The Books/Reading Thread
- Thread starter Matt
- Start date
AchrisK
Weakling
Finished I, Robot and discovered that the movie is only based on the concepts in the book, and not on a story in the book. Also, some names are used. Though in reading a brief overview of some of the other books in Asimov's Robot Series, it could be more closely based on the story in the second book.
Srontgorrth
Member
Einherjar86
Active Member
Still working my way through Atlas Shrugged. It's a daunting task.
I picked up Vernor Vinge's A Fire Upon the Deep. I'm excited to start it eventually.
I picked up Vernor Vinge's A Fire Upon the Deep. I'm excited to start it eventually.
The Ozzman
Melted by feels
Just make sure when you get to Galt's speech later to take your time to get through it since it's over 60 pages
XSASweet
Member
- Nov 16, 2007
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It really isn't based on any story, if I remember right. I actually find asimov's strongest books are his elijah baley books, they are amazing.
Einherjar86
Active Member
I've been warned, many times. I'm looking forward to it.
By the way, I haven't gotten to the point yet where I learn Galt is a real character; I've assumed he was just a figure of speech. So thanks a lot.
The Ozzman
Melted by feels
By the way, I haven't gotten to the point yet where I learn Galt is a real character; I've assumed he was just a figure of speech. So thanks a lot.
My pleasure. I should have just said 'speech' instead. My bad hahahaha
cookiecutter
Proceed to Ultraslamming
Funny article about Ayn Rand
http://www.avclub.com/articles/daily-buzzkills-ayn-rand-and-charlize-theron-will,30686/
http://www.avclub.com/articles/daily-buzzkills-ayn-rand-and-charlize-theron-will,30686/
Cythraul
Active Member
- Dec 10, 2003
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I don't know a whole lot about Ayn Rand so I won't take issue with whatever he had to say about her or her work but I will take issue with this: Like nearly every other hipster pseudo-intellectual "progressive" that I've encountered, he displays a superficial understanding of economic phenomena. The following passage in particular irked me:
Because hey, what better time than the Greatest Recession to sing an insufferably long hosanna to self-interestto preach the gospel of laissez-fare capitalism, just when it was most recently proven to be so fucked in the head that even No. 1 Ayn Rand Fanboy Alan Greenspan seemed taken aback that hed ever believed in it?
First of all, let's get one thing straight: Laissez-faire capitalism does not exist in the United States. What grounds, then, does this clown have for suggesting that laissez-faire capitalism has been proven to be fucked in the head by the current recession? Well, presumably it would amount to a rather shallow and fallacious line of reasoning. It typically goes something like this: Something happened that looked like laissez-faire capitalism; this something happened before the recession; thus, this something caused the recession. For one thing, the explanation is shallow in that it tells me nothing about what created the conditions such that it was possible for this something that I mentioned to become so destructive. Then again, one could fall back on such spooky categories as greed and irrationality, but that's scraping the bottom of the explanatory barrel. Furthermore, the line of reasoning is a post hoc fallacy anyway. And even if the requisite causal link were established, one would then have to deal with the issue of whether it is ultimate or merely proximate.
What relevance does Alan Greenspan's repudiation of laissez-faire capitalism have to the point this guy is trying to make? At this point it should be abundantly clear that Alan Greenspan's pronouncements on such matters ought not to be taken seriously. For one thing, the guy stopped being a laissez-faire capitalist the moment he became the chairman of the anti-market Federal Reserve. And anyway, Mr. Greenspan has been desperately trying to deflect attention away from his Fed policies. Better to repudiate laissez-faire capitalism than to acknowledge the disaster that was his anti-market policies during his time at the Fed.
Cythraul
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- Dec 10, 2003
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That's what I used to think, but then people I care about started losing their jobs and their wealth, and so naturally I'm interested in knowing exactly why. But hey, there's no accounting for taste.
Zephyrus
Tyrants and Slaves
Yeah I'm worried about my ignorance of economics and how it'll bite me in the ass once I graduate.
Einherjar86
Active Member
Ayn Rand isn't concerned with the particularities of economics though; she's more interested in the philosophy behind different economical systems.
And honestly, I think Rand does a good job of really delving into her supposed "heroes." For instance, she really does a good job of portraying Rearden's insecurity when it comes to matters of masculinity; he isn't this infallible libertarian protagonist. He's actually a very troubled, depraved individual in some cases.
And honestly, I think Rand does a good job of really delving into her supposed "heroes." For instance, she really does a good job of portraying Rearden's insecurity when it comes to matters of masculinity; he isn't this infallible libertarian protagonist. He's actually a very troubled, depraved individual in some cases.
FenrirNL
666% Pure Metal
The Ozzman
Melted by feels
black blood
A Corpse Without Soul
Just started reading "The Man in the High Castle". An interesting premise on how the world would be shaped if Axis won the WWII.
unknown
fuck ftagn
True story of Randy Morgenson, a 30 year veteran of the National Park Services who wanders off one day and tells nobody. After four days of not checking in, a search and rescue is planned for a search and rescue ranger who knew Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Forests better than anybody else. The big issue at the heart of the book is how do you find somebody who doesn't want to be found? It's a really interesting book if you're an outdoors fan (like myself). The book is very romantic, and the narrative is very strong and readable.
