money to do anything better’. Yes many of us do know many more of us and yes it’s nice to be nice but that’s not real life. EXTRACT
Could it be to do with advertising revenues? I cannot answer that question but I hope not. Periodicals in any hobby are there not only to entertain but to inform and I would hope, challenge. I am sure that editors over the years have despaired at some of the tame reviewing that has filled the column inches of their journals. There is a general paucity of the vox populi in the mags these days and I personally would welcome the return of full and meaningful editorials of a half page at least, letters pages and a vigorous culture of reviewing as opposed to the brief, well intentioned and tame efforts from some of the current scriveners. Oh for the likes of Peter Tanner (nom de plume though it was!) EXTRACT
The very things mentioned above are happening in almost a comedy send up kind of manner on TMP (and elsewhere) right now...
Interested in anyone's views.
Full article in the WARCHEST soon or... buy Duncan's Mag
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