tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post4628732351304805427..comments2024-03-29T06:16:21.012+08:00Comments on Monsters and Manuals: Lord, enlighten thou our enemiesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-15655896983558294222019-02-08T19:31:14.479+08:002019-02-08T19:31:14.479+08:00I agree. I always say that Marx analysed the probl...I agree. I always say that Marx analysed the problem entirely correctly. He was just terrible at making predictions and even worse at making prescriptions. noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-2976741669805382212019-02-08T01:45:59.303+08:002019-02-08T01:45:59.303+08:00Liberalism is what Conservativism was for Trilling...Liberalism is what Conservativism was for Trilling, sort of incoherently and ineffectually defending a perceived status quo, and honestly the latter was probably irrelevant even at that time. Especially in the United States, which has never really had anything like Conservativism and which has instead reactionary and progressive strains of liberalism. <br /><br />I cannot remember the writer, bur during Marx's time is was common for people who disagreed with him to actually have read his works, and this contemporary commented that if you took his premises as true then his logic was ironclad. These days incoherent nonsense like "postmordern neomarxism" is the standard for public intellectual.<br /><br />Literally anyone can be advantaged by taking a deep read of by-the-book Marx. I have never come across a thinker whose work makes me question what I think I know so often.diregrizzlybearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00170953425513553881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-29476384146041849462019-02-07T14:24:19.413+08:002019-02-07T14:24:19.413+08:00My favorite person for this sort of exercise is CK...My favorite person for this sort of exercise is CK Chesterton. Half of the time I'm cheering him on and half of the time I want to throw the book across the room because he's being such a dumbass but he always makes me think, more than any other writer I can think of.<br /><br />So I think for this sort of thing it's good to read someone you agree with half of the time. It works well for me at least.Boshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06908715118408289864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-6703937702642096132019-02-05T20:34:04.255+08:002019-02-05T20:34:04.255+08:00You could add Dunsany, Chesterton, Lewis and Kipli...You could add Dunsany, Chesterton, Lewis and Kipling (often not thought of as a fantasy writer, but in fact one of the greatest and most influential) to the list of trend-bucking titans.<br /><br />I second the praise for this recent run of posts - great stuff!JChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17964744140140515737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-52557487505623133112019-02-05T19:09:32.907+08:002019-02-05T19:09:32.907+08:00Cheap electricity does help 'enlighten' ev...Cheap electricity does help 'enlighten' even the darkest of places. Andy Bartletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06683770320671028815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-44739113551542356332019-02-05T15:32:58.299+08:002019-02-05T15:32:58.299+08:00At least Compare Electric Rates remains a steadfas...At least Compare Electric Rates remains a steadfast centrist in our crazy times.Melanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-88411424230458764432019-02-05T14:12:42.131+08:002019-02-05T14:12:42.131+08:00He cited JS Mill's paean to Samuel Taylor Cole...He cited JS Mill's paean to Samuel Taylor Coleridge: "'Lord, enlighten thou our enemies<br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Save-on-Energy" rel="nofollow">Compare Electric Rates</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Electricity-Bill-Calculation-USA" rel="nofollow">Compare electric rates Texas</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Electricity-Bill-Calculation-USA" rel="nofollow">Commercial Texas electric rates</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Electricity-Bill-Calculation-USA" rel="nofollow">Compare electric TX</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Save-on-Energy" rel="nofollow">Compare Electric Rates</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Power-Setter" rel="nofollow">Texas Electric Rates</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Electric-Choice" rel="nofollow">Texas Electric Company</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com" rel="nofollow">Power to Choose</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/commercial" rel="nofollow">Compare Electric Plans</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Pay-Less-Power" rel="nofollow">Texas Electric Choice</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Save-on-Energy" rel="nofollow">Compare Electric Rates</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Power-to-Switch" rel="nofollow">Commercial Electric Rates Texas</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Electricity-Bill-Calculation-USA" rel="nofollow">Compare electric plans Texas</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Electricity-Bill-Calculation-USA" rel="nofollow">Power to choose commercial</a><br /><a href="https://www.choicegenie.com/Electricity-Bill-Calculation-USA" rel="nofollow">Commercial Electric Plans Texas</a><br />Compare Electric Rateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06811260034015190682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-43107917133890104652019-02-05T03:59:53.858+08:002019-02-05T03:59:53.858+08:00Melan: You're right about Vance being conserva...Melan: You're right about Vance being conservative, but I think you go a little over the top in your analysis. Could a left-liberal not write and appreciate satires about collectivist societies? And it's not as if that's really a central theme of Vance's body of work in any event. His books contain send-ups of almost every imaginable human societal relationship and dynamic. It would be shocking if he *didn't* make fun of progressive busybodies at least as much as he makes fun of grasping, hyper-greedy "small businessmen."<br /><br />I guess I mainly want to respond to emphasize and agree with this point you make:<br /><br />"[W]hatever his politics, Vance was highly original. His books are not screeds against political opponents, but autonomous and complex works, even when they are dealing in satire. In this sense, Vance is not left or right - he is first and foremost good."<br /><br />Ivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08923725063649465366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-14890647729492485602019-02-05T02:59:51.078+08:002019-02-05T02:59:51.078+08:00Vance was certainly on the political right. Wyst i...Vance was certainly on the political right. Wyst is a satire of collectivism, The Grey Prince is a deeply conservative take on colonial liberation movements, and Araminta Station's views on citizenship, immigration and progressive meddlers are pretty much textbook reactionary.* He was pro-Vietnam war, which most of his peers weren't. Tellingly, Vance had NEVER been published in socialist countries, where SF had to be from at least nominally progressive authors to merit publication. If people were still reading books (especially old ones) these days, there would be a lot of clamour around him instead of that stupid YA manuscript which got torn to shreds last week.<br /><br />And yet whatever his politics, Vance was highly original. His books are not screeds against political opponents, but autonomous and complex works, even when they are dealing in satire. In this sense, Vance is not left or right - he is first and foremost <i>good</i>.<br />__________________<br />* My favourite exchange from the book:<br />"Sunje stalked across the room and flung herself into a chair. "I think you're all rather vapid."<br />Milo told Glawen: "Perhaps I should mention that Sunje endorses the program of the New Humanists, who are in turn the cutting edge of the Peefers."<br />"LPFers, if you don't mind."<br />"These are terms and phrases from the nomenclature of Naturalist politics, Milo explained to Glawen. L, P and F stand for 'Life', 'Peace' and 'Freedom'. Julian is an ardent member of the group."<br />Glawen said: "With such a slogan, how dare anyone raise his voice in opposition?"<br />"It's generally agreed that the slogan is the best part of the program", said Milo.<br />Julian ignored Milo's remark: "Against all sanity, opponents to the great LPF movement not only exist but flourish like noxious weeds."<br />"These are evidently the 'DWSers': the advocates of 'Death', 'War' and 'Slavery'. Am I right?" said Glawen.<br />"They are clever and devious!" said Julian. "Never would they flaunt their true colors so brazenly. Instead they call themselves Chartists and think to hold the high ground by waving funny old documents at us."<br />Milo said: "These documents are known as the Articles of the Naturalist Society and are otherwise known as the Charter. Julian, why don't you read them someday?"<br />Julian made a debonair gesture. "Far easier to argue from ignorance."<br />"All this comes as a shock to me," said Glawen. "At the Station we consider the Charter to be the First Law of the Universe. Anyone who thinks otherwise must be a Yip, a madman or the Devil himself.""Melanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-83843843267177758052019-02-05T01:15:33.239+08:002019-02-05T01:15:33.239+08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Bob Somethinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13638406211956979341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-67122588400816734002019-02-05T00:56:53.256+08:002019-02-05T00:56:53.256+08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Bob Somethinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13638406211956979341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-18991102931700392812019-02-05T00:56:27.772+08:002019-02-05T00:56:27.772+08:00I think reading other viewpoints can also render y...I think reading other viewpoints can also render you kore generally humane; you understand and sympathize with your opponents more after really engaging with their thought, generally.Owen Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02033345001593862263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-11126771813929870862019-02-05T00:47:25.062+08:002019-02-05T00:47:25.062+08:00Vance was not overtly political, but he's gene...Vance was not overtly political, but he's generally understood to be of a sort of classic breed of conservative prevalent in the US West up until the later part of the 20th century. Conservative without being doctrinaire, firmly secular, pretty strongly libertarian. (I never met him, but I've had a few conversations with people who knew him reasonably well. Not sure if that's "hard evidence")<br /><br />Also he's too interesting of a writer to have made his works polemics, but there's is a pretty strong thread of mildly skewering collectivist societies. (Alastor: Wyst, Emphyrio)Ivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08923725063649465366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-60331944083793635762019-02-04T23:47:55.828+08:002019-02-04T23:47:55.828+08:00The asterisk was to provide a reference which I pr...The asterisk was to provide a reference which I promptly forgot to include. It's there now.<br /><br />Was Vance on the right politically? It makes a kind of sense, but I wonder if there's any hard evidence for it.<br /><br />I think the large majority of SF and fantasy authors and readers are sort of soft-left. There are a couple of out-and-out hard leftists but not all that many. But some of the real titans buck that trend (Tolkien, Wolfe, Heinlein - he is hard to pigeonhole though). <br /><br />Thanks for the vote of confidence - I think a break did me good, but also oddly it feels better just to posting and responding to comments here rather than on G+. noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-20822979146241111642019-02-04T23:26:03.534+08:002019-02-04T23:26:03.534+08:00Nice thoughts. I'd not heard the Trilling (why...Nice thoughts. I'd not heard the Trilling (why does he have an asterisk?) speech / Mill passage before. <br /><br />I'm fairly leftish, but my favorite sci fi authors tend to be of the opposite bent (Vance, Wolfe, Lafferty). I've wondered why this is.<br /><br />Also: enjoying the recent spate of posts. You're on a bit of a roll. Ivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08923725063649465366noreply@blogger.com