dagblog - Comments for "Science Factions"

I certainly enjoyed Ender's

Doctor Cleveland — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 21:56:00 +0000

I certainly enjoyed Ender's Game myself; it's very readable. But Card's politics, and even his right-wing persecution complex, are already visible in that book.

Ender, future military savior of humanity, was born in defiance of a government population-control policy, and other kids at school taunt him with the slur "third," for third child. That's some juicy unearned martyr points right there.

But the larger issue here is that the science-fiction community, which is small and tight knit, makes fans and other writers much, much more aware of a writer's activism than the outside world would ever be. Most of the general readership, including people who liked Ender's Game, have no idea of Card's politics. Inside the SF community, he's been going on and on about his politics, sometimes in harsh terms, for years. People inside fandom experience Card as an overwhelmingly partisan presence, which leads to a much bigger possibility of backlash.

Ooh, you're hitting close to

Michael Maiello — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 22:46:50 +0000

In reply to I read Ender's Game about 10

Ooh, you're hitting close to home for me. I love Woody Allen so much that I've defended everything he's done. Sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants...

I read Ender's Game about 10

Orlando — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 21:54:14 +0000

In reply to Science Factions

I read Ender's Game about 10 years ago at the suggestion of my teenage nephews. Good stuff. Later, I was disappointed to learn of the author's politics and, after I had, I didn't read any of the follow up books. I'm not boycotting the series strictly because of the author's politics though. He is, of course, entitled to his views. It's just that, for me, knowing something I find distasteful about the creators of books, movies, television, or art definitely gets in the way of my enjoyment. I saw the first Transformers movie. It was fine. Then, Michael Bay revealed himself as kind of a jerk and I wasn't interested in seeing the others. Woody Allen? Ditto.

Chronicle of Uranus... nice

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 21:26:38 +0000

In reply to Heh. Boot. Ender.

Chronicle of Uranus... nice :)

It just bothers me that people don't identify the Roy Cohn (and so many more) levels of hypocrisy.

Boycotts can be a valuable

ocean-kat — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 20:28:36 +0000

In reply to Science Factions

Boycotts can be a valuable tool to effect political or social change. When there's a reasonable case that a boycott will be effective in moving us forward toward the goals I support I'll support that boycott. But if they're overused they become ineffective. If I boycotted every product or company that I disagreed with politically I'd have to boycott virtually everything.

Card wrote an interesting series of books, nine I think, on Ender. One of the most famous and popular series in the science fiction genre. Which of course means he is unknown to most Americans. If this boycott is successful the only outcome will be to punish Orson Scott Card. There's no political or social effect in punishing every small time author and trying to will, in the end, dilute the power of boycotts.

Heh. Boot. Ender.

Michael Maiello — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 18:39:00 +0000

In reply to Go to OSC's official website

Heh.

Boot. Ender. Bugger.

Utah.

The Chronicles of Uranus by Orson Scott Card.

Go to OSC's official website

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 17:53:10 +0000

In reply to Science Factions

Go to OSC's official website and you'll find an ad for "Uncle Orson's Literary Boot Camp" at the end of July in Orem, Utah. And what was the name of that alien race in Ender's Game? "Buggers" wasn't it? The best way to out the guy would be to release Ender's Game: The Chicken Hawk Edition in parallel...

Great article. Loved Ender's

Donal — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 12:08:49 +0000

In reply to Science Factions

Great article. Loved Ender's Game. Sorry to hear about Card's politics, but already went through that with Heinlein. I have virtually stopped attending films at theaters. Everything comes to DVD or Netflix eventually, so I'll see it there.

When I came back from the

Orion — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 11:02:59 +0000

In reply to Science Factions

When I came back from the Pacific Islands and was really, really confused about life and the world, I attended the Church of Latter Day Saints. All the other churches weren't really open and this one was probably the most solid. I was sort of dreamwalking through life during those months so it was easy to go through the motions. When you feel a bit abandoned in life, church is a natural place to go.

One guy I met there was really in to Orson Scott Card. He was also probably the gayest man I had ever met. I mean REALLY, REALLY gay - not Christopher Hitchens experimental gay but George Michael gay. It really makes you wonder - the folks around him were certainly smart enough to realize this but almost just winked and nodded about it all instead.

It's been like that whenever I have been around conservatives and it makes all the really over-the-top homophobic essays written by conservatives just seem totally ridiculous. I'm not sure what is going on there psychologically but it's not as black and white as it would seem from the onset.

As for Ender's Game, I think this all sounds really interesting. The most exciting part is that Harrison Ford is in it. If he can make himself look good in a science fiction film at this stage in his career, I think that bodes well for Star Wars: Episode VII.

Card also wrote a comic book series called Red Prophet, which is about Mormon ideas of Native Americans and their connection to Christ. That might be a harder sell for studios but that would make one interesting movie.

It's a good question to ask.

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 02:56:58 +0000

In reply to Science Factions

It's a good question to ask. While you acknowledge that it's not a wise idea to only enjoy works of art produced by people you ideologically align with (one would end up with a very short list), you also point to the visceral reaction bigotry evokes.

I will see the movie because if I only partake in entertainment that holds true to my belief system I'd have to cancel my cable and internet, like an animal.