And now…it’s time to channel my inner Midwesterner.
Well, there’s this.
Now, from a strictly academic, anthropological point of view, I find this very, very interesting. The SyFy channel gets to look at a geek subculture, and examine how those people interact with each other. There’s a competitive side to cosplay culture which SyFy emphasizes with all the vehemence of the average reality show. The people that have been chosen have been chosen for a variety of reasons, but I suspect one of the reasons is that they put themselves out there.
I know one of those cosplayers personally, and while we have always had pleasant interactions, she has a reputation for seizing opportunity. I believe you may well need to do that to, say, land a gig on a show like this one. There are lots of people who are the squeaky wheel, and they get the grease. I know writers who have followed editors around conventions, or ditched lesser friends to talk to famous authors, or former fan writers who glom onto successful writers to piggyback on their fame on their way to their own careers (Carolyn, that is so NOT why I enjoy hanging out with you!). And, maybe you’ve got to do do this if you want to get to other places. Maybe you’ve got to put yourself out there.
I have a friend, C. C is a beautiful woman whom I think of as the Greta Garbo of Cosplay. Her body is natural still (yes, some cosplayers do have body work done for a variety of reasons). She spends most of her con time in her room. She comes out with a bunch of guys who act as body guards because she is very shy. And when she is done with her costuming, she goes away. C comes to costuming for different reasons than the Heroes of Cosplay, clearly. She is in it because she likes costumes. She is there because she wants to wear pretty clothes. C even likes competing in contests. I’m sure C could tell you all the reasons she is in it, but the definite thing she is not in it for? To put herself out there.
Myself, I liked the attention for costumes well made, and I have made some hi tech, pretty ones. I was once the pinup girl of cosplay (me and H-Chan and Alicia-chan) before we knew what that was. Back before reality tv and so forth. No one even knows who I am today. I only have the pictures to prove that I was once a cosplay queen. I remember the first time the cosplayer I know showed up at a con wearing an average costume. That’s where we all start out, at the average level. We work to get better.
I liked some of the attention I received, but like my friend C, I too did not do cosplay to be a star. That’s sort of like being famous for eating the most pies or something. I never thought celebrity was possible for such a geeky thing. And eventually, we learned that the reason people won awards at costume contests was because people had awards to give, no more, no less. The best didn’t always win. We won a lot, but not always. And we were often baffled at what won and what didn’t. Like every other hobby. Sounds familiar regarding publishing, yes?
So…drawing attention to yourself is a distinctly not Midwestern thing to do. “Might be all right fer some” is the phrase I hear in my mind. “Can’t stop you. It’s a free country.” But does this mean that those who position themselves for attention are doing something wrong? What chance do those of us who aren’t grabbing for attention possibly have? Let’s unpack that. I can’t judge people. I can only say what makes me comfortable. BUT my culture (Midwestern American) does make me uncomfortable around people who position themselves for attention. We think of that as manipulative. Other nastier terms come readily to mind. I disapprove, and I try hard not to judge, but I have years of cultural conditioning working against me.
Yet, while there is no magic bullet, sometimes the person that gets somewhere is the person that puts themselves out there. Not always, mind. I won a special teaching award in grad school. I remember talking to all my bosses who thought I should nominate myself. I told them I couldn’t do that. So, both of my supervisors nominated me for the award. They knew I was doing a good thing, and maybe they thought my modesty became me. I realize, though, that in today’s celebrity driven culture that may well be the exception.
To my way of thinking, I would feel strange doing what some others do readily. But then again, I need to be me, and do what makes me comfortable. This blog, or friendly professional behavior is about all I can manage. The rest will have to take care of itself.
As Jim Hines often puts it, don’t be that guy. Putting yourself out there seems like being that guy to me. Your mileage may vary.
