What Book Are You Reading at the Moment?

[Speaker to Animals]

Brave New World is probably the most accurate prediction of the future ever written.

Read Forever War and then get back to me.

OK, I will.

By the end he is captain of all lesbian and gay troops who paint "old queer" graffiti on the bulkheads. He realizes the attractive female doctor is a latent heterosexual and almost smashes. That was hilarious.

The first time they came back with the relativistic effects, it was like thirty years into the future, and they were debriefed by a transgender officer. They were all like, what the fucking fuck is this shit?? Not so far-fetched now..

[apeman]

Also on deck in Victor Frankl's "Mans Search for Meaning", waiting for wife to finish it, have no idea what to expect.

Might not have mentioned it here, but finished Dyer's "War" a while back -- superb book.

[apeman]

Finished Brave New World, 1/2 way through Beyond Good & Evil

Brave New World is probably the most accurate prediction of the future ever written.

It really is pretty amazing.

In the book everyone takes a drug called Soma so that they are never unhappy, anxious, etc., and they enter a euphoric, drugged up state.

What percent of US adults are on anti-depressants, opiates, etc?
What percent of kids are on ADHD meds, etc?

The stuff about consumption, no spirituality, no suffering, promiscuity, while exaggerated, is on the right path.

One part that really struck me is the talk about art, more specifically, Shakespeare. You learn that the inhabitants of the brave new world can only consume superficial garbage storyline and that they wouldn't understand Shakespeare. Why? Becuase you need struggle, drama, loss, redemption, etc. to write a real drama, and the brave new world had eliminated all these things by eliminating the negative parts of life.

That was probably the most interesting part to me.

[SuburbanFarmer]

Finished Brave New World, 1/2 way through Beyond Good & Evil

Brave New World is probably the most accurate prediction of the future ever written.

It really is pretty amazing.

In the book everyone takes a drug called Soma so that they are never unhappy, anxious, etc., and they enter a euphoric, drugged up state.

What percent of US adults are on anti-depressants, opiates, etc?
What percent of kids are on ADHD meds, etc?

The stuff about consumption, no spirituality, no suffering, promiscuity, while exaggerated, is on the right path.

One part that really struck me is the talk about art, more specifically, Shakespeare. You learn that the inhabitants of the brave new world can only consume superficial garbage storyline and that they wouldn't understand Shakespeare. Why? Becuase you need struggle, drama, loss, redemption, etc. to write a real drama, and the brave new world had eliminated all these things by eliminating the negative parts of life.

That was probably the most interesting part to me.

Not only that, but the systemic production of "sub-classes" to work in menial labor, and a small, groomed elite living a life of technological debauchery... The constant propaganda of "peace and joy" - think commercial breaks every 10 minutes, on 300 channels....

[Fife]

Also on deck in Victor Frankl's "Mans Search for Meaning", waiting for wife to finish it, have no idea what to expect.

My advice: give Mrs. apeman time to finish it, but bump that one up your queue.

[apeman]

Also on deck in Victor Frankl's "Mans Search for Meaning", waiting for wife to finish it, have no idea what to expect.

My advice: give Mrs. apeman time to finish it, but bump that one up your queue.

That is next, thanks fife.

I don't rush apegirl, I really am just proud that she gives a fuck enough to better herself, because she doesn't read at warp speed like I do it takes a lot more effort.

[Fife]

Also on deck in Victor Frankl's "Mans Search for Meaning", waiting for wife to finish it, have no idea what to expect.

My advice: give Mrs. apeman time to finish it, but bump that one up your queue.

That is next, thanks fife.

I don't rush apegirl, I really am just proud that she gives a fuck enough to better herself, because she doesn't read at warp speed like I do it takes a lot more effort.

Ask her to wait until you've read it also to discuss it together. I bet you'll find the conversation amazing.

[apeman]

I will, I'm gonna send her this page to read in any case.

Who knows, maybe she'll make a rare appearance on our esteemed forums, she did it once before in the diet thread.

[Smitty-48]

Alright, finished GWTW, so you can go ahead and burn all the copies now.

I'm onto The Business by Iain M. Banks, depleted all his sci-fi stuff so going back through all the non sci fi now, although, The Business is sort of sci-fi-ish, but more in a shadowy contemporary corporate underwordly kind of way. It's actually kind of a Culture novel in disguise.

[Fife]

Alright, finished GWTW, so you can go ahead and burn all the copies now.

ZZZZZZZ . . . zzz . . . , eh, what?