I don't get that. Well, of course I do from Tom, but let's put him aside for this discussion. - Edit 2
Before modification by Ghavrel at 12/01/2010 03:35:57 AM
(Sorry, Tom.)
I'm currently rereading WoT, so I'm definitely in the "light fantasy for pleasure" crowd. But I also am very sick and tired of posts that consist of nothing more than "I JUST READ THE DRESDEN FILES OH MY GOD HARRY DRESDEN IS SO COOL !!!" The problem is that while light fantasy is wonderful to read, it makes for really bad discussion. And, as Tom has pointed out (okay, we'll drag him back in for a moment), it ultimately leaves a person wanting for something significantly substantial.
That doesn't mean that we should all stop reading WoT and the Dresden Files (although maybe a little bit more thought than "OMG COOL" or "WTF SUCKS" should go into posts on these topics); it simply means that there are a lot of people on the board who want to have conversations of substance about substantial things. And yes, irritation occurs when books like The Count of Monte Cristo get chosen, especially when the people who choose it don't contribute in depth to discussion on it.
And besides, what Camilla said in Tom's original post about all of this is marvellously true: "We feel safe when we read what we recognise, what does not challenge our way of thinking.... a steady acceptance of pre-arranged patterns leads to the inability to question what we are told."
I'm currently rereading WoT, so I'm definitely in the "light fantasy for pleasure" crowd. But I also am very sick and tired of posts that consist of nothing more than "I JUST READ THE DRESDEN FILES OH MY GOD HARRY DRESDEN IS SO COOL !!!" The problem is that while light fantasy is wonderful to read, it makes for really bad discussion. And, as Tom has pointed out (okay, we'll drag him back in for a moment), it ultimately leaves a person wanting for something significantly substantial.
That doesn't mean that we should all stop reading WoT and the Dresden Files (although maybe a little bit more thought than "OMG COOL" or "WTF SUCKS" should go into posts on these topics); it simply means that there are a lot of people on the board who want to have conversations of substance about substantial things. And yes, irritation occurs when books like The Count of Monte Cristo get chosen, especially when the people who choose it don't contribute in depth to discussion on it.
And besides, what Camilla said in Tom's original post about all of this is marvellously true: "We feel safe when we read what we recognise, what does not challenge our way of thinking.... a steady acceptance of pre-arranged patterns leads to the inability to question what we are told."