#melqs

Oh look, my aphorism loser is back.

But here’s why I like answering this person: it is very easy to expose the simplicity of mind. There’s an inherent flaw with the premise of this statement: the falling is assumed.

Good people who do good things, and surround themselves with good people, and work on bettering themselves, and understand complexity, and don’t expect perfection from themselves or others, and have good intentions, and work hard, and enjoy the world, and try to improve that world a little, and commit themselves to their lives in positive and gracious ways…

…those people don’t tend to fall.

Those people. They tend to fly.

And when they stumble? 

They bounce.

HI GEEK AND SUNDRY I AM SO EXCITED TO SEE YOU HERE!! We love you guys. So much. 

I also love this question and think it is such an important one. (This is why it's going to be my last answer for now!)

There are so many things we can say about what's important to remember in creating a convention or sharing our passions. I could bore you all to tears with why we put one program on against another, or why we say no to a certain guest's appearance, or all the little micro decisions that go into creating the geeky world we try and breathe into existence each year.

But I think for the purpose of this answer, the most important thing is attitude. The energy and attitude you bring to any geeky activity will flow right into what you do and how you do it. Wiping away the negativity from the enterprise sounds like new-agey touchey-feely mumbo jumbo but I am 100% positive that it is crucial to geekery and fandom, and taking it in a good direction. Because we are here to ENJOY ourselves, the passion and the excitement is the whole point.*

So, for instance, when introducing someone to a new fandom? Check the entitlement over having been a fan longer. Forget what you know and remember there was a time you didn't know it. Stop measuring "how big" of a fan you are and be excited you're about to have a new friend in your fandom.

And in real-world spaces: first, make them safe. Have NO TOLERANCE for harassment. Worry about how inclusive, how feminist, how positive, how fun, how exciting, they are. 

What it comes down to for us is this: if the attitude is right in the creation, it will flow into the recipe. And we think anyone should be able to walk into a new fandom and feel ready to explore it, the same way anyone should be able to walk into a convention and feel safe and among friends.

MY WHOLE STAFF IS DEBATING THIS CURRENTLY AND I WILL UPDATE THIS ANSWER.

OK, I’m kicking this one to them:

Hermione: Elphaba, WICKED (courtesy the magical sdornhelm)Candace Rim says, "The green skin is like being like Muggle-born. And all she wants to do is learn."

Harry: Princeton, AVENUE Q "He kind of just wanders in and is like, 'Hi! I'm new here! And everyone's like, 'ooh, there's a lot of stuff waiting for you.'" - Sierra Fox

Ron: Mark Cohen, RENT"A bystander who's important to the whole thing. It's all I'm saying." Taekia Blackwell

More staff comments:"Ron in Deathly Hallows as the understudy who is so important but always secretly hopes the main character breaks his leg." - Abby Larus

"I'm just mad because I keep trying to think about secondary roles who Ron could be and that MAKES ME MAD. RON IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT." - Sierra