Glenn Beck wrote a novel

[moonglow]

That's why I gave you the numbers. The 3rd definition for sappy:

3. Slang. silly or foolish.

The first definition for dogmatic:

1. of, pertaining to, or of the nature of a dogma or dogmas; doctrinal.

It is a 'silly' Christmas story. It does not pertain to anything 'doctrinal'.

Oh ok I see..duh on me.. I totally missed where you had typed which one to look at..all I saw was the quoted definition parts. Having dsyexlia is a pain sometimes...

Thanks for explaining!

God bless

[Luke34]

Did everybody read the salon article I linked? Luke, you should read it, if you didn't. It pretty much lays out the whole thing, start to finish.

I just read the excerpt now (I had read the first couple pages in the Amazon preview but the B&N one goes farther). And...blech. This isn't just a sappy Christmas story made out of clichés and soul-devouringly awful prose, it's that but with REALLY OBVIOUS AND OBTRUSIVE political propaganda. As in, here's what happens on like page five:

"I know that man, Eddie. He can work, but he chooses not to. Anyone who can earn money has no business taking it from others."
I eventually came to understand that my father, who'd grown up poor and struggled for everything we owned, had continually rejected offers of help from others. He had worked hard to build a business and provide for his family. He believed others should do the same. "The government," he told me one night, "is there to act as a safety net, not a candy machine."

So if there was any doubt that this was a Glenn Beck novel, I suppose that's gone now. I never thought I'd accuse anyone of writing a sub-par Ayn Rand imitation (because I never thought you could get more "sub-" than Rand herself) but I find myself forced to do so.

Let's face it, right here and now; less educated people are going to like slightly less nuanced Christmas stories.

And Capra? Was pretty much in the business of writing propoganda, pure and simple.

Emphasis on simple.

I don't know about that. I mean, sure, it may not be "complex," but not everything has to be, and It's a Wonderful Life is (as modern critics have noted) actually really depressing and dark for about four-fifths of its running time (which can be summed up as "a man who is kind and decent and self-sacrificing constantly has his life dreams ruined and is eventually driven to suicide"--even at the end, which is of course unequivocally happy in itself, it's not like Mr. Potter's been vanquished and Jimmy Stewart gets to travel the world after all. It's just that, thanks to his friends and community, he doesn't have to go to jail for someone else's incompetence).

But besides that, I certainly don't mind when things are "simple." Aaron Copland said it about music and it's true of everything: Art that is born simple is not inherently better or worse than art that is born complex (which is why the Mozart Clarinet Concerto and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring are both masterpieces). But both have to be executed well, and Beck's book is an example of a terribly-executed simple story (or everything about it makes it seem so), not just a "simple" and therefore inherently bad one.

[NHL Fever]

"I know that man, Eddie. He can work, but he chooses not to. Anyone who can earn money has no business taking it from others."
I eventually came to understand that my father, who'd grown up poor and struggled for everything we owned, had continually rejected offers of help from others. He had worked hard to build a business and provide for his family. He believed others should do the same. "The government," he told me one night, "is there to act as a safety net, not a candy machine."

So its not a novel after all. Yuck.

[Studyin'2Show]

I've got an idea! Those of you who don't like Beck, don't but it! That'll show him.

[steelerbabe]

I guess I am an uneducated sap, because I read the book last year and related to it. Here is a brief into. about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB4Iu...eature=related

[Steve M]

But both have to be executed well, and Beck's book is an example of a terribly-executed simple story (or everything about it makes it seem so), not just a "simple" and therefore inherently bad one.

But my question isn't just about complexity; it's about the execution. Another for example; I hate action movies where the plot points get summed up every ten minutes. Talk about a violation of the show, don't tell princible? Whew! It can be excruciatingly painful to watch.

Yet this is how the masses prefer their entertainment... with summations every ten minutes, in case they missed it.

I'm the first person in the room to start rolling my eyes when the narration starts. And I'm the first person to tell you that the dumbing down of the cinema makes me unhappy. And if they make a movie out of this over-preachy over-sappy under-written book, I'll be the first person to vow never, ever to see it.

So... my larger overarching question is, is it elitist and classist for me to look down on mass entertainment, which I hate so much?

...

More specifically, in this case, you would have to pay me serious amounts of money to get me to read this book. Books with overt agendas? Blah. Poorly written books? Blah. Holiday-themed books? Blah. Combine them all into one?

Well. I like Glenn as a person, a human being of worth and value. And I enjoy the entertainment he provides. And if he would like to write a book that is actually good, I am here and now offering my services as a ghost writer.

...couldn't be worse, could it?

[Studyin'2Show]

So... my larger overarching question is, is it elitist and classist for me to look down on mass entertainment, which I hate so much?

Since you asked, maybe it is a bit of elitism to believe that you are somehow 'above' those you lump into the 'simple masses' group. Don't people have the right to enjoy what they enjoy? Do you really believe writers you may classify as 'elite' have no agendas? I've found that it is impossible to separate oneself from ones prose. Some agendas are just much less overt.

[Steve M]

Since you asked, maybe it is a bit of elitism to believe that you are somehow 'above' those you lump into the 'simple masses' group. Don't people have the right to enjoy what they enjoy? Do you really believe writers you may classify as 'elite' have no agendas? I've found that it is impossible to separate oneself from ones prose. Some agendas are just much less overt.

Nonono,not that they don't have agendas; that the agenda isn't so obvious it slaps you in the face. That the underlying worldview is at least worked into the piece, rather than being a short stumpy man sitting on top of the TV shouting at me while I watch the movie, or a sibling sitting and yelling in my ear while I read the book. That's all I ask of a work; some measure of subtlety.

For example; the movie District 13 has some very obvious implications and messages. But those messages are kind of in the background. The filmmaker has loaded their worldview into the picture, but doesn't work at making it all terribly obvious. It flows out organically.

...and, yes, my use of the terms 'simple masses' is supposed to be illustrating my point here. I don't usually use such language.

[Studyin'2Show]

Nonono,not that they don't have agendas; that the agenda isn't so obvious it slaps you in the face. That the underlying worldview is at least worked into the piece, rather than being a short stumpy man sitting on top of the TV shouting at me while I watch the movie, or a sibling sitting and yelling in my ear while I read the book. That's all I ask of a work; some measure of subtlety.

For example; the movie District 13 has some very obvious implications and messages. But those messages are kind of in the background. The filmmaker has loaded their worldview into the picture, but doesn't work at making it all terribly obvious. It flows out organically.

...and, yes, my use of the terms 'simple masses' is supposed to be illustrating my point here. I don't usually use such language.

I was just agreeing with you! It is a bit elitist. I, personally, do not like plots that I can see coming like a freight train, but many people do. Lots of people like simple things and that's okay. It takes all kinds to make the world go 'round.

If you don't like this book, maybe you'll like his latest book. 'Arguing with Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Governments'.

[Steve M]

I was just agreeing with you! It is a bit elitist. I, personally, do not like plots that I can see coming like a freight train, but many people do. Lots of people like simple things and that's okay. It takes all kinds to make the world go 'round.

If you don't like this book, maybe you'll like his latest book. 'Arguing with Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Governments'.

...I'm actually kind of expecting that for a Christmas present, from my most Beck-ite friend...

[notuptome]

...I'm actually kind of expecting that for a Christmas present, from my most Beck-ite friend...

Could be worse. You might get a copy of obamas book.

Guess I'll need to write a book and make a whole bunch of money. Seems to be working for Palin.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

[Steve M]

Could be worse. You might get a copy of obamas book.

Guess I'll need to write a book and make a whole bunch of money. Seems to be working for Palin.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Actually, Obama's book--what I've read of it--is fascinating. It says a whole lot that it doesn't say.

...

I think I should read Glenn's book only while hold it in my left hand, and Obama's book while holding it in my right hand. It's the only thing that makes sense.

[teddyv]

Actually, Obama's book--what I've read of it--is fascinating. It says a whole lot that it doesn't say.

...

I think I should read Glenn's book only while hold it in my left hand, and Obama's book while holding it in my right hand. It's the only thing that makes sense.

Careful, that sounds like a recipe for a catastrophic matter/anti-matter reaction. Maybe a rhetorical black hole.

[NHL Fever]

Actually, Obama's book--what I've read of it--is fascinating. It says a whole lot that it doesn't say.

...

I think I should read Glenn's book only while hold it in my left hand, and Obama's book while holding it in my right hand. It's the only thing that makes sense.

Well in that case be sure to let not the left hand know what the right hand is doing.

[teddyv]

Well in that case be sure to let not the left hand know what the right hand is doing.

Excellent! This would have been perfect is Steve switched the hands the books were in.