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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
dark
informative
reflective
fast-paced
A poignant socioeconomic investigation, which addresses, among other things, class prejudice. This superb piece of non-fiction rings just as true today as it did when it was published in 1937.
Definitely has an air of "holy shit, this was published in 1937?!?" to it. Lots of insights/lessons that are incredibly relevant today. Example 1: the decision to use the word "trump" in this quote is... ironic, to say the least: "Obviously the most urgent need of the next few years is to capture those normal decent [members of the working-class] before Fascism plays its trump card". Or to take another example: "It is quite easy to imagine a middle class crushed down to the worst depths of poverty and still remaining bitterly anti-working class in sentiment; this being, of course, a ready-made Fascist Party [...or Trump voting bloc].". So yes, this book is absurdly relevant in 2016, and I highly recommend it, though admittedly Part II sometimes feels like Orwell overly-curmudgeonly railing against how much he despises the clothing and "vegetarianism" of 1930s Socialists.
i wrote a whole review and it got killed…
i loved it. great journalism, wow being a coal miner sucked.
the whole thing on mechanization was great. still topical today. Love the idea “treat mechanization with care like drugs; for they are both useful, addictive, and dangerous”. Do we want things to be soft and complex or hard and simple? Calls cross fit gyms and artificial exercise lolol. His fears have generally come true. Thinks mechanization creates things to a lower standard then humans are use to, but it’s convenient. We bend to the will of our machines, lowering our taste. Neat idea that applies now. UI informs our interactions.
spoke to me in surprisingly precise ways once i shed the era-specific sentiments. Eg: “i know capitalism is bad but leftists are lame”, or more specifically “vocal socialists are lame but their essentials are well intended. deemphasize aesthetic sensibilities and join them. join them and advocate for simple messaging, less jargon, less witch hunt style activism”. FINALLY, a person w a humanist heart calls the left cringe.
the failures of the left drive mostly good people towards fascism. written 3 years before ww2 0.o
i loved it. great journalism, wow being a coal miner sucked.
the whole thing on mechanization was great. still topical today. Love the idea “treat mechanization with care like drugs; for they are both useful, addictive, and dangerous”. Do we want things to be soft and complex or hard and simple? Calls cross fit gyms and artificial exercise lolol. His fears have generally come true. Thinks mechanization creates things to a lower standard then humans are use to, but it’s convenient. We bend to the will of our machines, lowering our taste. Neat idea that applies now. UI informs our interactions.
spoke to me in surprisingly precise ways once i shed the era-specific sentiments. Eg: “i know capitalism is bad but leftists are lame”, or more specifically “vocal socialists are lame but their essentials are well intended. deemphasize aesthetic sensibilities and join them. join them and advocate for simple messaging, less jargon, less witch hunt style activism”. FINALLY, a person w a humanist heart calls the left cringe.
the failures of the left drive mostly good people towards fascism. written 3 years before ww2 0.o
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
slow-paced
challenging
informative
slow-paced
This is a book very much of two halves. The first is a straight descriptive piece on the life of the working class's in the north of England. very reminiscent of Down and Out in Paris and London it is an amazing read, well written and interesting to read.
The second half however is a work of socialist appology that starts out well but soon becomes unreadable unfortunately. For me part of the reason for this is that his thoughts on mechanisation are now completely dated and hopelessly simplistic.
Still well worth the time spent reading it though.
The second half however is a work of socialist appology that starts out well but soon becomes unreadable unfortunately. For me part of the reason for this is that his thoughts on mechanisation are now completely dated and hopelessly simplistic.
Still well worth the time spent reading it though.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced