Questions About They'd Rather Be Right

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How did this novel, with so many low ratings and poor reviews, win the 1955 Hugo? I know there were good SF books published in 1954.

Tom Parsons I can only surmise that those who disliked it were, consciously or otherwise, defending some mental attitudes/beliefs they knew would disqualify them …moreI can only surmise that those who disliked it were, consciously or otherwise, defending some mental attitudes/beliefs they knew would disqualify them from benefiting from Bossy's therapeutic reprogramming of their world-image. The events of American politics in the intervening decades have made it quite clear how fiercely so many cling to self-contradictory illogic as basic to their tribal identity. Personally, I've always classed this story as one of my favorites. And I'm about to reread it, having just taken it off the shelves of 1946-2002 Astounding/Analogs from my father's collection and my own. This note is a result of checking online to see whether this version is longer (which I would prefer) than the book version that I think is also somewhere around here. My best speculation on any honest critic's dislike is just that Astounding always paid by-the-word, and so it was quite a temptation for authors to stretch out what might have been a shorter tale. But I usually enjoy the extra descriptions, plot, and complications that such urges created. As I'm a born San Franciscan, this story is no exception. (less)

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