A Fine Old Debate About Starship Troopers

We will go into Alexei Panshin in detail on this blog soon enough. There is a good deal to say. Meanwhile, I discovered during the research process on Panshin this debate by some leading SF personages about Starship Troopers circa 1960-61. Many of you may not have seen this obscue yet high-powered dust-up, so I bring it to your attention. Here's one provocative quote, from James V. McConnell. Again, let me emphasize he's writing in 1961. It was ever thus:

Aside from the goodness or badness of war, the comments so many people have made about SS [Note:"Starship Soldiers" was the magazine version] indicate, to me at least, that s-f is becoming the haven for old, trite, worn-out ideas instead of the testing-ground for new thoughts most s-f devotees so loudly pretend.  How many people have told me, these past few years, that Sturgeon is great, but when will he quit writing those peculiar stories and get down to reality? If Ted were not the great writer that he is, probably he would be mobbed, ostracized, or what have you.  Like Heinlein apparently is to be.  New gadgets we can stand apparently, but not new ideas, nor new ways of looking at old ideas nor even a close examination of the emotional responses most of us have to the safe, secure, comfortable values which society today applauds and inculcates in us.  In my opinion, s-f readers (and writers, too) have become a bunch of old Aunt Nellies hell-bent on preserving the status-quo, glorifying the present norm, and ready to crucify anybody who dares rock the boat by thinking.

Heh, it was ever thus. I think that you'll enjoy comparing these comments on Starship Troopers with your own thoughts and memories of the book.