Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why I Write (1946)

orwellfoundation.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 86 posts

Re: Why I Write (1946)

#41

Post by hermitcrab »

delis-thumbs-7e wrote: post #26
emmelaich wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

About the "worst" thing I've read about Orwell was that he was a relentless moralist and didn't know how to have fun. Sorta the opposite of P.G.Wodehouse. Which ... I'm OK with. I've read most of his work too. Of course 1984 and Animal Farm are the best but Road to Wigan Pier and Down and Out in Paris and London are good too. (I also love Wodehouse)

Worst thing you read about him is surely that he apparently tried to rape a girl in his youth: “ But Venables's postscript changes all that. Venables is the Buddicoms' first cousin, and was left the copyright to Eric & Us, as well as 57 crates of family letters. From these she made the shocking discovery that, in 1921, Eric had tried to rape Jacintha. Previously the young couple had kissed, but now, during a late sum…

He seems to have had very problematic attitude to women, even allowing for the times.

His first wife contributed significantly to his work (including Animal Farm) but was never credited. She saved his life when he was shot in the throat in Spain, but I understand she was completely written out of 'Homage to Catalonia'.

Re: Why I Write (1946)

#42

Post by jamiejquinn »

An important collection of essays but I struggled to get over his racist claim that the English, Irish, Welsh and Scots are essentially all the same. Probably a good thing since I'm now much more inclined to be questioning of other parts of his writing.

Re: Why I Write (1946)

#43

Post by 152334H »

delis-thumbs-7e wrote: post #21

It’s years since I’ve read Orwell, but I believe I have read almost all of his books (Coming up for Air nor Clegryman’s Daughter I have not read, or I don’t remember a single thing about them). He’s Non-fiction books (Down and Out in Paris and London, The Road to Wigan Pier, and especially Homage to Catalonia) are great. If you are at all interested what it was like to live in Europe in this time of economic turmoil…

Thank you

Re: Why I Write (1946)

#44

Post by Cthulhu_ »

userbinator wrote: post #17
keyle wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People that don't understand this is best to explain to with AI music. AI music appears to be reasonable music, but it carries no human emotion, it has no intent to exist and stand up on its own. That's key to explain when it comes to writing or anything. AI assisted anything, sure, maybe, but AI for creative purposes is bland and ultimately poisons the well. No one really wants to go see an AI movie at the cinema, e…

On the other hand, it can't be denied that AI political music has given the population a bigger voice.

I can't agree. Or, part of me wants to, but I know that the Powers That Be will push AI generated propaganda music pretend to be grassroots / "someone just like you", and / but pay to have it promoted.

Avoid streaming services if you want to listen to political music. Go for live music and connect with humans, or at the very least just be among them and listen to them live. They may still be government plants but the chances are much lower.

Re: Why I Write (1946)

#45

Post by Cthulhu_ »

delis-thumbs-7e wrote: post #21

It’s years since I’ve read Orwell, but I believe I have read almost all of his books (Coming up for Air nor Clegryman’s Daughter I have not read, or I don’t remember a single thing about them). He’s Non-fiction books (Down and Out in Paris and London, The Road to Wigan Pier, and especially Homage to Catalonia) are great. If you are at all interested what it was like to live in Europe in this time of economic turmoil…

> But then again, aren’t we all.

Yes, but being aware of it is powerful in itself.

I think that in this case, read Orwell, but don't only read Orwell or base your entire viewpoint on his writing. Read many, read diversely, read from authors you don't like, read unknown authors, read poorly written books, and read random smaller "old web" style blog posts, like from https://bearblog.dev/discover/ or blog rolls or whatever.

Re: Why I Write (1946)

#46

Post by Pay08 »

keyle wrote: post #5
jimbokun wrote: post #2

This is critical to consider in this age of slop. It’s important first to consider the purpose of writing anything at all. Slop almost always fails this test.

People that don't understand this is best to explain to with AI music. AI music appears to be reasonable music, but it carries no human emotion, it has no intent to exist and stand up on its own. That's key to explain when it comes to writing or anything. AI assisted anything, sure, maybe, but AI for creative purposes is bland and ultimately poisons the well. No one really wants to go see an AI movie at the cinema, e…

Guess what, most music I listen to didn't have more thought put behind it than "this sounds good" either.

Re: Why I Write (1946)

#47

Post by Pay08 »

152334H wrote: post #3

homely and relatable, but why promoted on HN? How many here have read Burmese Days, had the bookworm's childhood, and are imbued with that sense of political worldliness?

Wow that's a lot of snobbish superiority.

Re: Why I Write (1946)

#48

Post by andrepd »

satvikpendem wrote: post #24
keyle wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People that don't understand this is best to explain to with AI music. AI music appears to be reasonable music, but it carries no human emotion, it has no intent to exist and stand up on its own. That's key to explain when it comes to writing or anything. AI assisted anything, sure, maybe, but AI for creative purposes is bland and ultimately poisons the well. No one really wants to go see an AI movie at the cinema, e…

And yet many people listen to AI music, some examples on HN even [0], one of the main reasons being it can create songs tuned to very specific niches that cannot normally be found much. I also have found very entertaining videos and content made with AI, such as Pokemon "nature documentaries" [1] and I imagine people in the future will want to see an AI movie if it appeals to them, because it's content that would oth…

I can hardly imagine anything more unappealing that watching AI slop "nature documentaries". It's truly inconceivable to me to look at things from the prism you are looking.

Re: Why I Write (1946)

#49

Post by delis-thumbs-7e »

frereubu wrote: post #35

For those interested in Orwell, there's a great series of podcasts on his writing during and either side of WWII here: https://www.ppfideas.com/episodes/orwell%E2%80%99s-war%3A-th... https://www.ppfideas.com/episodes/orwell%E2%80%99s-war%3A-fa... https://www.ppfideas.com/episodes/orwell%E2%80%99s-war%3A-fr... What's great about these is that they're not the usual uncritical lionising, but a clear-eyed look at the man…

In Our Times has episodes on him as well, naturally: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001bz77 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07wgkz4

Re: Why I Write (1946)

#50

Post by ThreeFx »

robin_reala wrote: post #31
pasquinelli wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

for perspective, a novel is around 100k words, and animal farm is under 30k.

Typically a novel is over 40k words plus, a novella is 15-40k words, and a short story is 15k or under. Depends on who you ask though: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novella#Word_counts

That chart implies it is possible for somebody to write a work that wins the Hugo awards for best novelette and best novella, which I’d really like to see happen!
Post reply on HN