:you-think-this-is-funny: ain't that some crazy shit

  • Metalorg [he/him]
    ·
    3 years ago

    Post war Japan was full of stochastic violence. Most universities still don't have dormitories because of extreme bullying and groups of students having huge battles in the streets. There were hijackings and bombings. Police would ride horses through unruly crowds.

    • MerryChristmas [any]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Neil Stephenson's first published novel was a essentially an incredibly messy prototype for Snow Crash called The Big U. It honestly isn't great, and I am pretty sure Stephenson has disowned it, but the whole concept was an all out war between student tribes - fraternities, athletics, cliques, student government, etc - after they'd taken over and locked down their corporate mega campus.

      It's worth reading if you enjoy Snow Crash because you get to see where a lot of the ideas in that book came from, but I wouldn't recommend it otherwise - this post just got me curious about how much of the conrent is pulled from that part of Japanese culture. I don't know much about the Stephenson's life, but I have very little doubt that the guy who named his main character Hiiro Protagonist had a serious weeb phase.