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Australian philosopher, literary critic, legal scholar, and professional writer. Based in Newcastle, NSW. My latest books are THE TYRANNY OF OPINION: CONFORMITY AND THE FUTURE OF LIBERALISM (2019) and AT THE DAWN OF A GREAT TRANSITION: THE QUESTION OF RADICAL ENHANCEMENT (2021).

Friday, October 21, 2011

Attending World Fantasy Convention 2011

I'm off to the 2011 World Fantasy Convention in San Diego next weekend (flying out in a couple of days). The convention program has just been announced on the site, and it places me on a panel with John Fultz, Kay Kenyon, Len Wein, and F. Paul Wilson on the subject: But I'm The Hero! The Justifications for Villainy. I'll be thinking of good justifications for my villainous ways over the next week:
Sure, you get the occasional hand-rubbing, cackling, “I’m so evil” villain, but, particularly in real life, most villains don’t see themselves in that role. Even Snidely Whiplash had a mother who loved him. What are the reasons and reasoning of people and characters for doing villainous things?
My fellow panelists are a high-powered bunch (if you don't know all their names, just click on the links), I'll look forward to learning something from them all. Meanwhile Jenny has a panel with an equally high-powered group of people on a subject relating to scary fairies in folklore, myth, and literature:
The fairies of folklore were no Tinkerbells. They lured humans to their realm for their own reasons, not to help. Cold iron was prescribed as a protection against them. A discussion of faeries as figures of fear, not wonder, in myth and literature.
And I see many other friends on panels or giving readings, scattered throughout the program. I'm looking forward to catching up with my pals and colleagues, meeting interesting people, and generally (I hope) having some fun. Come along to the panel if you're at the convention - it'll be a blast.

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