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PaperclipPerfector  3d ago (text post)   2338 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for March 27, 2026

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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Recently saw Hail Mary and enjoyed it a bunch. Sped through the book and came to the conclusion that, just like The Martian, the film is a far better film than the book is a book (joining the likes of Jurassic Park and The Godfather, also arguably Silence of the Lambs); the author's writing style is very positive and optimistic but also very IAmVerySmart and I Fucking Love Science and generally gave me Reddit vibes.

So, because I apparently love checking in on the progress of cancer like I'm some kind of internet oncologist, I go to Reddit and poke around. The stuff at the top is mainly resentment that the author is "conservative" and a misogynist and did an interview with noted elite misogynist The Critical Drinker. And some grumbling that the author/viewpoint character used "He" pronouns for the hermaphroditic alien and assumed they's mate was female by calling thim "Adrian." (Because Rock Alien=Rocky, so Rock Alien's mate = Adrian). Such oppressive heteronormativity is proof that the author is a bad person. Also something something mediocre white man.

So yeah, reddit gonna reddit. It gave me a chuckle when years ago I would be disappointed and annoyed.

Same. I bought The Martian back in the day, so I bought Artemis and Hail Mary shortly after release. Never imagined either one could be adapted to a movie. Andy Weir definitely likes his protagonists to be a bit Reddit, but I dig his methodical, well-researched but creative plots and the characters are at least not one-dimensional. I watched that interview with Critical Drinker and it was actually quite interesting. He was pretty candid about his writing process and how the industry works.

ETA: Best-looking space movie since Interstellar at least, and more relatable characters. I really like a sci fi story where the moral is not about the hubris of man or the cruelty of the xenos.

RTA, perhaps this is a type of genre as an analogue to the police procedural, the science procedural, and I enjoy both.

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