• (Young People) The Big Flash by Norman Spinrad

    From James Nicoll@21:1/5 to All on Wed Jun 5 13:34:07 2024
    Young People Read Old Nebula Finalists: The Big Flash by Norman Spinrad

    In which the Military-Industrial Complex grapples in sweaty
    passionate embrace with the Entertainment-Industrial Complex.

    https://youngpeoplereadoldsff.com/story/the-big-flash
    --
    My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
    My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
    My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
    My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Dimensional Traveler@21:1/5 to James Nicoll on Wed Jun 5 17:49:00 2024
    On 6/5/2024 6:34 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
    Young People Read Old Nebula Finalists: The Big Flash by Norman Spinrad

    In which the Military-Industrial Complex grapples in sweaty
    passionate embrace with the Entertainment-Industrial Complex.

    https://youngpeoplereadoldsff.com/story/the-big-flash

    The merger is inevitable.

    --
    I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
    dirty old man.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Titus G@21:1/5 to James Nicoll on Thu Jun 6 16:10:03 2024
    On 6/06/24 01:34, James Nicoll wrote:
    Young People Read Old Nebula Finalists: The Big Flash by Norman Spinrad

    In which the Military-Industrial Complex grapples in sweaty
    passionate embrace with the Entertainment-Industrial Complex.

    https://youngpeoplereadoldsff.com/story/the-big-flash

    The young people's thoughts were interesting as usual for this
    straightforward tale but no-one referred to the theory that it was the
    public influenced by hippies and their music that lost the Vietnam war,
    rather than the Military-Industrial Complex on the ground.
    Even 56 years later, the descriptions of the Heavy Metal band members
    are still startling as are some Four Horsemen lyrics.
    ”I stabbed my mother and I mugged my paw
    Nailed my sister to the toilet door
    Drowned a puppy in a ce-ment machine
    Burned a kitten just to hear it scream.”

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Paul S Person@21:1/5 to Titus G on Thu Jun 6 08:54:29 2024
    On Thu, 6 Jun 2024 16:10:03 +1200, Titus G <noone@nowhere.com> wrote:

    On 6/06/24 01:34, James Nicoll wrote:
    Young People Read Old Nebula Finalists: The Big Flash by Norman Spinrad

    In which the Military-Industrial Complex grapples in sweaty
    passionate embrace with the Entertainment-Industrial Complex.

    https://youngpeoplereadoldsff.com/story/the-big-flash

    The young people's thoughts were interesting as usual for this >straightforward tale but no-one referred to the theory that it was the
    public influenced by hippies and their music that lost the Vietnam war, >rather than the Military-Industrial Complex on the ground.

    I once heard/read of a study that showed that public support for the
    War in Vietnam dropped with every body that returned to Fort Dover.

    For the Greatest Generation, the War was fought to justify the Draft.
    And the Draft had three goals:
    1. Get their sons to marry.
    2. Get their sons to produce a grandchild.
    3. Get their sons to CUT THEIR G*DAMN HAIR.
    Having them come home in a box was /not/ what was wanted.

    Even 56 years later, the descriptions of the Heavy Metal band members
    are still startling as are some Four Horsemen lyrics.
    I stabbed my mother and I mugged my paw
    Nailed my sister to the toilet door
    Drowned a puppy in a ce-ment machine
    Burned a kitten just to hear it scream.

    Weren't there rap songs with similar themes?

    These are /performers/. It's all about publicity.
    --
    "Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
    Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
    Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"

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