Ray Bradbury, the man, the legend, the grump.

[AFK]

Didn't want to de-rail the author thread but I enjoyed the article that Cain posted concerning Bradbury's take on Obama's space policy, technology, and government.

Here it is again for a refresher:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/08/ray-bradbury-is-sick-of-big-government-our-country-is-in-need-of-a-revolution-.html

Ray Bradbury is mad at President Obama, but it's not about the economy, the war or the plan to a construct a mosque near Ground Zero in New York City.

"He should be announcing that we should go back to the moon," says the iconic author, whose 90th birthday on Aug. 22 will be marked in Los Angeles with more than week's worth of Bradbury film and TV screenings, tributes and other events.  "We should never have left there. We should go to the moon and prepare a base to fire a rocket off to Mars and then go to Mars and colonize Mars. Then when we do that, we will live forever."

The man who wrote "Fahrenheit 451," "Something Wicked This Way Comes," "The Martian Chronicles," "Dandelion Wine"and "The Illustrated Man" has been called one of America's great dreamers, but his imagination takes him to some dark places when it comes to contemporary politics. "I think our country is in need of a revolution."

"There is too much government today. We've  got to remember the government should be by the people, of the people and for the people."

The native of Waukegan, Ill., has never been shy about expressing himself -- he described President Clinton with a word that rhymes with "knithead" back in 2001-- nor is he timid about correcting people when it comes to his own perceived legacy. Bradbury chafes, for instance, at the description of his work as science fiction -- in the past he has pointed out that, to his mind, "Fahrenheit 451"is the only sci-fi book in his vast body of work -- and despite his passion for more national space projects, he is not  technology obsessive by any means.

"We have too many cellphones. We've got too many Internets. We have got to get rid of those machines. We have too many machines now."

Bradbury wrote darkly about bookburning in "Fahrenheit 451," but he sounds ready to use a Kindle for kindling. "I was approached three times during the last year by Internet companies wanting to put my books" on an electronic reading device, he said. "I said to Yahoo, 'Prick up your ears and go to hell.' "

On the one hand, I actually have some personal synergy with Bradbury's take on technology.  I was dragged into the cell-phone age kicking and screaming by my employer and my wife.  I use the internet for research and to keep up with you spags, but otherwise, it seems like it is overall about as redeeming as cable television. 

However, what is a little curious to me is his take on going to Mars.  It seems a bit antithetical to the whole narrative of The Martian Chronicles which was man goes to Mars, kills all the Martians, pretty much ruins Mars, and then goes back to Earth to ruin Earth.  The message I took away from that book was that if we ever go to Mars, it is going to end badly because we are prone to making things end badly. 

All that said, I wish the old codger got a little more face time.  It is kind of entertaining to hear him go off on certain topics, even if he does come off as a little senile.   

[Doktor Howl]

He's right, IMO, at least to some degree.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

I really saw those as moralist parables... as a commentary on the social/moral issues of the mid-20th century in a fictional setting so that he can hide the philosophy behind story... much like Heinlein does. That is, I don't think he wrote those from a perspective of 'If humans went to Mars', but rather as 'Here is my view of human problems, and we'll use a cool setting." Heinlein and Bradbury both seem to follow this idea, as opposed to say Vonnegut that really seemed to write from a more nihilistic perspective, making more direct commentary about humans and using absurdity to keep the story interesting to the reader.

I think that is visible in the interviews with the authors as well... Bradbury tends to talk like a futurist, while Vonnegut tended to talk like a nihilist.

[dontblameyoko]

I didn't know Ray Bradbury was still alive...

[Jenne]

I really saw those as moralist parables... as a commentary on the social/moral issues of the mid-20th century in a fictional setting so that he can hide the philosophy behind story... much like Heinlein does. That is, I don't think he wrote those from a perspective of 'If humans went to Mars', but rather as 'Here is my view of human problems, and we'll use a cool setting." Heinlein and Bradbury both seem to follow this idea, as opposed to say Vonnegut that really seemed to write from a more nihilistic perspective, making more direct commentary about humans and using absurdity to keep the story interesting to the reader.

I think that is visible in the interviews with the authors as well... Bradbury tends to talk like a futurist, while Vonnegut tended to talk like a nihilist.

I agree with this.

[Cramulus]

In case anybody hasn't seen this:

The music video "Fuck Me Ray Bradbury" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1IxOS4VzKM

Ray Bradbury's reaction to seeing this music video:

[Jenne]

O dear.  That was awesome.

[AFK]

I really saw those as moralist parables... as a commentary on the social/moral issues of the mid-20th century in a fictional setting so that he can hide the philosophy behind story... much like Heinlein does. That is, I don't think he wrote those from a perspective of 'If humans went to Mars', but rather as 'Here is my view of human problems, and we'll use a cool setting." Heinlein and Bradbury both seem to follow this idea, as opposed to say Vonnegut that really seemed to write from a more nihilistic perspective, making more direct commentary about humans and using absurdity to keep the story interesting to the reader.

I think that is visible in the interviews with the authors as well... Bradbury tends to talk like a futurist, while Vonnegut tended to talk like a nihilist.

I certainly agree that a main thrust of the Chronicles was commentary on problems with humanity.  That is, it seemed to be a pretty harsh commentary on then American human culture.  Maybe I just read some of my own values into what he is saying.  I admit I've had quite an affinity for Mars ever since I was a kiddo.  The thought of humans exploiting the fuck out of it and its fictional inhabitants filled me with all kinds of teenage angst. 

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

I really saw those as moralist parables... as a commentary on the social/moral issues of the mid-20th century in a fictional setting so that he can hide the philosophy behind story... much like Heinlein does. That is, I don't think he wrote those from a perspective of 'If humans went to Mars', but rather as 'Here is my view of human problems, and we'll use a cool setting." Heinlein and Bradbury both seem to follow this idea, as opposed to say Vonnegut that really seemed to write from a more nihilistic perspective, making more direct commentary about humans and using absurdity to keep the story interesting to the reader.

I think that is visible in the interviews with the authors as well... Bradbury tends to talk like a futurist, while Vonnegut tended to talk like a nihilist.

I certainly agree that a main thrust of the Chronicles was commentary on problems with humanity.  That is, it seemed to be a pretty harsh commentary on then American human culture.  Maybe I just read some of my own values into what he is saying.  I admit I've had quite an affinity for Mars ever since I was a kiddo.  The thought of humans exploiting the fuck out of it and its fictional inhabitants filled me with all kinds of teenage angst. 

Yeah, gotta agree on that!

[Cainad (dec.)]

I agree, it's pretty clear that some of the stories are definitely parables about American culture. What comes to my mind is that one story where the people on Mars come down to conquer Earth (like they've tried to many times in the past), and find that no one on Earth feels like putting up a fight and welcomes the Martians to their prosperous and wealthy planet.

Then the author-insert curmudgeon Martian character realizes with growing horror that their invasion force is being horribly decimated by... Earth (read: American) culture. They're all getting themselves gleefully killed in automobile accidents, getting seduced by floozy bubblegum-popping women, and the nail in the coffin is a film producer who approaches the author-insert about making the whole event into a movie.



...at least I think that one was Bradbury... My memory is horrible.

[AFK]

You sure you aren't thinking of Mars Attacks?

That definitely wasn't in the Chronicles.  I know that thing like the back of my hand. 

[Cainad (dec.)]

No, it wasn't Chronicles... maybe I'm confusing it with a copycat scifi author (a story with rocketships, Mars, and a "future" Earth that looks like the 1950s on speedballs; can you blame me?)

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

In case anybody hasn't seen this:

The music video "Fuck Me Ray Bradbury" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1IxOS4VzKM

Ray Bradbury's reaction to seeing this music video:

I'll get all the ladies too when I have jowels like that.

[Prince Glittersnatch III]

There was a study done comparing peoples favorite books to their SAT scores.



Also, apparently people who specify "Holy" in The Bible do considerable worse than people who just call it "The Bible".

[Jasper]

Consider, however, that Fahrenheit 451 is required reading in many high school curricula.  Could be that it's just the most recent book they remember reading.