Great books in the wrong hands

[BurnoutPriest]

Recently in the 1984 discussion thread the topic of "vegan, hippy, teenage girls" screwing up great books by warping their meaning beyond belief. This generally includes trying to look more intelligent, bringing up an idea within a book constantly without a firm grasp of it, and attempting to justify ideas/positions by using literature by great authors.

So, do you have any fun stories about such great books in the wrong hands? (1984, Slaughterhouse-five, Ayn Rand's books, etc.)

 

[Berethond]

I laughed when I say the title and author of this thread.
Let me try to think of another example...

Nope I can't remember.
Does Anti-Mormon literature count? That stuff is so wrong it's hilarious.

 

[Ronwue]

I think the best example is Nietzsche's work and Hitler. I'm too sleepy now to explain exactly. Just watch Ricky Gervais' show about politics and there'll be a reference.

 

[Taizan]

Can't think of any other more abused book than the bible.

Frankly, that's just weird. I had that near exact same though two seconds ago.

I was prepared for an anti-christian rant as well...

 

[JRCB]

Yeah, I'll go with the bible. Go conforming!

 

[Taizan]

Surprisingly, i love rants and arguments. They give me a slightly worrying satisfaction.

 

[Gitsnik]

Something a little left field, "Starship Troopers" in the hand of the douche who made the movie. It was like he read the first chapter and built the movie from that.

The obvious geeky sort of answer would be the Necronomicon of course.

 

[Lord Krunk]

The Bible in the hands of a greedy psychopath.

We all know how that turned out.

While I have no qualms with the Good book itself, there are some people that misinterpret it to their own benefit. We see it all the time, and its older than Christianity.

 

[LordMarcusX]

"Wheel of Time" in anyone's hands.

 

[Marbas]

Nietzsche, hands down. I have seen critical theorists use him to justify all sorts of bullshit.

 

[Cxizent]

Can't think of any other more abused book than the bible.

Only the fourth post? I was expecting someone to bring that up sooner.

I'm a Christian, and I've gotta say, I don't think I could agree more. It hurts me so much to see how many people fuck up the Good Book to justify anything.

 

[minoes]

Lolita.

 

[Syndef]

A lot of pseudo-intellectuals I've seen talk in quotes. I'm sure a great many of them say things that were written in books.

 

[Hunde Des Krieg]

The Bible in the hands of a greedy psychopath.

We all know how that turned out.

While I have no qualms with the Good book itself, there are some people that misinterpret it to their own benefit. We see it all the time, and its older than Christianity.

Like they say: When fascism comes to America it will do so wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross. Don't know if you live in America but whatever, the point is valid just about everywhere.

 

[theklng]

ayn rand and objectivism in general. people don't understand the philosophy and either judge it on false premises or join it under those same premises. then again, the ideas behind the books are the sad truth that people either don't want to hear or can't understand. as with everything foreign, they shun it.

 

[Hippopotamus]

Something a little left field, "Starship Troopers" in the hand of the douche who made the movie. It was like he read the first chapter and built the movie from that.

The obvious geeky sort of answer would be the Necronomicon of course.

Arguable. Sort of. The book is pretty pro-war, and anyone watching the movie gets the opposite feeling.

Summed up as: Is it so bad it's good? Or was it purposefully set up as a parody?

 

[Pseudonym2]

American Psycho. The point of the book is Patrick Bateman (and by extension, yuppie culture) is a loser and failure as a human being. He's not someone to look up to.

1984 because Karl Rove used it as an instruction manual.

 

[Chiasm]

"How to start a cult", A friend of a friend who was already a manipulator had this book. The power of the tie trick alone in that book was abused and should have put him in jail for how often he used it.

 

[ffxfriek]

the bible hands down

 

[Lyiat]

Darwin's works are typically perverted into meaning something they do not. Poor Charles...