The Filters They Wear
Vox posts a note from a not-crazy techie and his astonishment at stereotypes of the right, the south, etc. as seen by the left.
I must also relate a story. I recently had dinner with a silicon valley startup dude (I say “dude”, because he was allegedly a founder, but not particularly successful) regarding the possibility of Silicon Valley startups outsourcing to other parts of the US (particularly the deep south and rust belt). I pointed out that low ping times, similar timezones and laws, and better optics around outsourcing might eventually make the numbers work well enough for at least some companies to try it out. It was at this point that I was subjected to an extended rant about how his company would never do that as (summarized) “we don’t want to hire people who are going to be bringing racism into the office and wanting to take time off in the fall to duck hunt and f#$% their sisters”. This individual stated this, loudly, in front of numerous witnesses without a hint of fear of consequences. It is this sort of behavior and the cucking I described in the previous paragraph that makes me believe that the alt-tech revolt is just getting started – I know dozens already who are hopping mad about this sort of thing and I send them to your blog. I certainly am motivated to help grease the skids for it.
The comments are also worth reading, but matches up with my experience. Worse, I’m in the southeast, but for various reasons in a very blue area, and the attitudes I’ve seen…
New Yorkers and other bluetards with no fucking clue that the reason the place is so much nicer to move to is that we don’t do it like you do wherever the hell they came from. “Isn’t selling confederate flags illegal?”
Their kids, going to only the very best private schools (which here ain’t much better than the better than average public schools, which is why the first homeschoolers I ever got to know were wiccans) talking about wanting to get out of such a bigoted, redneck state, unironically using ‘murica as a putdown, reacting to Trump posters with “make america racist again”, and so forth.
All of them talking trash about southerners, and the inhabitants of their state, as if they of course were above all of that, above their fellow citizens living not ten, fifteen miles away. When I give them a pointed look I get the condescending “but not you, you’re one of the smart ones…” – and don’t understand why that doesn’t mollify me, given that if they’d just look beyond the “educated” markers they’d realize a lot of those rednecks aint dumb.
There are none so blind…
Anyway, Vox also referred to a post on, and discussed the faults of the latest season of GoT – which I could generally not care about as I couldn’t stomach the thought of starting the second book. He also listed the best epic fantasy series, in his opinion –
- JRR Tolkien
- Stephen Donaldson (Covenant)
- Margaret Weis & Terry Hickman (Dragonlance)
- David Eddings (Belgariad)
- Glen Cook
- Steven Erikson
- Raymond Feist
- George RR Martin
- Joe Abercrombie
- CS Friedman
- Tad Williams
- Daniel Abraham
- Brandon Sanderson
- R. Scott Bakker
- Mark Lawrence
- Terry Brooks
- Robert Jordan
- Terry Goodkind
Interesting. A lot of interesting discussion ensued.
JRR Tolkien Obviously
**Stephen Donaldson (Covenant) ** OK, not quite stomach-churning but Covenant is an unpleasant as hell character, and the rape early on because he doesn’t believe the world is real? It will stretch your vocabulary almost as much as Gene Wolfe, though for various reasons I actually preferred the Gap series. Still dark as hell but more inclined to reread it.
Margaret Weis & Terry Hickman (Dragonlance) Weirdly, saw them often, never read them
David Eddings (Belgariad) OK, loved this in high school. Was severely disappointed by the next series. Haven’t checked to see how well it held up but a number of people who’s taste I trust – and who also considered the following series not up to snuff, still recommend it.
Glen Cook Have to get around to this one.
Steven Erikson OK, who?
Raymond Feist Never read the riftwar, but may have to
George RR Martin I liked the first “Tuff” story, and the Sank Kings was OK, but barely finished the first ASoIaF book while holding in my gorge and never picked up the second.
Joe Abercrombie From what I can tell I have to add this to my reading list.
CS Friedman Never read it
Tad Williams Saw the stuff in B&N, never got around to it
Daniel Abraham Who?
Brandon Sanderson I think I’m kinder than Vox, but even he rates Sanderson as better than Jordan, so it’s no surprise that many found his book to be a better-Jordan-than-Jordan finish to the WoT. I really did enjoy the Mistborn books, but the degree of angst in the Stormlight books is just…. no. Even without the TORcott I can’t see myself getting the third one.
R. Scott Bakker Doesn’t ring a bell
Mark Lawrence Who?
Terry Brooks We laughed at Shanarra, and I never got around to it.
Robert Jordan I was underway, finished all my books, and anything else I hadn’t read in teh ship’s library, and still couldn’t finish one of these.
Terry Goodkind I got further than a lot of people, but yeah, the writing, and over-the-top plotting by supposed prophesy wore even me down from completing it.
Interestingly, there’s a lot of stuff on that list I never read, despite long ago losing count of just how much I’ve read, still having a wall of books, and that being the small portion that survived multiple moves, nevrmind extensive library borrowing and a long list of ebooks.
