Ligotti Entering the Mainstream

[Frater_Tsalal]

Quote Originally Posted by teguififthzeal

Burroughs' impact has been negative rather than positive in my humble opinion. I have seen so many people die of heroin overdoses in the past three years that I just don't enjoy reading most of his work anymore. He glorified heroin without doing it overtly enough to betray what he was really doing.

This is sheer nonsense. It almost reminds me of the people who look at, say, a Ligotti fan who has taken their own life and saying, "Well, you can blame Ligotti for that." People are going to do what they're going to do regardless of what they've read or haven't read.

Quote Originally Posted by Frater_Tsalal

Quote Originally Posted by teguififthzeal Burroughs' impact has been negative rather than positive in my humble opinion. I have seen so many people die of heroin overdoses in the past three years that I just don't enjoy reading most of his work anymore. He glorified heroin without doing it overtly enough to betray what he was really doing. This is sheer nonsense. It almost reminds me of the people who look at, say, a Ligotti fan who has taken their own life and saying, "Well, you can blame Ligotti for that." People are going to do what they're going to do regardless of what they've read or haven't read.

Black Sabbath, DOOM, and The Blind Owl, anyone?

[miguel1984]

Quote Originally Posted by Frater_Tsalal

This is sheer nonsense. It almost reminds me of the people who look at, say, a Ligotti fan who has taken their own life and saying, "Well, you can blame Ligotti for that." People are going to do what they're going to do regardless of what they've read or haven't read.

At most, it may give them a push in the direction they were already heading to, like what happened with Stephen King's Rage. A shame he took the book out of circulation.

[teguififthzeal]

If anything, we'll probably see an increase in chic pessimism, because it is always cool to be a contrarian, and nerds confusing their inhability to get laid with deep philosophy and moral rectitude, calling themselves antinatalists while jerking it to videos of Neil de Grasse Tyson.


That's already happened. Most people who lionize "progressive" literary figures and all that nebulous bull#### don't know that much about them. Same with "political prisoners" who were freed in the 90's or who everyone said "Free him/her!" when they actually weren't innocent; indeed, they were hilariously guilty.

[curatorialentity]

Quote Originally Posted by Nirvana In Karma

Quote Originally Posted by Frater_Tsalal Quote Originally Posted by teguififthzeal Burroughs' impact has been negative rather than positive in my humble opinion. I have seen so many people die of heroin overdoses in the past three years that I just don't enjoy reading most of his work anymore. He glorified heroin without doing it overtly enough to betray what he was really doing. This is sheer nonsense. It almost reminds me of the people who look at, say, a Ligotti fan who has taken their own life and saying, "Well, you can blame Ligotti for that." People are going to do what they're going to do regardless of what they've read or haven't read. Black Sabbath, DOOM, and The Blind Owl, anyone?

What's the story with The Blind Owl?

Quote Originally Posted by curatorialentity

Quote Originally Posted by Nirvana In Karma Quote Originally Posted by Frater_Tsalal Quote Originally Posted by teguififthzeal Burroughs' impact has been negative rather than positive in my humble opinion. I have seen so many people die of heroin overdoses in the past three years that I just don't enjoy reading most of his work anymore. He glorified heroin without doing it overtly enough to betray what he was really doing. This is sheer nonsense. It almost reminds me of the people who look at, say, a Ligotti fan who has taken their own life and saying, "Well, you can blame Ligotti for that." People are going to do what they're going to do regardless of what they've read or haven't read. Black Sabbath, DOOM, and The Blind Owl, anyone? What's the story with The Blind Owl?

The introduction to the Grove Press edition claims that there is at least an urban legend that many Persians committed suicide after reading the novel.

[teguififthzeal]

Ligotti already has entered the mainstream. It's not hard to pick up if you watch TV or read horror fiction.

I don't think reading horror fiction is a mainstream activity.

I don't think reading is a mainstream activity.

Quote Originally Posted by Prince James Zaleski

I don't think reading horror fiction is a mainstream activity. I don't think reading is a mainstream activity.

It appears James is, unfortunately, on the verge of being correct.

Book consumption per capita in the U.S. 2014 | Statistic

Quote Originally Posted by ToALonelyPeace

Where is the chic pessimism people refer to? I see many cynics but not pessimists.

I believe Karnos was referring to some people who identify as pessimists, even though their reading on the subject is paltry at best and nonexistent at worst, because it's "vogue" or "edgy." Like some kids of the current generation (that I know personally) saying they're anarchists, but the names Max Stirner, Revolutionary Catalonia, and Leon Cszogol are Greek to them, think anarchism originated in the punk scene, and claim they don't care about politics even though they have adopted a radical political position.

In short, "posers."