On the Difficulties of Conversion
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| Title: | On the Difficulties of Conversion |
| Creator: | Joseph Gilbert |
| Date(s): | 1940 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Science fiction |
| Topic: | Converting people to fandom; the recent decline of science fiction fandom |
| External Links: | Hosted online in the University of Iowa's Hevelin Collection |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
On the Difficulties of Conversion was an article published in 1940 by science fiction fan Joseph Gilbert. It was later reprinted in a 1941 issue of Science Fiction Collector. Gilbert complained of having trouble introducing science fiction to other people, and also remarked that the easiest ones to convert were the type of fans who ended up damaging both fandom and pro science fiction.
Gilbert describes pulling out a copy of New Fandom at work, only for his boss to accuse him of being a Communist. ("I naturally denied the charge angrily.") His boss, he reported, had misread the title as New Freedom.
Excerpts
In all my life I have encountered exactly two people who knew what science fiction was.... Both, as far as I could ascertain, knew only a little or nothing more than what it was.... If everyone knew what stf was, or if there existed a "Society for the Dissemination and Promotion of Scientifiction" then it wouldn't be so bad. But they don't, and there isn't, so if the science fiction fan wants to spread his favorite literature, he must arm himself with a stout stick as protection against dogs, a knife to cut the net if the batty-wagon is called out, a soapbox if he's a futurian, a pair of shinguards to prevent the convertee from biting him on the leg, and toddle out to do or die, for dear old Astonishing Tales.One type of person is rather easy to convert. All that is necessary is to give him a copy of Thrilling Wonder, or Fantastic Adventures.... Probably he'll join the Science Fiction League, proudly displaying his card certifying that he is member number Z-3-9-2, although he'll be mildly disappointed that it doesn't make him a secret agent....
I personally believe that there are too many kids of this type in today's stf., that the degeneration of the pros today is the direct result of their influence....Science Fiction Collector pp 4-7 (Winter 1941)
Gilbert goes on to say that some of his close friends, whom he considers "intelligent, well-informed individuals", would refuse to explore science fiction if he handed them a copy of something like Planet Stories or Captain Future. "Even Astounding and Unknown bear the stigma of 'pulp mag'".
Have you ever tried to tell a friend just what science fiction is? ....I invariably end up gibbering drool about Buck Rogers, the future, and H.G. Wells.... It's simply one of those things that sound incredibly asinine when trying to explain them, whatever their merits might be in actuality.Ibid.
Gilbert finishes by recommending that a fan like Raymond Van Houten or Jack Speer should be called on to write an explanation designed to appeal to potential science fiction fans, to be published in a magazine like Stardust "featuring good science fiction", so that the article could be presented in combination with a good example of the medium.