(1) That which boosts the ego. The force that impels fans in their tireless activity. In fandom, egoboo is usually gained by seeing one's name in print, preferably in someone else's publication. Spoken egoboo, tho transitory, is pleasant. Most common sources are favorable comment on one's fanac, but include indirect things like success of projects, volcanic reaction from the target of one of your needles, and unsatiric parody. If the egoboo of fame is unobtainable, notoriety is better than no egoboo at all. (Occasionally referred to in the late 50's and the 60's as The G.M.Carr Theory of Negoboo.) Fandom may be defined as an infinitely complex system for the production of pure egoboo. Indeed, the universe itself was created for egoboo (Psalms 145:10) if we are to believe the stories.
In the Willis & Shaw fannish allegory The Enchanted Duplicator, Jophan finds that the egg of the Bu-Birds — Egg o' Bu — contains fluid that "was cool, refreshing, and intoxicatingly delicious to the taste. …When the egg was finished he jumped to his feet and began to run eagerly round the oasis looking for more, so intent on the search that he scarcely noticed how quickly his tiredness had been replaced with boundless energy and enthusiasm. … Overindulgence … was inclined to produce a species of intoxication and a painless but unsightly swelling of the head."
Contributors: Fancyclopedia 2; Joe Siclari
A boost to the ego. Primary egoboo comes from seeing your name in print for a contribution you have made to a fanzine (with its implicit value judgment that at least the editor thought it worthy of publication). Secondary egoboo comes from people discussing in a positive way what you write or contribute (and this includes things you’ve written on the internet, not just in fanzines), being favorably credited with helping to put on (or taking part on a panel at) an sf convention, being talked about positively with regard to one’s accomplishments in any fannish venue. (Negative comments are called negoboo.) Since so much of what is done is fandom is done on a voluntary basis, egoboo is the fannish medium of exchange, the “coin of the realm,” if you will. See Egg O'Bu in The Enchanted Duplicator
Contributors: Dr Gafia
(2) A fanzine edited by Ted White.
| from Fancyclopedia 2 ca. 1959 |
| That which boosts the ego. The force that impels fans in their tireless activity. In fandom], egoboo is usually gained by seeing one's name in print, preferably in someone else's publication. Spoken egoboo, tho transitory, is pleasant. Most common sources are favorable comment on one's fanac, but include indirect things like success of projects, volcanic reaction from the target of one of your needles, and unsatiric parody. If the egoboo of fame is unobtainable, notoriety is better than no egoboo at all. Fandom may be defined as an infinitely complex system for the production of pure egoboo. Indeed, the universe itself was created for egoboo (Psalms 145:10) if we are to believe the stories. |
