Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?
This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.
Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.
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Notes -
Most of Azad's slums wouldn't be out of place in an Ayn Rand novel, but the treatment of medical care is one of the big tells, especially for when and where Player of Games was written, as is the drone informing Gurgeh that "it all boils down to ownership, possession; about taking and having." That's not fundamentally leftist, but it's still also not how the red tribe equivalent would put things, or even universal among the left side of the branch (contrast, for example, Pratchett's "Evil starts when you begin to treat people as things").
Agreed that it's still pretty subtle and a fairly reasonable extrapolation of the technical assumptions Banks is making for the world he wants to build.
And oh, boy, do I have a take on Moore.
It's been a few years since I read Player of Games - that's a good point out, good quote, more overtly leftist than I remember it being.
Just read my first Pratchett last month. Look forward to reading more of his stuff totally blind to his political or philosophical views - Small Gods was... interesting, but also a really entertaining read, somewhat reminiscent of Culture novels to me.
Anyway thanks for the responses!
Patchett's an absolute blast. Hope you enjoy his books.
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