What have novels ever contributed to the world?

[Orang Utan]

plenty of adults read rand too and get something more out of them than just looking cool on the internet. it's important to know how people you disagree with think, i reckon. i'm gonna check out the fountainhead soon too. it's got an lovely de lempicka cover too, so i'm sold.

 

[Blagsta]

Who knows? I don't do a lot of reading of teenage nerd blogs, or wherever it is that teenage nerds opine on things like Atlas Shrugged...

I tend to come across them on anarchist facebook groups.

 

[Blagsta]

plenty of adults read rand too and get something more out of them than just looking cool on the internet. it's important to know how people you disagree with think, i reckon. i'm gonna check out the fountainhead soon too. it's got an lovely de lempicka cover too, so i'm sold.

True. I don't need to read Ayn Rand to know how anarcho-cap types think though. Life's too short.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I tend to come across them on anarchist facebook groups.

Anarchist facebook groups. I'll have to get right on that.

But speaking seriously (?), the last people who are going to have any influence on my opinion about something, yea or nay, is teenage nerds. Better to read the book, and hate it from the source.

 

[Orang Utan]

but you might find other food for thought in there. dismissing a novel you haven't read cos people you dislike admire it is just obtuse, wrongheaded and contrary.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

"Have novels ever shaped the direction of our culture in any noticeable way?"

what, like ever?

Actually - has language ever done that? Fucking prove it. With links.

ta

 

[Blagsta]

but you might find other food for thought in there. dismissing a novel you haven't read cos people you dislike admire it is just obtuse, wrongheaded and contrary.

Isn't that the whole point of the internet?

 

[Orang Utan]

Isn't that the whole point of the internet?

i hope not!

 

[Blagsta]

Anarchist facebook groups. I'll have to get right on that.

But speaking seriously (?), the last people who are going to have any influence on my opinion about something, yea or nay, is teenage nerds. Better to read the book, and hate it from the source.

I've got too many other books to read first.

 

[sojourner]

i hope not!

seconded

 

[Blagsta]

i hope not!

oh

 

[Orang Utan]

You're being silly now.

i didn't think i was (apart from the de lempicka comment) - from what my flatmate tells me, the fountainhead sounds like a fascinating book. i was watching mad men the other day and it's mentioned as a kind of bible amongst all that shower of bastards, so i'm intrigued to find out how it may have shaped people's way of thinking. is that silly?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I've got too many other books to read first.

But........you're spending your time on Anarchist Facebook Groups?

 

[Blagsta]

But........you're spending your time on Anarchist Facebook Groups?

Yes. I also spend my time on here. Thanks for your interest in my time management though.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

i didn't think i was (apart from the de lempicka comment) - from what my flatmate tells me, the fountainhead sounds like a fascinating book. i was watching mad men the other day and it's mentioned as a kind of bible amongst all that shower of bastards, so i'm intrigued to find out how it may have shaped people's way of thinking. is that silly?

It's not a long read, either. Even if you hate it, it's only a day or two out of your life.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

i didn't think i was (apart from the de lempicka comment) - from what my flatmate tells me, the fountainhead sounds like a fascinating book. i was watching mad men the other day and it's mentioned as a kind of bible amongst all that shower of bastards, so i'm intrigued to find out how it may have shaped people's way of thinking. is that silly?

I actually replied to the wrong comment, which is why I deleted my post.

It's not by any means a fascinating book though. It's really stupid and tedious, and if you're interested in how it's affected people it would be best to look at the people rather than the book.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Yes. I also spend my time on here. Thanks for your interest in my time management though.

I'm just suggesting you read Atlas Shrugged, so you'll know what it is that those teenage nerds are going on about.

 

[Blagsta]

I'm just suggesting you read Atlas Shrugged, so you'll know what it is that those teenage nerds are going on about.

I don't need to read it, I understand what anarcho-capitalists think. That it's OK to exploit others.

 

[Orang Utan]

I actually replied to the wrong comment, which is why I deleted my post.

It's not by any means a fascinating book though. It's really stupid and tedious, and if you're interested in how it's affected people it would be best to look at the people rather than the book.

fair comment, but at least you have read it

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I don't need to read it, I understand what anarcho-capitalists think. That it's OK to exploit others.

That's like saying I don't need to read Kapital, I understand what communists think. They want to put everyone's baby on a collective farm, and make everyone wear grey pyjamas.

 

[untethered]

You don't need to read Reflections on the revolution in France to know that the peasants are revolting.

 

[Blagsta]

That's like saying I don't need to read Kapital, I understand what communists think. They want to put everyone's baby on a collective farm, and make everyone wear grey pyjamas.

No, that's stupid because communists don't actually think that. Anarcho-caps do think exploitation is OK. They'll dance around the issue, but press them and that's what they think.

Anyway, that's a topic for another thread really.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

No, that's stupid because communists don't actually think that. Anarcho-caps do think exploitation is OK. They'll dance around the issue, but press them and that's what they think.

Anyway, that's a topic for another thread really.

It' just hard to know what a book says without reading it. In any event, I think we're amply proving that Atlas Shrugged has been part of the social dialogue.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

You don't need to read Reflections on the revolution in France to know that the peasants are revolting.

Without reading Lolita, can you know if Humbert is nailing the kid?

 

[N_igma]

You don't need to read Reflections on the revolution in France to know that the peasants are revolting.

Erm that was not a narrative.