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There are no special snowflakes, are there? Larry Send a noteboard - 11/12/2011 09:39:21 PM
There's nothing wrong with reading genre books, or eating McDonald's, or wasting your life away playing Xbox. The point is that all the reasons that kids are encouraged to read - learning, expanding their horizons, improving their vocabulary - are missing in this literature, just like McDonald's has virtually none of the nutrients that people need to be healthy and Xbox has no redeeming value in peoples' maturing and development.

Sure, you can make comments about Larry - and ME, of course, since I hold the readers of only genre fiction in higher contempt than he does - but the point is that our contempt is well placed.


Contempt might be stronger than what I would have said, but yes, it's sad to see willful stunting of one's cognitive abilities by limiting one's self to narrow bounds of exploration, regardless if it's reading only a certain type of fiction/non-fiction or only doing this or that activity. Such people tend to make for excellent dullards when it comes to people wanting a wide-ranging conversation or other social interaction.
Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie

Je suis méchant.
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Aren't the Tolkien comparisons getting a little...old? Dark Knight - 09/12/2011 09:51:39 PM 3194 Views
The comparison bothers me, but not because Tolkien isn't relevant. lord-of-shadow - 09/12/2011 10:05:22 PM 2030 Views
I agree with this. Nate - 09/12/2011 10:21:34 PM 2094 Views
Re: I agree with this. DomA - 10/12/2011 07:09:33 PM 2023 Views
Exactly *NM* ironclad - 12/12/2011 12:09:19 PM 1069 Views
Only when shit works are being compared to him Larry - 09/12/2011 10:22:26 PM 1970 Views
Larry, Macharius - 10/12/2011 01:13:18 AM 1981 Views
Snide dismissal that will be passed off as for his own entertainment. Ghavrel - 10/12/2011 04:55:43 AM 1858 Views
We get a lot of that around here. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 10/12/2011 05:18:01 AM 834 Views
makes me wonder... LadyLorraine - 10/12/2011 04:37:33 PM 1869 Views
Re: makes me wonder... James - 11/12/2011 03:03:15 AM 1822 Views
Well-deserved condescension. Tom - 11/12/2011 03:54:27 AM 2018 Views
You're sure about that? A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 04:20:26 AM 2271 Views
Re: You're sure about that? James - 11/12/2011 05:25:08 AM 1935 Views
Re: You're sure about that? A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 06:03:02 AM 1857 Views
i think you shouldn't judge a whole world's school programs on your school LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 06:42:30 AM 1865 Views
Yeah, I'm limited in my knowledge, lol A Deathwatch Guard - 11/12/2011 08:03:26 AM 1882 Views
My school was...not great. James - 11/12/2011 04:02:36 PM 1899 Views
I'm 24. James - 11/12/2011 03:49:06 PM 1828 Views
If you're arguing that children should be able to read genre fiction, fine. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:52:27 PM 1729 Views
Well, I suppose it depends on the type of genre being read Larry - 11/12/2011 09:36:16 PM 1976 Views
How often do you hear the challenging writers mentioned at this site? Tom - 12/12/2011 02:03:05 PM 1724 Views
Only when you, me, and a couple others write reviews Larry - 12/12/2011 04:21:14 PM 2135 Views
Oh, it was the same as it always is Tom - 12/12/2011 05:23:56 PM 1795 Views
True Larry - 12/12/2011 06:29:10 PM 1916 Views
One note nossy - 13/12/2011 12:17:48 AM 1919 Views
Perhaps Larry - 13/12/2011 12:49:34 AM 1865 Views
*Sighs* Such is the plight of those shining few intelects... Narg - 23/12/2011 01:15:47 AM 1923 Views
Much of the actual "Classics", that is, Greek and Latin originals, kids would eat up. Dan - 12/12/2011 03:13:03 AM 1742 Views
Try teaching Apuleius in schools... *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 04:12:49 AM 947 Views
Plato is exciting, brutal and scandalous? Legolas - 12/12/2011 09:59:13 PM 1815 Views
You're upfront and honest about it; he isn't. The difference matters to me. *NM* Ghavrel - 11/12/2011 05:18:42 AM 1007 Views
Uhh...uh... Larry - 11/12/2011 05:34:23 AM 1831 Views
this is a bit off topic, but out of curiousity... LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 06:28:35 AM 1954 Views
I've discussed this dozens of times at this site. Perhaps you've missed all of the posts. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:57:44 PM 1959 Views
mk I'll go look. I probably did miss it (or at least don't remember it!) LadyLorraine - 11/12/2011 09:08:02 PM 1834 Views
I have a successful career that was inspired by the video games I played as a child. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 11/12/2011 05:52:21 PM 1027 Views
Now let's get all the people who just pissed their lives away with video games and see the %. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:58:42 PM 1982 Views
The majority of players neither waste their lives nor make a career out of it. lord-of-shadow - 11/12/2011 11:29:29 PM 1893 Views
Yeah, sorry, I don't think you could say that with a straight face in real life. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 04:13:52 AM 1002 Views
Then you have a closed mind on the subject. Ironic, considering your stance on edification. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 12/12/2011 05:47:50 AM 914 Views
No, just with respect to you. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 02:00:15 PM 971 Views
Tom, you pulled the "Say that to my face!" line. You lost the right to talk about respect. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 12/12/2011 03:20:15 PM 1007 Views
Once again, I really don't care what you think. *NM* Tom - 12/12/2011 03:37:40 PM 968 Views
Did I imply that you did? My apologies. I'd hate to insinuate that you'd stoop that low. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 12/12/2011 04:13:25 PM 924 Views
As well read as you seem to be, you think you'd be smart enough... MonCul - 11/12/2011 06:20:06 PM 1821 Views
I thought I have made it clear that I don't care if people don't like me here. Tom - 11/12/2011 08:44:58 PM 1734 Views
Re: I thought I have made it clear that I don't care if people don't like me here. Macharius - 12/12/2011 04:04:37 PM 1787 Views
That statement has just confused me. Tom - 12/12/2011 04:06:53 PM 1742 Views
Re: That statement has just confused me. Macharius - 12/12/2011 04:14:27 PM 1786 Views
I never learned Hittite. I had a book on pre-order for a long time but never ended up getting it. Tom - 12/12/2011 05:41:03 PM 1702 Views
What you have made clear, I think, is the fact that you deal in generalizations and stereotypes. MonCul - 12/12/2011 10:12:12 PM 1923 Views
There's an unintentional irony in what you say, alas Larry - 13/12/2011 12:44:26 AM 1811 Views
Tom, Dick, or Larry...you may use your true first name, but you're still an anonymous entity to most MonCul - 13/12/2011 04:49:35 AM 2044 Views
With such comeback skills, you must have ruled the playgrounds as a kid, no? Larry - 13/12/2011 05:21:42 AM 1991 Views
I thought it was a pretty good comeback. MonCul - 13/12/2011 12:37:15 PM 1933 Views
Think again, Skippy Larry - 13/12/2011 01:34:41 PM 1842 Views
There are no special snowflakes, are there? Larry - 11/12/2011 09:39:21 PM 1734 Views
There are many way of widening one's horizons and broadening one's mind. Legolas - 11/12/2011 10:08:24 PM 1513 Views
I said as much in my comment Larry - 11/12/2011 10:20:03 PM 1732 Views
What I don't like- rebelaessedai - 12/12/2011 04:28:55 AM 1875 Views
Why don't you name something, then? Tom - 12/12/2011 04:40:29 AM 1818 Views
Sure. rebelaessedai - 13/12/2011 07:30:56 AM 1640 Views
Mentioning Ender's Game pretty much shot your argument in the foot. Tom - 13/12/2011 02:02:59 PM 1748 Views
You dismiss the entire video game medium because many games lack value. lord-of-shadow - 13/12/2011 03:59:11 PM 1897 Views
You're like the McDonald's paid advocate trying to say Big Macs are actually healthy. Tom - 13/12/2011 05:46:37 PM 1662 Views
McDonalds food is inherently unhealthy. lord-of-shadow - 13/12/2011 06:02:18 PM 1875 Views
For the sake of argument ... Nate - 13/12/2011 04:09:51 PM 1839 Views
Stephenson is not literature, that's for damn sure. Tom - 13/12/2011 05:49:24 PM 1694 Views
Thank you, The Voice of Lews Therin. *NM* Vivien - 16/12/2011 05:14:42 AM 1028 Views
I'll leave it up to others to define as they wish against their self-conceptions of me Larry - 10/12/2011 10:52:54 AM 1893 Views
that's alright. I really have no desire to stroke your twit-ego. *NM* LadyLorraine - 10/12/2011 04:36:56 PM 801 Views
Considering the firestorm I appear to have touched off, that may be best. Macharius - 12/12/2011 12:57:49 PM 1817 Views
I know, John Larry - 12/12/2011 04:27:04 PM 1728 Views
Re: I know, John Macharius - 12/12/2011 05:06:26 PM 1863 Views
As I've said in the past, I'd be scared if anyone agreed with me anywhere approaching 100% Larry - 12/12/2011 06:33:52 PM 1721 Views
Re: As I've said in the past, I'd be scared if anyone agreed with me anywhere approaching 100% Macharius - 12/12/2011 07:13:37 PM 1791 Views
Same guy Larry - 12/12/2011 07:26:13 PM 1838 Views
Ha! Excellent point. *NM* Tom - 11/12/2011 03:44:52 AM 945 Views
Blurbs are not generally very original in their comparisons - would kind of defeat their purpose. Legolas - 09/12/2011 10:42:17 PM 1840 Views
I have to agree. ? - 09/12/2011 10:54:06 PM 1820 Views
They're there for marketing A Deathwatch Guard - 10/12/2011 12:20:17 AM 1833 Views
Most of those comparisons are like that anyway DomA - 10/12/2011 05:32:45 PM 1988 Views
Maybe if so much of the genre weren't crap derivative works it wouldn't be so common. *NM* Tom - 11/12/2011 03:44:24 AM 951 Views
To be fair, a lot of it isn't. rebelaessedai - 11/12/2011 04:06:07 AM 1794 Views
I suspect that if it really isn't derivative it's not being compared to Tolkien in the first place. Tom - 11/12/2011 04:18:57 AM 1726 Views
That's true. rebelaessedai - 11/12/2011 11:08:01 AM 1690 Views
But see, that's where things start to get referred back to Tolkien. Tom - 12/12/2011 04:30:12 AM 1882 Views
Maybe they mean something else by using his name. Cannoli - 11/12/2011 03:50:15 AM 1865 Views
When they don't work, yes. nossy - 11/12/2011 03:18:44 PM 1818 Views
The Tolkien fanaticism gets old. And yes, for me it is unreadable. everynametaken - 11/12/2011 11:37:53 PM 1748 Views
No, because the movies are very contemporary and relevant, thus he will remain so for quite a while. Dan - 12/12/2011 03:14:53 AM 1829 Views
Disagree all you want, but LotR is still the touchstone when it comes to works of fantasy. Vodalus - 12/12/2011 03:48:20 AM 1727 Views
Yes *NM* Hieshyn - 22/12/2011 07:08:38 PM 1073 Views
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