From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!duke!bcw
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Title: Re: SF attacked in December Harper"s magazine
Article-I.D.: duke.2858
Posted: Fri Dec 17 23:44:31 1982
Received: Fri Dec 24 01:46:56 1982
References: pur-phy.616,sri-arpa.111

From:	Bruce C. Wright @ Duke University
Re:	Arny Klein & Harper's

It might be an eye-opener for some of the literary elitists to look at the
origins of many of the "classics."  For example, Daniel Defoe (who wrote
Robinson Crusoe and a couple of other lesser-known "classics") was considered
something of a hack writer at the time;  his current fame was (mostly) acquired
after he died.  Other examples are legion, as well as examples of writers which
were considered quite respected during their times but whose works did not
stand the test of time.

Most science fiction, however, *is* trash.  So is most other literature which
is produced today (perhaps that's not the clearest way to say it ... anyway).
Most of it won't be considered interesting 20 years from now, let alone 200.
On the other hand, some of the things in such genres are destined to be of
long-lasting value;  these works probably are those which are in some sense
breaking new ground, not just for the sake of novelty but because of the merit
of the story.

			Bruce C. Wright @ Duke University