Author Sherman Alexie Wants to Punch You in the Face

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by thibaulthalpern

I'm not quite disgusted. Honestly, it is elitist to have such an expensive reading device. Let's not deny it that it does cost a lot of money which many people cannot afford. For many, buying a used printed book is still the best option for them. These reading devices require a lot more supporting structure within one's household to get going, with perhaps the Kindle being the exception. For all the other reading devices, you need a computer, internet to download books, and money to buy the digital books and so on and so forth.

Yeah, so let's not kid ourselves. These reading devices are more complicated and less affordable than regular printed books.

And why should those annoyed by his views write to the publisher? Alexie is free to express his opinions and further more, what is the point of stating your consumer power to the publisher? The two, publisher and author's views, are not linked. Keep the two separate.

I also wonder if everyone feels that being elitist is a bad thing. Is that why people are angry in part because he called those with reading devices elitist? Does that guilt you? Let's not forget too that to be middle-class there's got to be a lower class, or to be upper class there's got to be lower and middle class.

Well, I am disgusted.

There was a time when the paper book itself was beyond the reach of most people. Those who wanted one badly enough saved to buy it. They knew its worth.

If you want a shiny new device, yes, it is expensive. However, Kindles, Sony's and many other brands are available used and at reasonable prices.

Content can be free. The library can be used with the Kindle or Sony.


Its all about where your priorities are. Cellular phones, IPODS, game consoles, video games, the latest shoes, clothes, etc.....if thats what you want, fine.

Please, don't kid yourself.....many of those who cry "foul, its too expensive!" have these things. Yeah, I see that every day at school.

But don't whine because ebook readers are "elitist".

[thibaulthalpern]

Originally Posted by Alphapheemail

Irony: the day a bookshelf falls on him

More ironic for us digital reader-philes would be the day our hard drive crashes, which is more likely to happen than a bookshelf falling ;-)

[thibaulthalpern]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Well, I am disgusted.

Please, don't kid yourself.....many of those who cry "foul, its too expensive!" have these things. Yeah, I see that every day at school.

But don't whine because ebook readers are "elitist".

I do think it is elitist, I have a digital reader myself, and I'm okay with being elitist in that way. Digital readers are not devices affordable or desired by everyone.

Yes, content can be had for free but not most content ;-) The free content often aren't the kind that I or many other people read.

[thibaulthalpern]

[QUOTE=gerraldo;478184]

Originally Posted by thibaulthalpern

And so is everybody else here...

Of course they are. Missing my point though. They're expressing their view with the assumption that the publisher and the author's views are linked. Not quite. Or do we expect that the publisher put pressure on the author for his personal views? If so, then we're getting into some serious power-control issue here.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by thibaulthalpern

I do think it is elitist, I have a digital reader myself, and I'm okay with being elitist in that way. Digital readers are not devices affordable or desired by everyone.

Yes, content can be had for free but not most content ;-) The free content often aren't the kind that I or many other people read.

Best sellers and many more modern authors can be found at many libraries across the US.

If you are going to buy a book anyway, its cheaper to buy it from Amazon. Many of their books are way under the $9.99 pricepoint.

Kindles and sonys can use them to read content free.

To me, being "elitist" is having something very few others can afford.

That doesn't apply to ebook readers. If you want one, you can get one. If you don't care, fine.

[CCDMan]

My email to the publisher:

I am simply aghast at this level of ignorance and stupidity. There is simply nothing to add - Mr
Alexie's statements are one of the better examples I have seen recently of someone pasting a
"I am a totally clueless fool" sticker on their own forehead.

The Kindle is one of the best devices I have owned. I read more now than ever and seldom
buy a book if it is not available on the Kindle. Apparently Mr. Alexie does not want my business. I
can agree with him on that point, I do not read books written by individuals who flaunt their
ignorance in public.

I would hope that as a publisher, you neither support or agree with this sort of arrogant stupidity
and will support the Kindle and other e-readers. I strongly suspect that those publishers who do not
will be rapidly marginalized in the new few years.

Thank You

[weatherman]

Originally Posted by thibaulthalpern

Of course they are. Missing my point though. They're expressing their view with the assumption that the publisher and the author's views are linked. Not quite. Or do we expect that the publisher put pressure on the author for his personal views? If so, then we're getting into some serious power-control issue here.

Your sophomoric argument is constantly used to suggest that people can't be criticized or challenged because they have a "right" to express their opinion. I am not challenging his right to say what he likes, but challenging what he said. And I am encouraging those who would also challenge what he said by putting pressure on the company that pays him, his publisher, because this issue is related to his publishing and he was speaking about his published works in a public forum supporting his publisher.

If he had, for instance, simply stated that he wanted to hit women for owning iPods, LCD televisions, Blackberry phones, or other "elite" devices, and he had done so in a cafe while talking amongst friends, I would still probably consider him an ignorant jackass but I probably would not feel the need to respond publicly or encourage people to bring his publisher in to this debate. But he chose to make this a public affair (probably for his own self-aggrandizement) so he has to deal with the consequences.

EDIT: sorry, gerraldo - I don't know how I did that. I meant to respond to thibaulthalpern's remarks, not your response.

[gerraldo]

Originally Posted by weatherman

Your sophomoric argument is constantly used to suggest that people can't be...

Could you please correct that:

"Quote:Originally Posted by gerraldo
Of course they are. Missing my point though..."

EDIT: Thx weatherman, thibaulthalpern made the mistake in his answer to my quote - you just copied it. Personally, I think that one shouldn't sh*t where he eats...

[sirbruce]

The "elitist" class argument simply doesn't hold up. Okay, maybe the poor can't afford Kindles. But you know what, the even POORER can't afford books at all! How can you expect them to spend money on paper and ink when they can't even afford food? What's the long-term environmental impact of all those paper mills killing Mother Earth to make pulp for your pages? And many of them can't even read!

No, if you were truly empathetic you would realize that every disadvantage society thrives on ORAL TRADITION. Thus, you should reject books as elitist, and only allow your work to be transmitted orally by tribal elders around the fire to the children, so they may communicate it to the next generation, and so on.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by sirbruce

The "elitist" class argument simply doesn't hold up. Okay, maybe the poor can't afford Kindles. But you know what, the even POORER can't afford books at all! How can you expect them to spend money on paper and ink when they can't even afford food? What's the long-term environmental impact of all those paper mills killing Mother Earth to make pulp for your pages? And many of them can't even read!

No, if you were truly empathetic you would realize that every disadvantage society thrives on ORAL TRADITION. Thus, you should reject books as elitist, and only allow your work to be transmitted orally by tribal elders around the fire to the children, so they may communicate it to the next generation, and so on.

Did you ever play that 'whisper' game? One person says something, who whispers it to the next one, and on down the line. By the time it gets to the end, it has no recognizable relationship to the original statement.
I'm just sayin'..........

[Faenad]

I don't believe Mr. Sherman Alexie is that ignorant or stupid.

I rather guess that he was just trying to get some free publicity for his books (and perhaps ebooks, as he now say he will consider doing ebooks), by stirring up some controversy. In my eyes that would make him worse than just being a fool.

[CCDMan]

Originally Posted by thibaulthalpern

I do think it is elitist, I have a digital reader myself, and I'm okay with being elitist in that way. Digital readers are not devices affordable or desired by everyone.

e·lit·ism

1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources.

*************

OK, it is clear that the only one of the above that might apply to a Kindle owner is the final one, "financial resources". Are you really saying that only the rich can afford a Kindle?

I was reading a while back (MSN) that pack-a-day smokers (and given the soico-economic statistics on smokers, they are NOT generally members of the financial elite these days) spend an average of $1638/year on cigarettes. I sure as heck spend (WAY) less than that on the Kindle AND it's books for a year.

So just how does a $359 device make one "elite"? Are we living in the same century?

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by CCDMan

So just how does a $359 device make one "elite"? Are we living in the same century?

Again, you don't have to spend that much, even for a Kindle! You can buy used for $250 or less.........

[RickyMaveety]

Tell ol' Sherm to get in the freaking line .....

[CCDMan]

Originally Posted by Faenad

I don't believe Mr. Sherman Alexie is that ignorant or stupid.

I rather guess that he was just trying to get some free publicity for his books (and perhaps ebooks, as he now say he will consider doing ebooks), by stirring up some controversy. In my eyes that would make him worse than just being a fool.

Agree on the latter but I have to wonder if just making such a statement for that purpose is not it's own brand of stupidity.