Author Sherman Alexie Wants to Punch You in the Face

[thibaulthalpern]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

Doesn't matter whether you take it literally or metaphorically. Instantly disliking, hating, or even thinking violent thoughts against someone else simply because they own or use a particular type of technology is just wrong.

If they use it in a manner that is rude (like the idiots who take cell phone calls in the theater and then sit there talking away at the top of their lungs), then fine, there's a person I could learn to dislike. But, thinking ill of someone only because they choose to read an ebook? Just sitting there quietly reading and enjoying their book, and this bozo decides that he doesn't like that person? Nevermind actually hitting them, just wanting to hit them solely for reading on an ebook device? Simply thinking less of the person because of the manner in which they get their reading content?

Sorry, I just can't wrap my head around that one. It makes about as much sense to me as hating someone (instantly) because of the color of their skin, or who they love, or what country they come from. It's simply and utterly stupid. How would he feel, I wonder, if I said that his looking like a Native American just made me want to hit him? Even if I had no intention of really hitting him, I think it would be an unforgivable thing to say.

Oh, and no, it wouldn't matter whether it was a man or a woman who was the target of that sort of thinking. It's the type of thinking that screws people up, and I don't care to read the writings of someone quite that screwed up in his thinking.

Yeah, this is deviating from my point. I made no moral evaluation on whether the author's remarks were right or wrong. I didn't go there. Where I went was how literally are we to take his remarks. So...letting you know so as not to associate my remarks as condoning or condemning his utterances of hitting someone. I have not made any indication whatsoever.

See how quickly we're going down this slippery slope...

[thibaulthalpern]

Originally Posted by Alisa

I understand that he's trying to evoke his strong dislike for ebooks, but I expect more from an award-winning author. If he said that he was so hungry he could eat a horse I would also look at him sideways. It's a bit trite.

Well, to define it as a problem is maybe overdoing it.

Perhaps you are saying you were disappointed in his lack of creativity? Or do you really mean you actually have a problem with it? Authors do have their bad days. We can't expect everyone of their utterances to be so eloquent ;-) Or you do?

It's a bit trite, you say. Sure
It's also a bite of trite.

[gerraldo]

Bye for now... I'm afraid he's got far more attention then he deserved for his lousy "joke".

[Argel]

Originally Posted by gerraldo

Bye for now... I'm afraid he's got far more attention then he deserved for his lousy "joke".

Seconded.

[jamesbeat]

What an idiot.

I described my PRS 505 to my girlfriend as 'essentially an ipod for books', and I think that's a fair description.

Would this clown punch me in the face for listening to my ipod on a plane instead of using a gramophone?
Does he use a manual typewriter, or does he write his books on a laptop using a word processor?
Maybe he pays a team of monks to write copies of his books out by hand instead of using a printing press?

My ipod cost roughly 50% more than my reader did, but I don't consider it to be an elitist purchase, and neither do I consider my reader to be one.
I found that I listen to far more music now than before I had my ipod.
I'm ashamed to say that I didn't read anywhere near as I should before I got my 505, but I have barely put it down since I bought it, and not just because of novelty value either.

I think the the £200 I spent on it was worth every penny, because I feel that my quality of life has been raised by my purchase.
I didn't buy it to show off, in fact I bought it because I'm emigrating soon and can't afford to ship hundreds of books overseas.
I'm sure a lot of other people buy them for similar reasons, people travelling on a shoestring for instance.

If it wasn't for my reader, I would shortly be losing every single book that I own. I have avoided that by spending £200. That makes it possibly my most thrifty purchase ever

I think a device that can hold the entire back catalogue of the Gutenberg project is of such immense value that it can't be measured in monetary terms, and to describe it as elitist is incredibly short sighted.

If I was marooned on a desert island and could only take one item with me, it would be an ebook reader equipped with a solar powered charger and loaded up with books

[jamesbeat]

Oh wow! Why hasn't anyone made a solar powered ebook reader?

The panel could cover the entire back surface of the device, so it could be left in the sun when not being used.

I'm pretty sure I should patent that


EDIT: Too late
http://www.teleread.org/2008/09/03/a...just-a-design/

[desertgrandma]

Jamesbeat, the idea is great.........however I defy anyone to bring such a device here to Central Arizona during the summer. That would be May thru early November.

I'm afraid the entire device would be fried........

[khalleron]

There are solar battery chargers - I was thinking of getting one for my Sony, but here in Oregon solar anything has only limited usability.

One that charges by wind power, on the other hand. . .

Maybe I could adapt Zelda's pinwheel.

[PhishStyx]

Originally Posted by thibaulthalpern

Ditto!

Also another point I tried to make. I had no idea why earlier on the thread people were talking about writing to his publisher. Either leave aside his comments (probably the best option) or write a letter to him instead of the publisher.

What's the publisher go to do with this?

Because the only way for the general public to contact him is to write to him THROUGH his publisher. He's a celebrity of sorts (one might even say. . . you guessed it, elite); therefore, us common folk don't get the right to email him directly. We have to wedge our way past his "people" to have our audience with his High & Mightiness.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by PhishStyx

Because the only way for the general public to contact him is to write to him THROUGH his publisher. He's a celebrity of sorts (one might even say. . . you guessed it, elite); therefore, us common folk don't get the right to email him directly. We have to wedge our way past his "people" to have our audience with his High & Mightiness.

You can, indeed, attempt to contact him (with a strong emphasis on that word) with the understanding that you may not receive a response due to the fact that he is a professional writer and guest lecturer at many events involving writing, and that therefore Time is essential to him.

As I mentioned before, I feel his remarks were very intolerant of other's views - but then, I think some of us here would agree that intolerance of view is sometimes bidirectional....

I admire his Art and feel that he is an important American Writer.

Cheers!


Don

[jamesbeat]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Jamesbeat, the idea is great.........however I defy anyone to bring such a device here to Central Arizona during the summer. That would be May thru early November.

I'm afraid the entire device would be fried........

You're probably right. I currently live in Birmingham, UK, so although I have heard of this 'sun' and indeed seen it on tv, I'm not actually sure what it is.

About two weeks ago, during our 'summer', I got caught in a hailstorm, so I doubt a solar powered reader would be too successful here either.

Do you think it would be possible to make a device powered by rain or cold?

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by jamesbeat

About two weeks ago, during our 'summer', I got caught in a hailstorm, so I doubt a solar powered reader would be too successful here either.

I've seen hailstorms in summer here too, and this is one of the hottests places of Spain!

Do you think it would be possible to make a device powered by rain or cold?

Now that's an idea, those hailstones carry a lot of energy for sure

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

As I mentioned before, I feel his remarks were very intolerant of other's views - but then, I think some of us here would agree that intolerance of view is sometimes bidirectional....

I admire his Art and feel that he is an important American Writer.

Cheers!


Don

See, that's exactly WHY I don't even bother to read his works. It would be like reading (if Hitler were still alive) Mein Kampf - doing so puts money into the wrong pocket. I don't care how "Art"-ridden or "important" his works, I refuse to support an 'artist' who is intolerant of others. But then, that's the beauty of the marketplace. I, as a potential customer, can weigh a wide range of factors and can choose to support the manufacturers or artists who I believe deserve support and deny my money from those who don't.

And, no, I do not believe you can separate the intolerance from the "Art".

Derek

[PhishStyx]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

You can, indeed, attempt to contact him (with a strong emphasis on that word) with the understanding that you may not receive a response due to the fact that he is a professional writer and guest lecturer at many events involving writing, and that therefore Time is essential to him.

As I mentioned before, I feel his remarks were very intolerant of other's views - but then, I think some of us here would agree that intolerance of view is sometimes bidirectional....

I admire his Art and feel that he is an important American Writer.

Cheers!


Don

My dual points were that the only method of contacting him as a consumer is through his website and that for someone who goes about name calling other people as "elitist" to have layers of protection against being approached by average people.

And I just love your implicit argument that not accepting intolerance is somehow a shared evil of the common man. Only a right jerk would be intolerant of intolerance!!
Shouldn't we all accept racism and sexism and elitism and ALL forms of intolerance in the happy spirit that they are given?!

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by thibaulthalpern

Yeah, this is deviating from my point. I made no moral evaluation on whether the author's remarks were right or wrong. I didn't go there. Where I went was how literally are we to take his remarks. So...letting you know so as not to associate my remarks as condoning or condemning his utterances of hitting someone. I have not made any indication whatsoever.

See how quickly we're going down this slippery slope...

Well, I wasn't really commenting on your view that too many people were taking his words literally. I frankly don't give a teeny tiny rat's ass whether people take what the bozo said, literally, metaphorically, or any other way.

I also don't care that some people think said bozo is an "important" writer or an "artist" ... or much of anything else. I personally, speaking just for me, think he's a twit, and an intolerant egotistical twit at that. I would no more buy a book he'd written than I would buy a painting by John Wayne Gacy. I prefer not to reward people who do or say stupid or unkind or cruel things. In fact, I prefer to avoid them and their "work" like the bloody plague. And, come to think of it, having said that, I'm outta here.

Bye. Y'all have a good time talking about idiots and the things they say/do.