The words induced me to turn towards myself. I learned that the possessions most esteemed by your fellow-creatures were, high and unsullied descent united with riches. A man might be respected with only one of these advantages; but, without either, he was considered, except in very rare instances, as a vagabond and a slave, doomed to waste his powers for the profits of the chosen few!
-Frankenstein (1831)
If Mary Shelley was alive today, chuds would lose their minds over a feeeeeemale writing fiction instead of shacking up with le epic Lord Byron
Lord Byron
It's fun to troll a certain class of head-up-their-ass classics scholars by pretending not to know who he was when his name comes up in conversation - then pretend to suddenly remember him as "Ada Lovelace's deadbeat dad".
ah, the man who inspired the vampire genre because his ex wanted to call him a slut
Frankenstein is a book about how lack of connection to humanity turns people into weird self-hating incels. I mean it, the monster is shockingly similar to a modern incel.
I would say the main thing that defines modern incels is hatred of women and "sex havers" and while I'm not done with the book yet, I haven't seen the monster express either of those things.
I'd define them more by how self-absorbed they are and how they're unable to relate to other people solely on the metric of having a sexual partner. They can't see past themselves, and that also entails their hatred of women.
To me the best part explaining how I mean is when the monster is talking to the blind peasant guy De Lacey in Chapter 15
spoilers for a book from 1818
I sat down, and a silence ensued. I knew that every minute was precious to me, yet I remained irresolute in what manner to commence the interview, when the old man addressed me. `By your language, stranger, I suppose you are my countryman; are you French?'
"`No; but I was educated by a French family and understand that language only. I am now going to claim the protection of some friends, whom I sincerely love, and of whose favour I have some hopes.'
"`Are they Germans?'
"`No, they are French. But let us change the subject. I am an unfortunate and deserted creature, I look around and I have no relation or friend upon earth. These amiable people to whom I go have never seen me and know little of me. I am full of fears, for if I fail there, I am an outcast in the world forever.'
"`Do not despair. To be friendless is indeed to be unfortunate, but the hearts of men, when unprejudiced by any obvious self-interest, are full of brotherly love and charity. Rely, therefore, on your hopes; and if these friends are good and amiable, do not despair.'
"`They are kind--they are the most excellent creatures in the world; but, unfortunately, they are prejudiced against me. I have good dispositions; my life has been hitherto harmless and in some degree beneficial; but a fatal prejudice clouds their eyes, and where they ought to see a feeling and kind friend, they behold only a detestable monster.'
The monster outright refuses any sort of companionship or friendship unless it's specifically a wife that's also built by Frankenstein. I mean to be fair though, after old De Lacey tells him people are kind, his children enter the cottage and beat the shit out of the monster because he looks weird.
For the purpose of rebutting chuds on their history, Western examples are more useful.
If you provided a Soviet sci-fi example they’d probably discount it as “well of course the commies were always woke”.
I haven't had the chance to read any except Roadside Picnic and I don't remember that one being particularly based (good book tho)
I didn't like it or the fact that Le Guin was making anti-Soviet talking points.
That's one thing that pisses me off when you look into any kind of Soviet art. There's always a forward or some Wikipedia article or Reddit dillweed trying to say that the author secretly hated communism and if you read between the lines you'll see it! I read one of Mao's books and it had a forward by Zizek. I can't understand what point that man is trying to make in the best of times but good lord it was just a bunch of whiny libshit about Chinabad. I really liked Roadside Picnic and all of the Stalker related media though, I can recite the ending monologue from memory.
I mean fair enough, man can only take so much "authoritarian orangutan 100 billion dead", before it destroys what's left of his head, but Le Guin's anti-Soviet nature is at most just relegated to the foreword, as you said. Just don't have it rent-free in your mind.
I mean, Le Guin in the Foreword.
The book was... I don't know. Just didn't like it.
Good concept, botched execution and tone, or terrible overall, you would say?
And from your writing, it seems like you seem quite apprehensive from reading it all.
Uh, no, I read it. Just wasn't that good. I think it went on too long and just isn't as good as the movie or video games, which is weird for me. Also, the translation of the dialogue was funky at times.
English Dictionary, previously "The Third Unconscious" by Franco 'Bifo' Berardi
