• Liz@midwest.social
      ·
      2 months ago

      Yeah, it's basically a fascist society if everyone was down with that, which kinda makes the fascism invisible? Like, it would be very difficult to say that the book was about how great fascism is, because it offers no reason for the reader to consider that a different, but worse, society could exist in this universe.

      It would be like saying most books are about about capitalism just because they happen to be set in a capitalist society.

      • BobDole [none/use name]
        ·
        2 months ago

        I really want to go off on a tangent about Capitalist Realism in books, but it’s so far removed from the original point of anything in this thread.

      • Frank [he/him, he/him]
        ·
        2 months ago

        It's a fascists idea of a fascist society. Or a weird turbo-libertarian's idea of a cool society that is good, which ultimately is just a fascist society.

        One must approach Heinlein's writing with the knowledge that he is a hugely illiterate reactionary dork making a complete fool of himself for hundreds of pages at a time.

        The book is only interesting because it's embedded in 20th century American society. It is, or was, required reading for us marine corps officers.

        • Liz@midwest.social
          ·
          2 months ago

          I'm so sorry you were forced to read an extremely mediocre book. They truly do not care about the welfare of our Marines.

          • Frank [he/him, he/him]
            ·
            2 months ago

            Who is they? We certainly don't care about the welfare of our marines. May they join their comrades in Davy Jones embrace, and soon. rat-salute-2