oceaniceternity

oceaniceternity , 6 months ago to bookstadon

As an aside @bookstadon I'm #reading A Desolation called Peace. It has a real feeling of Horatio Hornblower in space.

I'm enjoying it even if it's discussion of empire doesn't feel as deep as I would like, yet. I am however really enjoying the longer chapters.

#books #scifi

oceaniceternity OP , 6 months ago

@bookstadon One thing that I am also really enjoying is the structure and construction of this novel. If my ereader is correct I am nearly halfway through it.

Each chapter is roughly 20 pages. These regular blocks of #reading helps create an ominous sense of anticipation.

I'm not a particular fan of changing the pov character quickly and often. It happens a lot with modern novels though. One of the good things it does is allow easy exposition for a very wide and diverse section of both society and location. This can sometimes be hard to track...

But I really love how now the characters are coming together in space. They are all starting to bounce off each other more, connect: I can see the connections coming together.

In all. I'm enjoying my book. I wish I could read faster.

#books

oceaniceternity , 6 months ago to bookstadon

I just finished The Thousand Earths by S. Baxter. It was very, very good. It explored a breadth of settings that was stitched together by brief interludes of a 22nd century traveler. While I enjoyed it and thought it well constructed and excellently laid out, I was saddened by how setting driven it was, as opposed to character driven.

Never thought the day would come where I wanted to read about a love plot in my scifi.

That said why does it seem like so many books are about humanity at the heat death of the universe? That's what my last scifi book was on too...

#scifi #reading #books @bookstadon

oceaniceternity OP , 6 months ago

@Salty @bookstadon Lmao yeah. I did think it was a really good metaphor for climate change and reactions to it. Especially for exploring social change in the face of such drastic environmental changes.

Unfortunately, there the similarity stops. I believe I would be somewhat unhappy being a simulation in a computer.

oceaniceternity , 6 months ago to bookstodon

@bookstodon I'm currently #reading Beyond Good and Evil by Nietzsche. I must admit I don't find his idea of a universal drive for power compelling.

It relies first and foremost upon an invisible subconscious that we cannot reach or touch inside all of us that tells us to always seek more power. And that anything other than we do is just justification for our power grabs.

My problem with this is how... When you start out looking for it it is easy to say that anything anyone does is a power grab. Getting out of bed is an excercise of our dominion over gravity etc etc..

Does a child draw letters in the sand merely to signal that they have power over sand? Is wearing cool and shiny boots a way of signalling social power over others? Maybe. But in my mind it is unlikely to be the most compelling reason behind everything... Solely because most people do not behave like cartoon villains. Or even cartoon villains trying to camoflage themselves.

I admit. I am only 70 pages in and a very novice philopher at best. But as it stands... I don't think a drive to power as envisioned by Nietzsche is a universal truth.

#philosophy

oceaniceternity OP , 6 months ago

@BillySmith @bookstodon @Scienceisnotopinions I just read the article you linked. Having never worked in an office environment I can't say I can verify it's truthfulness, or if it matches my own lived experience.

One interesting idea that the article promoted is that sociopathy is a learned behavior. Something that can be nurtured and mentored in others.

However. I can relate to the idea of piercing the veil of propoganda to see where the real power is circulating. I.e a refusal to believe corporate spin doctoring or baseless optimism. Trying to see beyond the theatre of power to where the real power exists.

And then the next question I would have about such... Manufactured sociopathy... Is the possibility of code switching based on context and company. Under... The articles model is there space for someone who is at once a cutthroat sociopath at work and an altruistic person in certain cases?

But you have given me a lot to think about as I continue to read Nietzsche.

factolvictor , 7 months ago to bookstodon

I’m reading Star Wars Ahsoka (trying to finish my books TBR this month) and I must say I really like her. It’s an interesting character and a nice addition to SW stellar crew. But I think it’s so upsetting all this discourse of “not being a Jedi” just because she doesn’t belong to the Jedi Temple Studio 54. So, to be a Jedi you must be a member of a country club and that’s it? #starwars #ahsoka #books #reading @bookstodon

oceaniceternity , 6 months ago

@atobsmith @factolvictor @bookstodon The jedi is just a drinking club with a force prblem I guess.

oceaniceternity , 7 months ago to bookstadon

@bookstadon I'm currently #reading "Mod: A very British style". I anticipate finishing it it today. I've had some interesting music recommendations from the book (Two Tones and The Specials) that I've followed up, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the explanation of the political philosophy of dandyism.

#books

oceaniceternity OP , 7 months ago

@bookstadon I should probably plug it into storygraph