Quote:
Originally Posted by Runestar  What is the difference between objectiveness and fairness? If you cannot be objective in your judging, this suggests that by definition, you are already biased in your opinions, be it because you feel strongly for a certain product, and will not be swayed from your decision regardless of what other people say, or whatever?
I don't see why objectiveness cannot or should not be an ideal for the judges to strive towards and achieve. Just because they feel it cannot be done, that gives them all the justification they need to throw it out of the window altogether?  |
It's not a question about feeling it cannot be done... it simply cannot be done. Being fair is giving everything an even shake, coming at it with an open mind, applying the same faculties of judgment to it that you apply to everything else. That's being fair. As humans, we can try our best at this and, if you'll note, even make a mistake about something as objective as a work's release date.
But when it comes to determining quality, which is what the ENnies are supposed to award, the judgments are primarily subjective. There's simply no way around it. This is also why there's a panel of judges instead of a single administrator applying some form of objective standard. A group can evaluate the materials, debate their relative merits over other entrants, in order to produce the set of nominees. But it's not an objective process at all. Some people happen to like certain styles of games, certain styles of art, certain turns of phrase and those preferences will appear in their individual choices. And again, because it's a panel of judges, the contest has the power to bring a diversity of opinions to the table to determine the final nominees.
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