Guardian article about Kate Clanchy "The book that tore publishing apart: ‘Harm has been done, and now everyone’s afraid’"

[miri1985]

www.theguardian.com/books/2022/jun/18/the-book-that-tore-publishing-apart-harm-has-been-done-and-now-everyones-afraid

Interesting article but Sarah Ditum said it on twitter better than I could "I think it's a major flaw that this article broadly assumes good faith on the part of cancel-culture agitators. A lot of them are perfectly self-interested and borderline sociopathic" twitter.com/sarahditum/status/1538144622643494912?cxt=HHwWgIC-3dCYy9gqAAAA

cassandre

Good for you. These writers can’t see it but the only reputations they are destroying are their own.

I don't have a view on the book and I haven't expressed one because I haven't read it.
What I have a view on is Clanchy's behaviour. From what I have read she:
Went after someone - not even a professional critic - because of a bad review.
Took the argument to Twitter and tried to set her supporters on the reviewer.
Lied.
I've even read on this thread that she threatened to report the reviewer to their employer.

No that does not excuse the abuse she's getting. I condemn that absolutely. Nor does it mean that publishing isn't a complete basket case. But I'm really not comfortable with waving away what she did as an 'overreaction' or 'bad judgement'.

I'm not a purist and we all fuck up sometimes so if anyone can point me towards a statement where Clanchy acknowledges what she did then OK.

with Suleyman mocking Clanchy's grief for her mother, and Singh retweeted followers' disgusting physical descriptions of Clanchy, I can't keep following them. It's bullying and it's ugly.

@cassandre Yes, the fact that people who have criticised KC think this is acceptable to do, in turn, to her... That has such a bad vibe. It's really twisted.

Had a look at Sunny Singh's Twitter.

See, it's unpleasant, what many people there are doing. Deliberate mocking and slurring, derogatory race-based insults, etc. Juvenile, sneery and pretty daft. It doesn't look good on anyone. Self-justification fallacy writ large.

The rational response is to say 'ew' and move on, though. Perhaps be less inclined to listen to these people in future. Not to demand heads on plates and mob justice. Surely?

@Floisme But time has passed. Ultimately it's up to you if you think she hasn't apologised well enough - no one is saying you absolutely have to buy a book from KC, or forgive her. She is now the one being bullied on social media. The situation has changed, and I don't see how dwelling on whether she apologised in precisely the words you would like to have heard is helpful to anyone other than you. (Again, I am not saying you have to forgive her, like her, or buy her books.)

Hmm, not sure about that. Aren't they just turning the tables and using food related descriptions ? There is a point.

I was also interested to read Suleyman's explanation of being Turkish Cypriot and not being considered white. It's not something I'd considered.

It's not a case of forgiving her. That's for her victim. But frankly, I'm not inclined to go out to bat for someone who has tried to censor someone else for a bad review, lied, made threats and even now, doesn't show any awareness that it was anything beyond an overreaction.

You might argue that the principle of free speech is more important. You might have a point. But I have limited time and energy - speaking of which, I'm now repeating myself endlessly and we're clearly never going to agree so I think I'm done.

‘Aren't they just turning the tables and using food related descriptions ? There is a point.’

Clanchy’s descriptions (while I think some are distasteful) were not intended to be hurtful. They were not all directed at one specific individual in public for the purposes of upsetting them.

I think you make a good point. Tbh, Clanchy, Singh, Suleyman and Rajesh can fight this out amongst themselves. (Personally I don't think my own life will be the poorer if I don't hear from any of them again) They all have a voice and supporters.

The GR reviewer is the one who deserves an apology

The GR reviewer is the one who deserves an apology

Yes.

Hmm, I think the "but I didn't mean to upset anyone by using outdated, racist terminology to describe you , I meant it lovingly" excuse is tottering on thin ice.

What they are doing isn't nice but it is hammering the point- and a point I'm not sure if KC acknowledged.

To be clear, this was to Floisme.

‘Hmm, I think the "but I didn't mean to upset anyone by using outdated, racist terminology to describe you , I meant it lovingly" excuse is tottering on thin ice.’

This is more of the ‘impact not intention’ guff, isn’t it? Intention matters. It’s the difference between tripping and accidentally knocking someone off the platform and pushing someone under a train.

Clanchy erred. She was not cruel. I don’t like cruel people.

Thank you Lass :)

I wouldn't imprison them or ban them from Twitter for mocking KC's grief, but I have every right to think that those who engaged in that have shown themselves to be worse people than KC.

Innocenta

I agree with you. Really not very nice people.

I get that some people don't like KC and don't think she's apologised enough or paid enough for her 'crimes'. That's up to you. But ultimately, you are watching a woman being dragged through social media and a gleeful pile on of bullies making absolutely vile comments about her appearance... If you are finding yourself excusing or justifying that, you've crossed a line.

This is what they wish they could do to JK Rowling. It's what they are going to do to any woman who seems vulnerable to them. You might be fine with it when it's happening to KC - but don't think for a second they're not going to come after you, or people you care about, the minute they see their chance.

As for the "outdated, racist terminology" - careful you don't pull something. It's quite a stretch. As a pp noted, the rules about wrongspeak change so fast, there's always going to be something they can use to catch you out.

Fair play to Chimene Suleyman, she’s said it’s not okay to target Clanchy’s grief and be cruel to her.

I just saw that, achillestoes. Also Clanchy responding to thank her.

twitter.com/KateClanchy1/status/1538876360021647361

It's a relief to see a bit of human decency for a change, instead of people othering and dehumanising each other.

Accidental? If so, that was exceptionally clumsy writing from Suleyman; it certainly looked like she was deliberately and very cruelly mocking Clanchy's grief from what I read.

So - now we are here. Both writers have apparently been cruel, insensitive, and hurtful, according to various parties. Both apparently without intending to.

Now what? Is forgiveness even a thing anymore?

Good on her for speaking against it. As JKR wisely observed, it can be hard to stand up to your friends.

Yeah, that was actually brave. And decent of KC too.

Forgiveness would be great. Some people have got themselves very entrenched though. Lots of writers chiming in to make sure they're on the right side.

Yes, for everyone’s sake it would be nice to see some closure.

Have to say I'm really unimpressed by Singh's Twitter behaviour. And disappointed in Capildeo. Maybe I don't use Twitter enough to expect all this stuff and it's actually quite normal? But it just seems so hateful and unfair. When I think about how so many male writers have behaved over the years (and written far, far worse things than KC!).