Mentioning Ender's Game pretty much shot your argument in the foot.
Tom Send a noteboard - 13/12/2011 02:02:59 PM
Ender's Game is an entertaining book with a couple of neat ideas for thought, but both stylistically (the writing is TERRIBLE) and content-wise (it's extremely simplistic) it's so far into the fluff category that I sometimes wonder if Wheel of Time isn't better. There are lines in Ender's Game that actually make me want to retch. Card is a miserable writer with a few interesting ideas.
Just because a book (or a game) makes you think about something doesn't make it literature. I mean let's face it, The Cat in the Hat has a message (and the poetry worms its way into your brain), but that doesn't mean it's something that will broaden your horizons once you're past the age of, say, seven at most (and that's being generous).
As a brief aside, gaming IS a waste of time. By having to make fake decisions in a game where virtual characters will suffer either way, you're making a conscious decision to neglect a real life where the people around you might suffer from your absence. It's two or three hours less talking to people you care about, bettering yourself as a person (through education, skills or useful hobbies), or getting some exercise. As I said, there's nothing wrong with playing video games to relax every now and then, but don't fool yourself into thinking that you're accomplishing something or learning something worthwhile (unless you're playing something so educational it's unlikely to be fun).
I can't speak directly to the rest of the books you mentioned so I'm not going to comment on their value, but based on the statements you're making I think you're missing the point a bit. However, I'm not going to speculate any more than that because it would be disingenuous.
Just because a book (or a game) makes you think about something doesn't make it literature. I mean let's face it, The Cat in the Hat has a message (and the poetry worms its way into your brain), but that doesn't mean it's something that will broaden your horizons once you're past the age of, say, seven at most (and that's being generous).
As a brief aside, gaming IS a waste of time. By having to make fake decisions in a game where virtual characters will suffer either way, you're making a conscious decision to neglect a real life where the people around you might suffer from your absence. It's two or three hours less talking to people you care about, bettering yourself as a person (through education, skills or useful hobbies), or getting some exercise. As I said, there's nothing wrong with playing video games to relax every now and then, but don't fool yourself into thinking that you're accomplishing something or learning something worthwhile (unless you're playing something so educational it's unlikely to be fun).
I can't speak directly to the rest of the books you mentioned so I'm not going to comment on their value, but based on the statements you're making I think you're missing the point a bit. However, I'm not going to speculate any more than that because it would be disingenuous.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
Aren't the Tolkien comparisons getting a little...old?
09/12/2011 09:51:39 PM
- 2761 Views
The comparison bothers me, but not because Tolkien isn't relevant.
09/12/2011 10:05:22 PM
- 1634 Views
Only when shit works are being compared to him
09/12/2011 10:22:26 PM
- 1536 Views
Larry,
10/12/2011 01:13:18 AM
- 1551 Views
Snide dismissal that will be passed off as for his own entertainment.
10/12/2011 04:55:43 AM
- 1454 Views
Well-deserved condescension.
11/12/2011 03:54:27 AM
- 1582 Views
You're sure about that?
11/12/2011 04:20:26 AM
- 1809 Views
Re: You're sure about that?
11/12/2011 05:25:08 AM
- 1538 Views
Re: You're sure about that?
11/12/2011 06:03:02 AM
- 1405 Views
i think you shouldn't judge a whole world's school programs on your school
11/12/2011 06:42:30 AM
- 1442 Views
If you're arguing that children should be able to read genre fiction, fine.
11/12/2011 08:52:27 PM
- 1327 Views
Well, I suppose it depends on the type of genre being read
11/12/2011 09:36:16 PM
- 1575 Views
How often do you hear the challenging writers mentioned at this site?
12/12/2011 02:03:05 PM
- 1305 Views
Only when you, me, and a couple others write reviews
12/12/2011 04:21:14 PM
- 1694 Views
Oh, it was the same as it always is
12/12/2011 05:23:56 PM
- 1414 Views
Much of the actual "Classics", that is, Greek and Latin originals, kids would eat up.
12/12/2011 03:13:03 AM
- 1313 Views
You're upfront and honest about it; he isn't. The difference matters to me. *NM*
11/12/2011 05:18:42 AM
- 770 Views
this is a bit off topic, but out of curiousity...
11/12/2011 06:28:35 AM
- 1529 Views
I've discussed this dozens of times at this site. Perhaps you've missed all of the posts.
11/12/2011 08:57:44 PM
- 1467 Views
mk I'll go look. I probably did miss it (or at least don't remember it!)
11/12/2011 09:08:02 PM
- 1431 Views
I have a successful career that was inspired by the video games I played as a child. *NM*
11/12/2011 05:52:21 PM
- 804 Views
Now let's get all the people who just pissed their lives away with video games and see the %.
11/12/2011 08:58:42 PM
- 1563 Views
The majority of players neither waste their lives nor make a career out of it.
11/12/2011 11:29:29 PM
- 1461 Views
Yeah, sorry, I don't think you could say that with a straight face in real life. *NM*
12/12/2011 04:13:52 AM
- 732 Views
Then you have a closed mind on the subject. Ironic, considering your stance on edification. *NM*
12/12/2011 05:47:50 AM
- 672 Views
No, just with respect to you. *NM*
12/12/2011 02:00:15 PM
- 722 Views
Tom, you pulled the "Say that to my face!" line. You lost the right to talk about respect. *NM*
12/12/2011 03:20:15 PM
- 772 Views
Once again, I really don't care what you think. *NM*
12/12/2011 03:37:40 PM
- 729 Views
Did I imply that you did? My apologies. I'd hate to insinuate that you'd stoop that low. *NM*
12/12/2011 04:13:25 PM
- 692 Views
As well read as you seem to be, you think you'd be smart enough...
11/12/2011 06:20:06 PM
- 1408 Views
I thought I have made it clear that I don't care if people don't like me here.
11/12/2011 08:44:58 PM
- 1327 Views
Re: I thought I have made it clear that I don't care if people don't like me here.
12/12/2011 04:04:37 PM
- 1378 Views
That statement has just confused me.
12/12/2011 04:06:53 PM
- 1343 Views
Re: That statement has just confused me.
12/12/2011 04:14:27 PM
- 1349 Views
I never learned Hittite. I had a book on pre-order for a long time but never ended up getting it.
12/12/2011 05:41:03 PM
- 1298 Views
What you have made clear, I think, is the fact that you deal in generalizations and stereotypes.
12/12/2011 10:12:12 PM
- 1450 Views
There's an unintentional irony in what you say, alas
13/12/2011 12:44:26 AM
- 1356 Views
Tom, Dick, or Larry...you may use your true first name, but you're still an anonymous entity to most
13/12/2011 04:49:35 AM
- 1575 Views
With such comeback skills, you must have ruled the playgrounds as a kid, no?
13/12/2011 05:21:42 AM
- 1580 Views
There are no special snowflakes, are there?
11/12/2011 09:39:21 PM
- 1332 Views
There are many way of widening one's horizons and broadening one's mind.
11/12/2011 10:08:24 PM
- 1090 Views
What I don't like-
12/12/2011 04:28:55 AM
- 1446 Views
Why don't you name something, then?
12/12/2011 04:40:29 AM
- 1387 Views
Sure.
13/12/2011 07:30:56 AM
- 1223 Views
Mentioning Ender's Game pretty much shot your argument in the foot.
13/12/2011 02:02:59 PM
- 1338 Views
You dismiss the entire video game medium because many games lack value.
13/12/2011 03:59:11 PM
- 1474 Views
You're like the McDonald's paid advocate trying to say Big Macs are actually healthy.
13/12/2011 05:46:37 PM
- 1285 Views
I'll leave it up to others to define as they wish against their self-conceptions of me
10/12/2011 10:52:54 AM
- 1433 Views
that's alright. I really have no desire to stroke your twit-ego. *NM*
10/12/2011 04:36:56 PM
- 578 Views
Considering the firestorm I appear to have touched off, that may be best.
12/12/2011 12:57:49 PM
- 1432 Views
I know, John
12/12/2011 04:27:04 PM
- 1322 Views
Re: I know, John
12/12/2011 05:06:26 PM
- 1374 Views
As I've said in the past, I'd be scared if anyone agreed with me anywhere approaching 100%
12/12/2011 06:33:52 PM
- 1317 Views
Re: As I've said in the past, I'd be scared if anyone agreed with me anywhere approaching 100%
12/12/2011 07:13:37 PM
- 1396 Views
Blurbs are not generally very original in their comparisons - would kind of defeat their purpose.
09/12/2011 10:42:17 PM
- 1416 Views
Maybe if so much of the genre weren't crap derivative works it wouldn't be so common. *NM*
11/12/2011 03:44:24 AM
- 701 Views
To be fair, a lot of it isn't.
11/12/2011 04:06:07 AM
- 1356 Views
I suspect that if it really isn't derivative it's not being compared to Tolkien in the first place.
11/12/2011 04:18:57 AM
- 1311 Views
That's true.
11/12/2011 11:08:01 AM
- 1302 Views
But see, that's where things start to get referred back to Tolkien.
12/12/2011 04:30:12 AM
- 1452 Views
The Tolkien fanaticism gets old. And yes, for me it is unreadable.
11/12/2011 11:37:53 PM
- 1365 Views
No, because the movies are very contemporary and relevant, thus he will remain so for quite a while.
12/12/2011 03:14:53 AM
- 1421 Views
Disagree all you want, but LotR is still the touchstone when it comes to works of fantasy.
12/12/2011 03:48:20 AM
- 1329 Views