From Newsgroup: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy

Previously submitted by Julian.

Without Books We Will Be Barbarians

It is not the road to serfdom that awaitsrCobut the steep downward slope
to the status of a peasant in ancient Egypt.

"He wanted above all . . . to shove a marshmallow on a stick in the
furnace, while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and
lawn of the house. While the books went up in sparkling whirls and blew
away on a wind turned dark with burning.rCY rCoRay Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

ItrCOs hard not to be impressed by Ray BradburyrCOs prescience.

In his best-known novel, the dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 (1953), he combined the memory of Nazi book burnings with the experience of Joseph McCarthyrCOs rCLRed ScarerCY to imagine a future America where firemen are employed not to put out fires, but to start them in any home where
illicit book reading is detected.

Bradbury naturally assumed that any society where books were generally prohibited would be a totalitarian one. The unnamed city he imagines is
in many respects an American version of George OrwellrCOs London in 1984.
What makes it distinctively American is that the authoritarian regime is combined with a hedonistic consumer society very different from the
austerity of OrwellrCOs dystopia.

Guy Montag, the fireman central character of Fahrenheit 451, is married
to mindless Millie, who flees serious thought or conversation with the assistance of sleeping pills, giant flat-screen televisions, and what we
would now call earbuds...

https://www.thefp.com/p/niall-ferguson-without-books-we-will-be-barbarians
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy

On 10/11/2025 10:07 AM, Dude wrote:

Previously submitted by Julian.

Without Books We Will Be Barbarians

Nobody reads books anymore, or newspapers, mainly because of the cost
and because of the bulk and environmental issues. Almost everyone is on
the internet, watches TV or listens to the radio to get news and entertainment.

We were at Barnes & Noble a week ago and I was amazed at the price of
the books and periodicals! It's outrageous!

That said, there's no arguing with the price of public radio and
broadcast television. Both me and Rita have Kindles and iPads and read
them all the time. We used to own hundreds of books, stacked all around.

Now we've got millions of books available in an instant online!

We must have read over 5,000 online books in the last five years, almost
all of them for free - classics, dictionaries and libraries of digital
data and music from all over the planet.

From now on, if I read any books it will be free.

It is not the road to serfdom that awaitsrCobut the steep downward slope
to the status of a peasant in ancient Egypt.

"He wanted above all . . . to shove a marshmallow on a stick in the
furnace, while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and
lawn of the house. While the books went up in sparkling whirls and blew
away on a wind turned dark with burning.rCY rCoRay Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

ItrCOs hard not to be impressed by Ray BradburyrCOs prescience.

In his best-known novel, the dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 (1953), he combined the memory of Nazi book burnings with the experience of Joseph McCarthyrCOs rCLRed ScarerCY to imagine a future America where firemen are employed not to put out fires, but to start them in any home where
illicit book reading is detected.

Bradbury naturally assumed that any society where books were generally prohibited would be a totalitarian one. The unnamed city he imagines is
in many respects an American version of George OrwellrCOs London in 1984. What makes it distinctively American is that the authoritarian regime is combined with a hedonistic consumer society very different from the austerity of OrwellrCOs dystopia.

Guy Montag, the fireman central character of Fahrenheit 451, is married
to mindless Millie, who flees serious thought or conversation with the assistance of sleeping pills, giant flat-screen televisions, and what we would now call earbuds...

https://www.thefp.com/p/niall-ferguson-without-books-we-will-be-barbarians

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy

On Oct 11, 2025 at 1:07:09rC>PM EDT, "Dude" <punditster@gmail.com> wrote:

Previously submitted by Julian.

Without Books We Will Be Barbarians

It is not the road to serfdom that awaitsrCobut the steep downward slope
to the status of a peasant in ancient Egypt.

"He wanted above all . . . to shove a marshmallow on a stick in the
furnace, while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and
lawn of the house. While the books went up in sparkling whirls and blew
away on a wind turned dark with burning.rCY rCoRay Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

ItrCOs hard not to be impressed by Ray BradburyrCOs prescience.

In his best-known novel, the dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 (1953), he combined the memory of Nazi book burnings with the experience of Joseph McCarthyrCOs rCLRed ScarerCY to imagine a future America where firemen are employed not to put out fires, but to start them in any home where
illicit book reading is detected.

Bradbury naturally assumed that any society where books were generally prohibited would be a totalitarian one. The unnamed city he imagines is
in many respects an American version of George OrwellrCOs London in 1984. What makes it distinctively American is that the authoritarian regime is combined with a hedonistic consumer society very different from the
austerity of OrwellrCOs dystopia.

Guy Montag, the fireman central character of Fahrenheit 451, is married
to mindless Millie, who flees serious thought or conversation with the assistance of sleeping pills, giant flat-screen televisions, and what we would now call earbuds...

https://www.thefp.com/p/niall-ferguson-without-books-we-will-be-barbarians

Were we barbarians before the printing press? We spoke and told stories to
each other. Or scratched them on cave walls.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy

On 10/11/2025 10:39 AM, Tara wrote:

On Oct 11, 2025 at 1:07:09rC>PM EDT, "Dude" <punditster@gmail.com> wrote:

Previously submitted by Julian.

Without Books We Will Be Barbarians

It is not the road to serfdom that awaitsrCobut the steep downward slope
to the status of a peasant in ancient Egypt.

"He wanted above all . . . to shove a marshmallow on a stick in the
furnace, while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and
lawn of the house. While the books went up in sparkling whirls and blew
away on a wind turned dark with burning.rCY rCoRay Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451 >>
ItrCOs hard not to be impressed by Ray BradburyrCOs prescience.

In his best-known novel, the dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 (1953), he
combined the memory of Nazi book burnings with the experience of Joseph
McCarthyrCOs rCLRed ScarerCY to imagine a future America where firemen are >> employed not to put out fires, but to start them in any home where
illicit book reading is detected.

Bradbury naturally assumed that any society where books were generally
prohibited would be a totalitarian one. The unnamed city he imagines is
in many respects an American version of George OrwellrCOs London in 1984.
What makes it distinctively American is that the authoritarian regime is
combined with a hedonistic consumer society very different from the
austerity of OrwellrCOs dystopia.

Guy Montag, the fireman central character of Fahrenheit 451, is married
to mindless Millie, who flees serious thought or conversation with the
assistance of sleeping pills, giant flat-screen televisions, and what we
would now call earbuds...

https://www.thefp.com/p/niall-ferguson-without-books-we-will-be-barbarians

Were we barbarians before the printing press? We spoke and told stories to each other. Or scratched them on cave walls.

History was written in symbols: the mythic totem.

A totem pole is a tall, carved wooden pillar created by Indigenous
peoples of the Pacific Northwest coast of North America to represent
family lineage, stories, clan symbols, or significant events and people.

Before that, in stone, in the form of edifice architecture.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy

On 10/11/25 10:07 AM, Dude wrote:

Previously submitted by Julian.

Without Books We Will Be Barbarians

It is not the road to serfdom that awaitsrCobut the steep downward slope
to the status of a peasant in ancient Egypt.

"He wanted above all . . . to shove a marshmallow on a stick in the
furnace, while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and
lawn of the house. While the books went up in sparkling whirls and blew
away on a wind turned dark with burning.rCY rCoRay Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

ItrCOs hard not to be impressed by Ray BradburyrCOs prescience.

In his best-known novel, the dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 (1953), he combined the memory of Nazi book burnings with the experience of Joseph McCarthyrCOs rCLRed ScarerCY to imagine a future America where firemen are employed not to put out fires, but to start them in any home where
illicit book reading is detected.

Bradbury naturally assumed that any society where books were generally prohibited would be a totalitarian one. The unnamed city he imagines is
in many respects an American version of George OrwellrCOs London in 1984. What makes it distinctively American is that the authoritarian regime is combined with a hedonistic consumer society very different from the austerity of OrwellrCOs dystopia.

Guy Montag, the fireman central character of Fahrenheit 451, is married
to mindless Millie, who flees serious thought or conversation with the assistance of sleeping pills, giant flat-screen televisions, and what we would now call earbuds...

https://www.thefp.com/p/niall-ferguson-without-books-we-will-be-barbarians

i mean on the flipside a lot of books are total horseshit and probably convincing people of ideals/expectations that are negative for society.

even "factual" non fiction books ... it's quite easy to spin a load of complete horseshit based on a couple false premises stated early in the
book that aren't that so obviously false. case&point modern pop-science
one things like string theory of whatever tf

this is true for all information mediums

the real question is what the fuck kinda information am i getting fed
here???
--
hi, i'm nick! let's end war EfOa

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy

On Sat, 11 Oct 2025 23:52:49 -0700, dart200
<user7160@newsgrouper.org.invalid> wrote:

On 10/11/25 10:07 AM, Dude wrote:

Previously submitted by Julian.

Without Books We Will Be Barbarians

It is not the road to serfdom that awaitsubut the steep downward slope
to the status of a peasant in ancient Egypt.

"He wanted above all . . . to shove a marshmallow on a stick in the
furnace, while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and
lawn of the house. While the books went up in sparkling whirls and blew
away on a wind turned dark with burning.o uRay Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

ItAs hard not to be impressed by Ray BradburyAs prescience.

In his best-known novel, the dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 (1953), he
combined the memory of Nazi book burnings with the experience of Joseph
McCarthyAs oRed Scareo to imagine a future America where firemen are
employed not to put out fires, but to start them in any home where
illicit book reading is detected.

Bradbury naturally assumed that any society where books were generally
prohibited would be a totalitarian one. The unnamed city he imagines is
in many respects an American version of George OrwellAs London in 1984.
What makes it distinctively American is that the authoritarian regime is
combined with a hedonistic consumer society very different from the
austerity of OrwellAs dystopia.

Guy Montag, the fireman central character of Fahrenheit 451, is married
to mindless Millie, who flees serious thought or conversation with the
assistance of sleeping pills, giant flat-screen televisions, and what we
would now call earbuds...

https://www.thefp.com/p/niall-ferguson-without-books-we-will-be-barbarians

i mean on the flipside a lot of books are total horseshit and probably >convincing people of ideals/expectations that are negative for society.

Libraries are full of books that should never have been published.
Novels are not an attempt to provide information.

even "factual" non fiction books ... it's quite easy to spin a load of >complete horseshit based on a couple false premises stated early in the
book that aren't that so obviously false. case&point modern pop-science
one things like string theory of whatever tf

this is true for all information mediums

the real question is what the fuck kinda information am i getting fed >here???

Whatever your level of appreciation is, there is somebody who wants to
get paid for feeding it.

Isaac Azimov said that we should respect people's appreciation of art
no matter how kitschy. At least they are appreciating something.

Right, an ability to see beauty in this world is not to be scorned.
Without that the ugliness can become difficult to bear for some of us.

For me the best stuff is social commentary. Novels can be a telling
depiction of what is. Often writers decide to take that to a
fantasy/sci-fi setting to avoid sounding preachy or cutting a little
too close to the bone. Although some writers, like Charles Dickens,
can pull off the telling depiction without hiding it. In that case it
is almost necessary to describe your characters with utmost sympathy
for the human that they are no matter how vile. Like shakespeare.
Macbeth asks the witches what the future holds, and trembles to hear,
then thinks, that isn't so bad, how can birnam wood move to dunsinane
hill? All may yet be well. Macbeth is human, he fears, he trembles,
he seeks reassurance.

The rule seems to be that if you can effectively show instead of tell,
you aren't being preachy. That doesn't mean that, if you show
something that violates what a person wants to believe, they will
listen to you at all. Vile actors must fall victim to their own
natural impulses. What vile actor wants to hear that?

On the other hand, does the ancient idea of the greek tragedy lead us
astray? Don't good things happen to bad people? Didn't the gangsters
of 100 years ago learn to stop murdering each other? Or at least, do
it so extremely well as to not get caught? Where is Jimmy Hoffa?
--
Noah Sombrero mustachioed villain
Don't get political with me young man
or I'll tie you to a railroad track and
<<<talk>>> to <<<YOOooooo>>>
Who dares to talk to El Sombrero?
dares: Ned
does not dare: Julian shrinks in horror and warns others away

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy

On 10/11/2025 11:52 PM, dart200 wrote:

On 10/11/25 10:07 AM, Dude wrote:

Previously submitted by Julian.

Without Books We Will Be Barbarians

It is not the road to serfdom that awaitsrCobut the steep downward slope
to the status of a peasant in ancient Egypt.

"He wanted above all . . . to shove a marshmallow on a stick in the
furnace, while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and
lawn of the house. While the books went up in sparkling whirls and
blew away on a wind turned dark with burning.rCY rCoRay Bradbury,
Fahrenheit 451

ItrCOs hard not to be impressed by Ray BradburyrCOs prescience.

In his best-known novel, the dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 (1953),
he combined the memory of Nazi book burnings with the experience of
Joseph McCarthyrCOs rCLRed ScarerCY to imagine a future America where
firemen are employed not to put out fires, but to start them in any
home where illicit book reading is detected.

Bradbury naturally assumed that any society where books were generally
prohibited would be a totalitarian one. The unnamed city he imagines
is in many respects an American version of George OrwellrCOs London in
1984. What makes it distinctively American is that the authoritarian
regime is combined with a hedonistic consumer society very different
from the austerity of OrwellrCOs dystopia.

Guy Montag, the fireman central character of Fahrenheit 451, is
married to mindless Millie, who flees serious thought or conversation
with the assistance of sleeping pills, giant flat-screen televisions,
and what we would now call earbuds...

https://www.thefp.com/p/niall-ferguson-without-books-we-will-be-
barbarians

i mean on the flipside a lot of books are total horseshit and probably convincing people of ideals/expectations that are negative for society.

even "factual" non fiction books ... it's quite easy to spin a load of complete horseshit based on a couple false premises stated early in the
book that aren't that so obviously false. case&point modern pop-science
one things like string theory of whatever tf

this is true for all information mediums

Blockchain.

the real question is what the fuck kinda information am i getting fed

here???

The real question is, why are you painting with such a large brush?

There's no information here, just opinions. These are not real people,
Nick.

So, I already told you, there's nobody here and the Ned explained all
about the troll, so good luck getting anybody to talk to you. Keep up
the good work!
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy

On Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:35:11 -0700, Dude <punditster@gmail.com> wrote:

On 10/11/2025 11:52 PM, dart200 wrote:

On 10/11/25 10:07 AM, Dude wrote:

Previously submitted by Julian.

Without Books We Will Be Barbarians

It is not the road to serfdom that awaitsubut the steep downward slope
to the status of a peasant in ancient Egypt.

"He wanted above all . . . to shove a marshmallow on a stick in the
furnace, while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and
lawn of the house. While the books went up in sparkling whirls and
blew away on a wind turned dark with burning.o uRay Bradbury,
Fahrenheit 451

ItAs hard not to be impressed by Ray BradburyAs prescience.

In his best-known novel, the dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 (1953),
he combined the memory of Nazi book burnings with the experience of
Joseph McCarthyAs oRed Scareo to imagine a future America where
firemen are employed not to put out fires, but to start them in any
home where illicit book reading is detected.

Bradbury naturally assumed that any society where books were generally
prohibited would be a totalitarian one. The unnamed city he imagines
is in many respects an American version of George OrwellAs London in
1984. What makes it distinctively American is that the authoritarian
regime is combined with a hedonistic consumer society very different
from the austerity of OrwellAs dystopia.

Guy Montag, the fireman central character of Fahrenheit 451, is
married to mindless Millie, who flees serious thought or conversation
with the assistance of sleeping pills, giant flat-screen televisions,
and what we would now call earbuds...

https://www.thefp.com/p/niall-ferguson-without-books-we-will-be-
barbarians

i mean on the flipside a lot of books are total horseshit and probably
convincing people of ideals/expectations that are negative for society.

even "factual" non fiction books ... it's quite easy to spin a load of
complete horseshit based on a couple false premises stated early in the
book that aren't that so obviously false. case&point modern pop-science
one things like string theory of whatever tf

this is true for all information mediums

Blockchain.

the real question is what the fuck kinda information am i getting fed

here???

The real question is, why are you painting with such a large brush?

There's no information here, just opinions. These are not real people,
Nick.

So, I already told you, there's nobody here and the Ned explained all
about the troll, so good luck getting anybody to talk to you. Keep up
the good work!

It is not that there is nobody here. It is that we are so damned
ornery and opinionated and fuck you anyway... I mean, aren't you?
--
Noah Sombrero mustachioed villain
Don't get political with me young man
or I'll tie you to a railroad track and
<<<talk>>> to <<<YOOooooo>>>
Who dares to talk to El Sombrero?
dares: Ned
does not dare: Julian shrinks in horror and warns others away

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy

On 10/12/2025 11:09 AM, Noah Sombrero wrote:

On Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:35:11 -0700, Dude <punditster@gmail.com> wrote:

On 10/11/2025 11:52 PM, dart200 wrote:

On 10/11/25 10:07 AM, Dude wrote:

Previously submitted by Julian.

Without Books We Will Be Barbarians

It is not the road to serfdom that awaitsrCobut the steep downward slope >>>> to the status of a peasant in ancient Egypt.

"He wanted above all . . . to shove a marshmallow on a stick in the
furnace, while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and
lawn of the house. While the books went up in sparkling whirls and
blew away on a wind turned dark with burning.rCY rCoRay Bradbury,
Fahrenheit 451

ItrCOs hard not to be impressed by Ray BradburyrCOs prescience.

In his best-known novel, the dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 (1953),
he combined the memory of Nazi book burnings with the experience of
Joseph McCarthyrCOs rCLRed ScarerCY to imagine a future America where
firemen are employed not to put out fires, but to start them in any
home where illicit book reading is detected.

Bradbury naturally assumed that any society where books were generally >>>> prohibited would be a totalitarian one. The unnamed city he imagines
is in many respects an American version of George OrwellrCOs London in >>>> 1984. What makes it distinctively American is that the authoritarian
regime is combined with a hedonistic consumer society very different
from the austerity of OrwellrCOs dystopia.

Guy Montag, the fireman central character of Fahrenheit 451, is
married to mindless Millie, who flees serious thought or conversation
with the assistance of sleeping pills, giant flat-screen televisions,
and what we would now call earbuds...

https://www.thefp.com/p/niall-ferguson-without-books-we-will-be-
barbarians

i mean on the flipside a lot of books are total horseshit and probably
convincing people of ideals/expectations that are negative for society.

even "factual" non fiction books ... it's quite easy to spin a load of
complete horseshit based on a couple false premises stated early in the
book that aren't that so obviously false. case&point modern pop-science
one things like string theory of whatever tf

this is true for all information mediums

Blockchain.

the real question is what the fuck kinda information am i getting fed

here???

The real question is, why are you painting with such a large brush?

There's no information here, just opinions. These are not real people,
Nick.

So, I already told you, there's nobody here and the Ned explained all
about the troll, so good luck getting anybody to talk to you. Keep up
the good work!

It is not that there is nobody here. It is that we are so damned
ornery and opinionated and fuck you anyway...

Good work!

You may be saving this group. It would be a shame if something were to
happen to it.

Key words: Free speech, contribute

I mean, aren't you?

Speak for yourself, but I'm tired of being lonely, ornery and mean!




--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy

On 10/12/25 10:35 AM, Dude wrote:

On 10/11/2025 11:52 PM, dart200 wrote:

On 10/11/25 10:07 AM, Dude wrote:

Previously submitted by Julian.

Without Books We Will Be Barbarians

It is not the road to serfdom that awaitsrCobut the steep downward
slope to the status of a peasant in ancient Egypt.

"He wanted above all . . . to shove a marshmallow on a stick in the
furnace, while the flapping pigeon-winged books died on the porch and
lawn of the house. While the books went up in sparkling whirls and
blew away on a wind turned dark with burning.rCY rCoRay Bradbury,
Fahrenheit 451

ItrCOs hard not to be impressed by Ray BradburyrCOs prescience.

In his best-known novel, the dystopian classic Fahrenheit 451 (1953),
he combined the memory of Nazi book burnings with the experience of
Joseph McCarthyrCOs rCLRed ScarerCY to imagine a future America where
firemen are employed not to put out fires, but to start them in any
home where illicit book reading is detected.

Bradbury naturally assumed that any society where books were
generally prohibited would be a totalitarian one. The unnamed city he
imagines is in many respects an American version of George OrwellrCOs
London in 1984. What makes it distinctively American is that the
authoritarian regime is combined with a hedonistic consumer society
very different from the austerity of OrwellrCOs dystopia.

Guy Montag, the fireman central character of Fahrenheit 451, is
married to mindless Millie, who flees serious thought or conversation
with the assistance of sleeping pills, giant flat-screen televisions,
and what we would now call earbuds...

https://www.thefp.com/p/niall-ferguson-without-books-we-will-be-
barbarians

i mean on the flipside a lot of books are total horseshit and probably
convincing people of ideals/expectations that are negative for society.

even "factual" non fiction books ... it's quite easy to spin a load of
complete horseshit based on a couple false premises stated early in
the book that aren't that so obviously false. case&point modern pop-
science one things like string theory of whatever tf

this is true for all information mediums

Blockchain.

the real question is what the fuck kinda information am i getting fed

here???

The real question is, why are you painting with such a large brush?

There's no information here, just opinions. These are not real people,
Nick.

that's just like ur opinion dude...

one that's that incorrect because opinions are still a form of
information, regardless of whether they are truthful or not

So, I already told you, there's nobody here and the Ned explained all
about the troll, so good luck getting anybody to talk to you. Keep up
the good work!

i missed the troll aspect, not sure what ned was going off about.

tbh, beside blatant spammers, i'm not even sure trolls exist really,

everything you say, disingenuous or otherwise, leaks info about ur real perspectives on things whether you like it or not.

you can't not be genuine to some degree, even if it's just that you
genuinely allow urself to be outwardly disingenuous about topics in
certain times/places...
--
hi, i'm a countertroll! let's end war EfOa

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2