Cool Things
August 4th, 2008 by Gnat
The first thing is one of my very favorite works by Kurt Vonnegut, a short story from 1961, Harrison Bergeron. In my opinion, this mega-short work is one of the finest modern short stories. Harrison Bergeron is up there with Flannery O’Connor’s excellent Everything That Rises Must Converge, but much, much different. Although both stories are based around the theme of equality and both works comment eloquently and without cheesy sentiment on the nature of the human condition.
On a much different note, here’s a great clip by the Black Lips where they come off sounding more like the Stone Roses, with Veni Vidi Vici:
August 10th, 2008 at 5:41 am
I first read “Harrison Bergeron” in 7th grade or so. Loved it then, love it now. Amazing story.
Interstingly, when I first became political (in 11th grade or so), I looked back on the story with disdain, thinking it was some sort of libertarian BS. I read Slaughterhouse-Five later that year, and was pleasantly shocked to discover that Vonnegut was a pacifist and a flaming socialist. He’s one of my favorite people ever.