WorldCon Report

The WorldCon is always a complex event. Many different kinds of people come together in peaceful pursuit of many different goals. The invisible hand of community weaves wonders. It is therefore a libertarian event by ideological intention. Costumers flaunt their alternate self-compositions and geeks and nerds stalk the halls peering into rooms filled with listeners and panelists. Sometimes it becomes clear that listeners would rather be panelists. Sometimes the listeners and panelists agree.

Over and over the thing that strikes the attendant is the voracious willingness to consider other viewpoints, some of them silly and many of them more than a little culturally marginalized. Listeners are almost always polite.

Filking wended its way into the mainstream and the sound of bagpipes echoed through the halls along with Leslie Fish's once golden tones.

Libertarians were thick upon the hallways. But here you could not necessarily pick them out from the crowd. It was the WorldCon. Being a Libertarian was a less compelling bond than the opportunity to experience the gathered wealth.

Two events drew most of us into temporary communion. The first was the memorial service for Poul Anderson MCed by his daughter and son-in-law Astrid Anderson Bear and Greg Bear.

Together individuals painted a picture of the life of this man who gave so much to science fiction. Over and over again the gentle grace and generosity of Poul's life spoke to us through incidents that remained immediate and compelling in the lives he touched. A song was sung in celebration. Hands touched eyes as more than one of us blinked away tears.

Astrid recalled the toast made at Poul's memorial service where shot glasses of golden aquavit were raised in his memory.

The second event was the Prometheus Awards followed by a panel on Libertarian science fiction. The award went to L. Neil Smith for Forge of the Elders. A representative from Baen Books was there to accept for the absent L. Neil who through this intermediary told the assembly that a commitment to his daughter would keep him from joining us this time. The panel was moderated by Amy Rule. Speakers were Michael F. Flynn, Eric Raymond, and Fran van Cleave.

Where will science fiction go? What new worlds will be revealed as possibilities? How can libertarian fiction help create the future? These were some of the questions raised in a forum more about enlarging possibilities than about answering mundane questions. One panelist commented that he was taking notes for future work as the audience weighed in to explore the unfolding possibilities represented by a genre that questions all premises.

The panel was attended by nearly 100. About the same number filled the room for Poul's memorial.

Later in the evening libertarians gathered for hospitality at the Clarion Suites to snack on Brie and crackers and drink long into the night. Attendance fluctuated, following the ebb and flow of conversations that ranged from intensely personal to sublimely esoteric. Counts of individuals attending were between 26 and 32. The suite closed at 3 A.M. when the last guest departed. It was a wonderful con.