GAFIA

GAFIA (along with derived form such as gafiate and gafiation) is a term used in science fiction fandom. It began as an acronym for "Getting Away From It All", and initially referred to escaping from the mundane world via fanac. [ [http://fanac.org/Fannish_Reference_Works/Fancyclopedia/Fancyclopedia_I/] Fancyclopedia I "by "John Bristol" (Jack Speer), published in 1944 by the Fantasy Foundation.] However, its meaning was soon reversed, and thereafter it referred to getting away from fandom and fannish doings. [From [http://fanac.org/Fannish_Reference_Works/Fancyclopedia/Fancyclopedia_II/] Fancyclopedia II", updated, edited, and published by Richard Eney, 1959: "This useful phrase was originally an escapist slogan, meaning the intent to withdraw from the Macrocosm to indulge in some intense fanac, but has undergone a complete reversal of significance so that now "that flash of sanity known as Gafia" refers to a vacation from fandom back in the world of normalcy, where nobody reads that crazy Buck Rogers stuff. Diagnostic symptoms are sheer boredom while trying to read proz or fanzines, allowing correspondence to pile up unanswered, and wishing that half-finished fanzines could be forgotten for a while.] When fans say they're gafiating, it means they intend to put some distance between themselves and fandom. This can be either a temporary or a long-term separation.

A closely related term is "Fafia" or "Fafiation", from the acronym for "Forced away from it all." To fafiate is to put aside fannish things, not because one prefers to do so, but rather because one is obliged to do so. Usually it's a matter of not having enough time. Finishing one's dissertation, having children, or accepting a demanding new job are among the commoner reasons for fafiation.

"Dafia", or "Drifting away from it all", has been proposed as an intermediate term, but is not in general fannish use.

Ted White, Redd Boggs and Carl Brandon published science fiction fanzines titled "Gafia", "Gafia Advertiser" and "Gafiac". respectively. [http://lib.ucr.edu/cdd/spcol/fanzine.php?show=true&searchtitle=G&title_limit=1&searcheditor=&index=40&PHPSESSID=d80d341c42865d613cda62f73245b515 The Bruce Pelz Fanzine Collection: Titles matching "G"]

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