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Orson Scott Card: How 'Friend' Became a Verb

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Re: Orson Scott Card: How 'Friend' Became a Verb

#11

Post by joejohnson »

astrodust wrote: post #4
Qz wrote: post #2

Bloggers did an end-run around Big Media to break the ideological stranglehold of the left. I was willing to give him a chance since it's the WSJ, but he just had to throw something like that in there.

It must suck to live in a world where the main-stream media is so wildly left-wing you can't stand to read it. Just how extremely right-leaning do you have to be to end up with that perspective? His opinions on other subjects range from misguided to outright offensive. Orson Scott Card has devolved into a frothing at the mouth lunatic in recent years. His opinions are borderline worthless. His more recent novels make…

Ah, it's so sad to me because I really enjoyed the Ender books. But this guy is so frustrating to listen to and some of the quotes I have heard from him are incredibly offensive. I don't know where someone who seemed so intelligent a few years ago now appears to be out of touch with reality.

Re: Orson Scott Card: How 'Friend' Became a Verb

#12

Post by edanm »

rflrob wrote: post #7
danilocampos wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about giving him a chance because he's Orson Scott Card ? Either way, he's done some of my favorite science fiction titles but I mostly have to pretend he doesn't exist in real life. His politics, with regard to social issues, are just vulgar. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_Scott_Card#Politics

>And subversives can expose diplomatic secrets, critics can expose scientific hoaxes, and governments can track conspiracies While part of me is still hoping he's talking about Snopes, I know this is a reference to the University of East Anglia emails, which were about as much a blow to climate science as the Arsenic bacteria were a boon to astrobiology. I may have to adopt your "pretend he doesn't exist in real life…

Since you brought it up, I'm not sure if you're aware of it, but he is a fan of Snopes.

Re: Orson Scott Card: How 'Friend' Became a Verb

#13

Post by GavinB »

danilocampos wrote: post #3
Qz wrote: post #2

Bloggers did an end-run around Big Media to break the ideological stranglehold of the left. I was willing to give him a chance since it's the WSJ, but he just had to throw something like that in there.

How about giving him a chance because he's Orson Scott Card ? Either way, he's done some of my favorite science fiction titles but I mostly have to pretend he doesn't exist in real life. His politics, with regard to social issues, are just vulgar. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_Scott_Card#Politics

This bothered me, until I realized that I should be reading books by people with whom I disagree. The oddity of it is, one of the great things about his books is that they show perspectives much more alien than mere human political differences.

If you feel bad about supporting him financially, remember that he only gets about a dollar for each book you buy. If you borrow it from the library, your contribution is even smaller.

Re: Orson Scott Card: How 'Friend' Became a Verb

#14

Post by Qz »

danilocampos wrote: post #3
Qz wrote: post #2

Bloggers did an end-run around Big Media to break the ideological stranglehold of the left. I was willing to give him a chance since it's the WSJ, but he just had to throw something like that in there.

How about giving him a chance because he's Orson Scott Card ? Either way, he's done some of my favorite science fiction titles but I mostly have to pretend he doesn't exist in real life. His politics, with regard to social issues, are just vulgar. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_Scott_Card#Politics

That link and everything associated with it is exactly why I don't give him a chance just because he's Orson Scott Card.

Re: Orson Scott Card: How 'Friend' Became a Verb

#16

Post by blahedo »

I don't think there's a single new thing in there for readers of this site, but perhaps this counts as bringing these insights to the masses? Orson Scott Card may not be a household word, but possibly these ideas haven't yet gotten much play in the WSJ?

Or perhaps I'm just trying too hard to be charitable.

Re: Orson Scott Card: How 'Friend' Became a Verb

#17

Post by hnal943 »

astrodust wrote: post #4
Qz wrote: post #2

Bloggers did an end-run around Big Media to break the ideological stranglehold of the left. I was willing to give him a chance since it's the WSJ, but he just had to throw something like that in there.

It must suck to live in a world where the main-stream media is so wildly left-wing you can't stand to read it. Just how extremely right-leaning do you have to be to end up with that perspective? His opinions on other subjects range from misguided to outright offensive. Orson Scott Card has devolved into a frothing at the mouth lunatic in recent years. His opinions are borderline worthless. His more recent novels make…

The popularity of Fox News channel indicates that most people think that the mainstream media is too left-wing.

Re: Orson Scott Card: How 'Friend' Became a Verb

#18

Post by clojurerocks »

jodrellblank wrote: post #10
astrodust wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It must suck to live in a world where the main-stream media is so wildly left-wing you can't stand to read it. Just how extremely right-leaning do you have to be to end up with that perspective? His opinions on other subjects range from misguided to outright offensive. Orson Scott Card has devolved into a frothing at the mouth lunatic in recent years. His opinions are borderline worthless. His more recent novels make…

Meta comment: +8? Who is upvoting this comment which is nothing but a stream of insults, and why? You value this comment and want to see more of this kind of comment on HN?

I just upvoted this comment as well. So apparently Card can make idiotic comments about the media and the left which are stupid beyond belief but we cant. Im a fan of science fiction and card is on my list of books to read. I knew nothing of the person but after reading that article which was absolutely devoid of any substance and sounded like it was written by someone completely out of their mind id say i will be avoiding his books like the plague.

Re: Orson Scott Card: How 'Friend' Became a Verb

#19

Post by Jacquass12321 »

zacharycohn wrote: post #9
Jacquass12321 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That link gets stupider each time I have to read it, which humorously enough is each time Card's name gets mentioned in any topic, it's a new abstract Godwin's Law.

This is the first time I've seen that article. Can you explain more? Is there more surrounding this article?

Read the article linked in that link, even he comes straight out and says "This is in no way a Hitler biography." It's a bad sign when your linked citations contradict your point. The rest of it is an anecdotal and largely unrelated mess, you can scroll farther down for some of the responses to it.

I think OSC's political positions are nigh idiotic, and frankly confusing given the very reasonable positions he presents in some of his books. E.G. Homosexual characters in his books are not society destroying monsters. Yet even given that you're still overstepping sane literary analysis when you start the Hitler biography bullshit. Attack the man on his politics all you want, his positions are easy to verify and highly public, just leave the stupid smears to die.

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