Artists, Art and Politics

The nominations for the 2014 Hugo awards include in the best novelette category, one work by the memorably odious racist sexist homophobic author writing as Vox Day.

Is this a big problem? I think not.

First, very bad people can still produce good art. For example, Francois Villon, Caravaggio and Benvenuto Cellini. Love the art, hang the artist.

Second, if the artist's false worldview damages their art, that should count against their art as art. The racism in Gone With the Wind and Stalinism in Alexander Nevsky were odious, and both works would have been far better without them.

Third, I think that Vox Day writes poorly enough that his work can and will be rejected on its merits.