I don't think I like this man any more.

[zotz]

Thanks (if that's the word) to sclerotic_rings for asking this question.

One of the suggested answers was Orson Scott Card. I've read and enjoyed his work, but I think I'll be less keen to do so in the future. He's a bit rabid.

Now huge numbers of Americans know that the schools are places where their children are indoctrinated in anti-family values. Trust is not just going -- for them it's gone.

Huge numbers of children are deprived of two-parent homes, because society has decided to give legal status and social acceptance to out-of-wedlock parenting and couples who break up their marriages with little regard for what is good for the children.

Plenty more there, if your blood pressure's not high enough yet. It's a real shame, because he's written some very enjoyable books. I haven't read all the ones I wanted to, either, and I probably won't, now. Ah well. Maybe in a few years I'll have calmed down enough to borrow them and read them on the cheap.

Comments

[steer.livejournal.com]

I've long since been aware that politically I don't have much in common with a number of writers on my shelf -- my attitude is that, if they don't bug me too much with political/religious opinions then I don't mind. I can't take anything with heavy libertarian overtones (Neil Stephenson and a number of US writers) or loony right wing gun nuts (Heinlein). Evangelical atheism is a similar turn off (Richard Dawkins for example).

I've always found Card, even when he is writing science fiction about religion (Folk of the Fringe) isn't actually ranting at me so I can still read it while I would disagree with him on a number of issues.

Then again, he hasn't written anything I enjoyed of late.

Re: The Rocks...

[zotz]

I don't necessarily avoid stuff that I believe the reverse of (The Sparrow has very heavy religious overtones, which in fact is one of the things I like about it, in spite of being an atheist), but once I've come to the opinion that a writer is An Arse it tends to affect my enjoyment. This isn't in any way logical - the writing hasn't changed, after all - but unfortunately it's the way my mind works.

[steer.livejournal.com]

I've not heard of it - had to look it up on Amazon - sounds interesting though.

I think you're right though - the difference is between thinking "this writer has opinions I disagree with" and "this writer is 'An Arse'" as you put it. Perhaps it's the "An Arse" factor rather than being preachy that's the difference.

The best example for me is P.J. O'Rourke -- An author who I actively enjoy reading despite the fact that his politics make me wish his mother (and father to be sure) had been strangled at birth. On the other hand, he's interesting to read even when he is preaching. I'm not sure quite what it is that means I don't brand him 'An Arse'.

PJ O'Rourke

[inulro.livejournal.com]

He's a very funny arse. I haven't read his books but I used to read his columns in Rolling Stone, Back In The Day (TM), and they were hilarious. His review of Ecstasy was a classic.

I'm pretty sure he's aware that most of his readers are politically opposed to him, and he doesn't expect conversions.

PJ O'Rourke

[inulro.livejournal.com]

O'Rourke knows he's An Arse and his whole career is based on it. He's a very funny arse. I haven't read his books but I used to read his columns in Rolling Stone, Back In The Day (TM), and they were hilarious. His review of Ecstasy was a classic.

Re: The Rocks...

[zotz]

I've not heard of it - had to look it up on Amazon - sounds interesting though.

It's excellent. Won about a metric bucketload of SF-related awards. I bought a copy for myself, and then soon afterwards another six or seven to give to friends.

The best example for me is P.J. O'Rourke

Humour is a very individual thing, and I may - or may not - enjoy him on the same basis. I've been meaning for a while to find out which.

[inulro.livejournal.com]

Can't say I'd noticed the heavy libertarian overtones in Stephenson. I don't read a lot of SF/fantasy as a rule, but I've really enjoyed those books of his that I've read. Zodiac had me making an ass of myself giggling out loud on a 6 hour flight; and I loved Cryptonomicon despite being too stupid to ever "get" cryptography (and I'm a math nerd - how sad is that). I did think Snow Crash was overrated though.

I have tried to read Heinlein and failed miserably.

Re: The Rocks...

[zotz]

Snow Crash had the whole central-government-collapse/balkanised-society thing going. It didn't particularly paint it as being an improvement, though. To my mind.

I have tried to read Heinlein and failed miserably.

The Essential Heinlein consists of two short stories : All You Zombies and By His Bootstraps. A lot of the rest is optional, and the remainder is ill-advised.

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

Heh. I loved Snow Crash but I thought Cryptonomicon was disastrous.

And I wish people wouldn't say things like that about crypto! Some bits are harder than others, but I can't believe there's any of it that's beyond the reach of a serious math nerd. Sure, understanding (say) a concrete security reduction in the random oracle model or the amplified boomerang attack can be challenging, but (say) understanding a cipher like AES well enough to implement it, or following the basics of Diffie-Hellman key exchange should be within easy reach.

[inulro.livejournal.com]

There's a few things I have a mental block with and Just Can't Do. I've come to the conclusion crypto is one of them. Possibly because stats has always been my weakest area of maths.

[damerell.livejournal.com]

Surely this is common knowledge about Card?

I like Wagner's music, too. I don't see it as too much of a problem.

[zotz]

It may be common knowledge, but I hadn't heard it. I'd heard he was odd about some things, but or like that. I should pay more attention, really. Or less.

I like Wagner's music, too. I don't see it as too much of a problem.

No reason why you should. I'm not going to look down on people for reading Card's books, but I think that for a while I'd probably get annoyed with him rather than enjoy them. Just a personal thing. I know what I'm like.

[reddragdiva]

He's an aging conservative Mormon. This surprises people because he can write characters that aren't. However, he still is. I like his fiction, but haven't read a word of his non-fiction that didn't piss me off.

[damerell.livejournal.com]

Also, on the other hand, Card is alive and donates to his church... and Xenocide/Children of the Mind stank.

[nickys.livejournal.com]

> break up their marriages with little regard for what is good for the children.

My parents' divorce was absolutely the best thing that could have happened in the circumstances.
I'm not saying it was a good experience, because it was very bad at times. But it was still much, much less bad than the alternative.

[alixandrea.livejournal.com]

He doesn't know what he's talking about.

I completely agree with you about not wanting to read stuff by him anymore. Once you know something like that about a person, it's very difficult to square liking them with what you know about them...

I also agree with Nicky's point - my parents' divorce was absolutely the best thing that could have happened as well. Why stay together 'for the kids' when the children know very well that Mummy and Daddy hate each other. How is that good for them growing up with that sort of role-model set-up?

*Boggle* as always at those who go on about the 'sanctity of marriage' at the end of the day, it's just a bit of paper and a few more (or in some cases less) rights as far as the law/taxman is concerned. Big deal.

[melston.livejournal.com]

Shame we missed you on Friday.

Let me or nisaba know next time you're in the area.

[zotz]

Yes. I'm sorry, but I ended up staying in to keep Fiona company. I wasn't actually anywhere near Cambridge at all, in the end.

I've been meaning to ask what happened about the deposit on that place, actually. Any idea?