Comments on: A Web of Geeks, Every One of Which Knows a Lot about Something

A Web of Geeks, Every One of Which Knows a Lot about Something

Navelgazer — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:32:38 -0800

Vegging Out vs. Geeking Out. Romance as the MSG of film. The bifurcated careers of Lucy lawless, Sigourney Weaver, and Hugo Weaving. Characters making smart decisions vs. stupid decisions. Neal Stephenson discusses Sci-Fi/Speculative Fiction as a literary genre at Gresham College. (Warning: requires Flash 9)

By: humannaire

humannaire — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:37:24 -0800

Neal Stephenson talking for 40 minutes on speculative fiction? [gleefully goes for bag of popcorn—large bag]

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:40:09 -0800

Thanks for this. I actually just started rereading The Diamond Age a few days ago, so it's timely as all hell.

By: sonic meat machine

sonic meat machine — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:46:44 -0800

His material is excellent, but his delivery is terrible.

By: Arturus

Arturus — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:32:39 -0800

... So rather than trying to salvage anything from the standard model [of genres], I believe that it makes more sense to speak of a bifurcated culture. Of course, the bifurcation isn't absolute or perfectly clean, but it's clear that there are two distinct audience groups and that they have different characteristics. One carries swords in elevators and the other doesn't. So true. And I love the bit about the waiter.

By: odinsdream

odinsdream — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:33:02 -0800

Fuuckk yeaaa.

By: Strange Interlude

Strange Interlude — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:36:04 -0800

This ought to be fun! I started reading an advance copy of his new novel Anathem a few days ago, and am still in that dreamy phase of reading any given Stephenson work where I'm wondering what the hell this book is really going to be about. This is a good thing, I think. Thanks for the link!

By: Alvy Ampersand

Alvy Ampersand — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:37:05 -0800

Just when I was begrudgingly going to wash the dishes, how did you know?

By: Skorgu

Skorgu — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:40:07 -0800

Sleep can wait.

By: Rubbstone

Rubbstone — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:49:00 -0800

mmm... Idea Porn

By: sourwookie

sourwookie — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:05:24 -0800

This ought to be fun! I started reading an advance copy of his new novel Anathem a few days ago, How?!

By: Alterscape

Alterscape — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:12:45 -0800

[this is good]

By: Dizzy

Dizzy — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:14:47 -0800

Use his eyes, most likely.

By: b1tr0t

b1tr0t — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:10:26 -0800

Like William Gibson, Stephenson reads his speech.

By: arcanecrowbar

arcanecrowbar — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:54:50 -0800

This is good, thanks! Interesting idea about how the crime genre has fused with television while the romance genre has fused with the movies.

By: Loudmax

Loudmax — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:06:32 -0800

I'm a big fan of Neal Stephenson's books, but the end of the speech seems a little whiney when he gets into post-modern criticism. Why is he going on about literary criticism? He sounds like a kid going out of his way to prove how little he cares what the establishment thinks of him. I'd have much rathered he'd just focused on science fiction.

By: ROU_Xenophobe

ROU_Xenophobe — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:29:45 -0800

Why is he going on about literary criticism? The same reason that the neovictorians in The Diamond Age are basically right, and that the Mafia is on to something in Snow Crash, and that Randy Waterhouse comes to respect at least some aspects of Douglas MacArthur Shaftoe's and Avi's traditionalism, and why Randy meets those friends who go to a church. The same reason that The Diamond Age starts by introducing us to Bud, who would be the hero in a cyberpunk book, describes what a useless putz he is, and kills him off. A rejection of at least parts of the post-modern enterprise in favor of at least parts of traditionalism is a staple in Stephenson's work.

By: wastelands

wastelands — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:29:30 -0800

Reminds me of a TED talk. Great link. Thanks!

By: Pronoiac

Pronoiac — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:35:04 -0800

I've looked around, & I think that more than a few advance copies have gone out. I lucked out too, partially due to having worked on the wiki for the Baroque Cycle. Anathem's a great book, & it's definitely his most alien yet.

By: empath

empath — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:56:35 -0800

I don't get the attack on post-modernists, since post-modernists have been fairly complementary to spec fic, for the most part, haven't they? At least sf of the PKD type.

By: Happy Dave

Happy Dave — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:42:07 -0800

Awesome - given how rarely he does any sort of speech, this is a gem. And it's fascinating. I fancy diving back into a Stephenson book soon. Which brain-breaking slab of ideas will it be this time? Choices, choices.

By: absalom

absalom — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:59:48 -0800

but the end of the speech seems a little whiney when he gets into post-modern criticism You mean Stephenson manages to put together something fantastic, only to fuck it up with a shitty ending? color me shocked.

By: ROU_Xenophobe

ROU_Xenophobe — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:49:24 -0800

I fancy diving back into a Stephenson book soon. Which brain-breaking slab of ideas will it be this time? Choices, choices. Soon? Anathem.

By: Ber

Ber — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:37:36 -0800

You mean Stephenson manages to put together something fantastic, only to fuck it up with a shitty ending? color me shocked. You beat me to it. This encapsulates my experience with every Stephenson book I have read.

By: aldus_manutius

aldus_manutius — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 10:25:22 -0800

Post-modernism? Post-modernism! Post-modernism is over ... move along, new things to see elsewhere ...

By: Joakim Ziegler

Joakim Ziegler — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:35:18 -0800

So, post-post-modernism?

By: quin

quin — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:42:37 -0800

I love Stephenson, although I've been reading Cryptonomicon at work, and apparently I look enough like his photo on the back of the hardcover that a number of my co-workers have remarked on it. Personally, I don't see it at all.

By: Arturus

Arturus — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:04:33 -0800

There's a longstanding tradition among scientifically inclined folk to bash post-modernism whenever it comes up. It's certainly not unique to stephenson.

By: Pronoiac

Pronoiac — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:48:03 -0800

Wow, that was really interesting & insightful. I'm surprised that he mentioned Bruce Sterling, considering their history (find "fight" on that page). So, Anathem's out in September - that's plenty of time for Happy Dave to dive through some other Stephenson books. It's dense with detail, mostly (if not all) told from the first person, & lacking the usual nonexistent denouement, with the abrupt massive zoom out. *Cryptonomicon spoiler* I whinged about the abrupt ending to a friend, who said, "come on, they got the Nazi gold - what more do you want?" *end spoiler*

By: sparkletone

sparkletone — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:24:32 -0800

While acknowledging the abrupt endings of Cryptonomicon, and earlier works... Good news! It turns out if he has 3000 pages of build up, Stephenson can put together a non-abrupt, emotionally satisfying denouement. Even better news is that the Baroque books are 3000 very good pages (taken as a whole).