General Discussion

NoOneMan

(4,795 posts)

41. See, your story has villains and heroes

Mon Jan 7, 2013, 02:43 AM

Jan 2013

I just see a self-sustaining system of exponential growth via surplus accumulation and exploitation; I see your "villains" as an integral part of the system who are lauded when they fuel the growth and ostracized only when they hinder it. But even when these agents for growth do "bad", they serve the system by fueling a cultural narrative that obfuscates the destructive nature of the system itself. In any case, if we could eliminate them and all hold hands, singing while we pillage this finite earth and share its spoils, I simply do not see how that benefits a species ultimately stuck on that spoiled earth.

However you see it is entirely valid for the reality you live in, but may I humbly suggest that reality is about to come to a halting crash because of the system our stories have enabled and fueled. To those who survive, we may likely need a new story.

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Highlight:

Results of my very very long "Top 5 Books for Teens" thread [View all] Pretzel_Warrior Jan 2013 OP

Those are great books for anyone, including teens. Thanks! CurtEastPoint Jan 2013 #1

Great list of books NoOneMan Jan 2013 #2

What would your suggestions be for the twenty-first century? HubertHeaver Jan 2013 #6

I'm not entirely sure yet NoOneMan Jan 2013 #8

I have some... Carni Jan 2013 #18

I'll add JustAnotherGen Jan 2013 #51

Yes! Black Like me--Excellent read! Carni Jan 2013 #60

Yes, it's tragic how humanity has changed in the last dozen years. WinkyDink Jan 2013 #62

ROFL alcibiades_mystery Jan 2013 #11

�The past is never dead. It�s not even past.� Faulkner. jtuck004 Jan 2013 #34

There always must be an idealogical excuse as to why the system of the day is failing NoOneMan Jan 2013 #37

Bah. Not an excuse. Bankers, pimps, and their politicians are hurting people, and their behavior is jtuck004 Jan 2013 #38

See, your story has villains and heroes NoOneMan Jan 2013 #41

I hope you find someone to hold hands with . The rest of us have work to do. n/t jtuck004 Jan 2013 #42

I must have missed the original thread, LeftofObama Jan 2013 #3

Thank you for the follow up. I think they are all good choices. Egalitarian Thug Jan 2013 #4

I really think the art in this is in suggesting the right book at the right time hootinholler Jan 2013 #5

Yup also, gender might figure in. I would also add OffWithTheirHeads Jan 2013 #7

I cut my teeth on sci fi; the F&SF in our household is why I read LOTR in 1965 at 17 Hekate Jan 2013 #14

Snowcrash Lordquinton Jan 2013 #23

More modern SF Fumesucker Jan 2013 #33

18 out of 20 white dudes alcibiades_mystery Jan 2013 #9

We've been too busy creating a vast technological infrastructure... NoOneMan Jan 2013 #10

Did you contribute? Do you have some contributions now? Hekate Jan 2013 #16

I make my kids read these 'classics' (insert eye roll)they hate them,call them incredibly depressing No Compromise Jan 2013 #19

I actually meant to include Malcomb X in my updated book suggestion list Carni Jan 2013 #20

I think it more speaks to what people have been exposed to. and the broad sweep of history Pretzel_Warrior Jan 2013 #27

Wow malaise Jan 2013 #12

What? No 'Rules For Radicals' or Upton Sinclair? JaneyVee Jan 2013 #13

will add it Pretzel_Warrior Jan 2013 #26

I think UBCchuck Jan 2013 #15

Question - when does someone become a teen? rurallib Jan 2013 #17

I believe I'm looking for the whole gamut. I read Huck Finn as a 14 year old but read Animal Farm Pretzel_Warrior Jan 2013 #22

I had tried to contribute to the other thread as well. AverageJoe90 Jan 2013 #21

you are correct. not one person has mentioned it before you. Pretzel_Warrior Jan 2013 #25

I just weighed in on the original thread with 'Catch 22' for juniors and seniors, and coalition_unwilling Jan 2013 #24

As Newtown is on your mind mainstreetonce Jan 2013 #30

ALL of Wally Lamb's books are awesome 2theleft Jan 2013 #35

Yikes, I just asked my 16 yr old deep reader and thinker about this list and she's unimpressed riderinthestorm Jan 2013 #28

I'm adding Pretzel_Warrior Jan 2013 #32

Thanks for the list! No Compromise Jan 2013 #46

I love Lord of The Rings but Tolkien Jennicut Jan 2013 #48

Excellent! Thanks for including what a real kid is reading! Hekate Jan 2013 #50

That's an excellent reading list. Odin2005 Jan 2013 #63

Great list! JDPriestly Jan 2013 #29

Thanks Pretzel_Warrior sheshe2 Jan 2013 #31

Bill Haywood's Book: The Autobiography of William D. Haywood jtuck004 Jan 2013 #36

I've read 14 of the 20! Liberal_in_LA Jan 2013 #39

I teach or have taught 6 of them. I'd change a few. knitter4democracy Jan 2013 #40

not comedy, but my kids like Hamlet No Compromise Jan 2013 #44

I hate that version. David Tennant one is much better. knitter4democracy Jan 2013 #58

isn't that a magnificent version? bedazzled Jan 2013 #65

BTW, one reason I suggested "Bill Haywood's Book" is that the teen will jtuck004 Jan 2013 #43

list from my teenagers... No Compromise Jan 2013 #45

Wow!! Your teens love SF and Fantasy! Do they like the Golden Compass series by Phillip Pullman? riderinthestorm Jan 2013 #59

Great list, but all but one are white males*. Here's a challenge: FSogol Jan 2013 #47

Pretty much anything by Maxine Hong Kingston, Alice Walker, James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison Erose999 Jan 2013 #56

Not in our school district. They have a heavy emphasis on diversity. FSogol Jan 2013 #57

Definitely keeping track of all the new suggestions Pretzel_Warrior Jan 2013 #49

I would like to add The Little women and Sense and Sensabilty southernyankeebelle Jan 2013 #52

My 11 Year Old Is A Prolifilc Reader Her Pick After Winter Break: A Prayer for Owen Meany HangOnKids Jan 2013 #53

I have read or listened to all except... sakabatou Jan 2013 #54

the old man and the sea is a must. hemmingway writes so well that you feel you are there loli phabay Jan 2013 #64

how about 2 lists: fiction and nonfiction johnnypneumatic Jan 2013 #55

THIS? Was a class-act follow-up! WinkyDink Jan 2013 #61