by James Wallace Harris, 6/18/24
I was interviewed by Alex Howe for A Reader’s History of Science Fiction podcast about my Classics of Science Fiction list I’ve been maintaining since 1989. I was surprised by how much I learned about myself from the process.
I’m used to writing essays where I have all the time in the world to compose my thoughts. That’s not true in a conversation. I realized while I was being taped, and even more when I listened to the podcast, that conversation leaves no room for composing or editing thoughts on the fly. At my age I need lots of time to think. I also need time to find words I can’t remember.
I watch a lot of YouTube videos and I’m amazed by how some people can talk at length presenting a clearly organized topic without stumbling over their words. I know some TV talking heads work from scripts, but I’m not sure that’s common for podcasts and YouTube videos.
Some people are simply great talkers. They can clearly enunciate words and thoughts at a fast speaking pace. I can’t. I’m surprised by the number of people who want to be talking heads on TV, both as interviewer and interviewee. It requires skills I admire. Being interviewed revealed all those skills I lack.
After a couple of years of watching YouTube videos it’s also become apparent that even though anyone can host a YouTube channel, not everyone should. I’m astonished by how media ready some folks are, and how others are not. I’m not.
My mind is suited for print.
I was getting over a cold on the day I was interviewed, so my voice sounds rough. But that doesn’t bother me too much when I listen to the podcast. What makes me worry about my aging mind is how I failed to answer Alex’s questions clearly. I’m not sure anyone will understand our statistical system for identifying the most remembered science fiction books. On the other hand, I’m not sure I’ve ever been able to describe it in printed words well either.
One thing that Mike and I learned from building the database and generating the reports is visitors to the web site seldom read the supporting documentation. In fact, we dropped most of the documentation from the current system because, so few people read it. We now aim to make the database as simple to use as possible.
My failure to explain how our database works is more than my lack of verbal skills, but even with that excuse, I do think I should have expressed the concept better.
I’ve been interviewed before, about twenty years ago. Somehow The New York Times learned I listened to a lot of audiobooks and a reporter came to my office to ask me about that. I was one of several people they profiled. This was in the early days of Audible.com, and I guess they thought it news that people were switching from reading to listening. The reporter asked me several questions, but only some of my answers ended up in the paper. The amount of editing is the difference between print journalism, television shows, and podcasts.
The reason I prefer to express myself in an essay is I can edit my own thoughts. Being interviewed for a podcast was fun, and I thank Alex Howe for the honor. However, I’m not sure I’ll do it again.
JWH
Auxiliary Memory 
It’s funny how having a particular skill can cause people to assume we have other abilities. Back in my work days one of the skills for which I became known was my ability to put down on paper explanations, step by step, of various processes. Occasionally a coworker would exclaim how “organized” my thinking was … hahahahahaha
The truth is, I receive new information with distraction and a head packed with too many thoughts. So I became good at breaking things down and then recreating the steps: tiny steps that my disorganized brain could handle. It’s a survival technique for thinking that is not organized! Inside, I’m all over the place! The steps are a way to corral my thoughts!
Your database reminded me of that: we can be clever enough to create something really useful but that doesn’t mean we’re particularly organized in our thoughts, or can explain it off the cuff. Have you ever thought of yourself as liking to sort? “These go with these, let’s keep them together.” Basically, a filing system but for “stuff”. That’s me. So yeah, I get how it appears that I’m organized.
The real me: these thoughts are popping around willy nilly but by golly I can tame my environment!
I’ve always tried to organize my thoughts outside of my head. Using outlines, note cards, mind maps, and programs like Obsidian. I love the idea of taxonomy. However, I can’t stick with any effort long enough to really master it.
I am a sorter. I keep my magazine collection in order. I keep my computer and stereo cables all sorted into their own plastic boxes.
Jim, you said, “At my age I need lots of time to think. I also need time to find words I can’t remember.”
and
“My mind is suited for print.”
Me too, Jim. I take info in better by reading print and I deliver it better by writing and editing (I love editing). –
I think it might haves something to do with age – I used to be on debate teams and give informational speeches. (Getting honest here though I had good notes for the speeches although I also used to teach.)
The main thing with me is that I’m 76, not 26. LOL
I thought you interviewed very well. I enjoyed your wisdom ‘clark and assimov deal with ideas, while heinlein doesn’t’ and so on. there were a lot of good stuff in that interview that you communicated.