Thanks. Hocus Pocus slipped past me somehow. Now I have something to look forward to reading. (I liked Cat's Cradle too but it is also on the loopier end of Vonnegut's writing spectrum—but we need some more of that.)
Loved Bluebeard as well. A mature Vonnegut who knew how to use motifs from his earlier work. And for an old guy, he kept his writing fresh and energetic. The miniature story of the dog without a tail always comes back to me.
My programming teacher in 9th grade spent half the class time on Pascal and programming, and half like a literature or social studies class, including reading and discussing "Player Piano".
Today, the people who most should read it and other things are not the people in our field. Just like the people who most should've been reading about the effects and dangers of Wall Street scamming, were not the coked-up bros doing the scamming.
I happened to reread it recently and was absolutely blown away by how relevant it is today, and how it is almost certainly more relevant today than when it was written.
I think Vonnegut really had his pulse on the human condition. Writers such Aldous Huxley could capture parts of it but Vonnegut seemed to capture it in just about every book.
Maybe the reason westworld made it such a prominent theme in the show. All of season 3 is essentially that story.
But what vonnegut missed or questioned is what is we aren’t much more either. (Core thesis of the show is that skinner proved we are mostly the same as a player piano anyways)
Vonnegut is good but I think (Aldous) Huxley had more to say, at least that resonated more with me.
I recently discovered this 1958 interview of Huxley[1]:
> This is the force which in general terms can be called overpopulation, the mounting pressure of population pressing upon existing resources. …This, of course, is an extraordinary thing; something is happening which has never happened in the world's history before. I mean, let's just take a simple fact that between the time of birth of Christ and the landing of the Mayflower, the population of the earth doubled. It rose from two hundred and fifty million to probably five hundred million. Today, the population of the earth is rising at such a rate that it will double in half a century.
“One Headline Copywriting Strategy Increases Clicks. This is How It Works…”
There seemed to be an era where clickbait headlines in major media were seen as passé… but they’ve seemingly made a comeback over the past couple years.
Kurt Vonnegut was such a clear thinker and communicator, we were fortunate to have him for so long.
If "Breakfast of Champions" is a little too nutty though, I think I might like his "Mother Night" best. (But maybe we like nutty Kurt?)
Every time someone is an "Ironic Nazi" online I think of that book, and how 4chan evolved into the modern political juggernaut it is today.
Today, the people who most should read it and other things are not the people in our field. Just like the people who most should've been reading about the effects and dangers of Wall Street scamming, were not the coked-up bros doing the scamming.
But what vonnegut missed or questioned is what is we aren’t much more either. (Core thesis of the show is that skinner proved we are mostly the same as a player piano anyways)
I recently discovered this 1958 interview of Huxley[1]:
> This is the force which in general terms can be called overpopulation, the mounting pressure of population pressing upon existing resources. …This, of course, is an extraordinary thing; something is happening which has never happened in the world's history before. I mean, let's just take a simple fact that between the time of birth of Christ and the landing of the Mayflower, the population of the earth doubled. It rose from two hundred and fifty million to probably five hundred million. Today, the population of the earth is rising at such a rate that it will double in half a century.
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alasBxZsb40
There seemed to be an era where clickbait headlines in major media were seen as passé… but they’ve seemingly made a comeback over the past couple years.