READY PLAYER ONE

**RIP-Felix** · August 26, 2017

On 8/26/2017 at 5:42 PM, tthurman said:

OR video, which contains possible spoilers for those of you that haven't checked out the book.

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Cool! A direct reference to a game mentioned in the book (Not the same idea, but I like this). I wonder how it will turn out, but man this universe lends itself perfectly to VR. Actually that's why I'm not worried about egregious use of CGI in the movie. It's a world of VR, it's supposed to look computer generated because it is...no shocker there! I think this movie has a real shot at being one of my favorites!

On 8/26/2017 at 4:34 PM, tthurman said:

Yeah, it's going to be impossible to get this spot on with the book, it would have to be a mini-series (which I would love).

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Oh man, that would be my favorite show. God I hope something like that happens. Please, PLEASE let a TV series be made from this book!!!

On 8/26/2017 at 4:34 PM, tthurman said:

I'd say the iconic character that I recall so fondly as a child with will almost certainly not make the movie. Just to many licenses, that no one entity could possible have in their entirety.

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On 8/26/2017 at 4:34 PM, tthurman said:

Geez....I can't wait. I may have to go back through the book again to let my imagination run wild before the movie removes that possibility.

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Do it! I actually re-listened a week or two ago (Took me 3-4 days this time, instead of 2). Still a great story, although it didn't thrill like first read through. I also just finished Armada, his second book, last week. Not as thrilling, used many of the same figures of speech, references, and styles, but was a fun listen. It had all the 80s pop culture I expected after reading RP1. And hey, I made a "Raid The Arcade" playlist to get into it more, I can't say I wholly agree with his taste in 80s music, but it was fun none the less. Oh, if you read Armada, I recommend that you skip to the last chapter and listen to his playlist before reading the book, so you have those songs fresh in memory and can play them upon coming to them in the book. It makes the atmosphere more immersive/enjoyable.

**tthurman** · August 26, 2017

Not to beat a dead horse, but if you love games, and who here doesn't......get this book on one format or another, NOW!

You will be enveloped by it just a few chapters in!

Stay away all but those in the know....spoilers abound!

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**tthurman** · August 28, 2017

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**tthurman** · August 31, 2017

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**tthurman** · September 1, 2017

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**tthurman** · September 7, 2017

Big-time spoilers:

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**RIP-Felix** · September 8, 2017

I'll take the bait.

I think she made a few valid points, from a feminist perspective. However, it's important to point out that feminism has taken a fall out of the mainstream consciousness. This explains, even if it doesn't excuse, some of the male egocentrism. But what about the female egocentrism. Remember that cuts both ways. Yes I'm a guy, but please check your prejudice at the door and let me make my arguments. You might be surprised.

Warning: I go deep (AKA wall of text. You have been warned)

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One of the arguments she made I would agree with - today. It's a real problem in 2017. In response to this Cline quote, “I’ve had a crush on you since before we even met. From reading your blog and watching your POV. I’ve been cyber-stalking you for years.” she said, "In both virtual and real life, this is never cute or romantic. It’s a red flag." I wholly agree with that. However, that conversation was taken out of context. The context was a couple of good friends jesting with a playful banter. Remember that Art3mis already had a pretty good gauge of Parzival's character by then. Also, when people are dating they tend to fumble over their words, make stupid comments, unnecessary apologies, generally make an fool of themselves - swoony buffoonery if you will. It's love that covers over these blemishes. It is cute, but really, it's extremely embarrassing.

Contrary to current gender stereotypes, guys are not stupid or emotionally inept. We feel the same range of emotions and like everyone suffer from self-esteem issues, lack of confidence, and fear of hurting others feelings. The social custom of Guys making the first move is unfair. While it's romanticized in literature and film, it places the pressure on us to make the first move. Please understand, it is extremely difficult to approach a girl we are attracted to, sometimes unbearably so. If the girl is 'out of our league' hot, or unattainably famous, or thought to be in another relationship, extremely desired but not acceptable (bad girl - you want to, but know better), then a guy will just fantasize and not pursue a real relationship. Let me give you an example of a fantasy, before your mind wanders to the gutter:

Me: What if she were to get up, walk over here and say,

Her: I've seen you watching me and I've been waiting. But listen, I like you and I get the feeling you like me too. If you do, we can hang out more. [pause] So...do you? [she stands in an uncomfortable, vulnerable manner. Her cheeks are blushed.]

Me: [thinking to myself] "did she just ask me out? No stupid, she said lets hang out. But she said she likes me, that means she wants to date. Right? Incorrect nerd-ball, it means she's considering it. She's open to the idea, but doesn't want to act the fool by presuming you like her. That's why she asked you if you liked her!" [meanwhile a second or two have elapsed]

Her: [Thinking to herself] "What's taking so long? I hope I didn't just make a total fool of myself! [Just then she realizes my mouth is open and eyes are wide. She cracks a half smirk.] "He's starting to blush. Oh...[she catches herself]...don't laugh."

Me: [Still thinking to myself] ..."also, she said 'hang out more' because it's informal, public. She's being cautious!" [Suddenly I get my wits back about me. I realize my mouth is open.] "How long has my mouth been open? As if she needed another reason to think I'm a Dog, here' I am drooling, mute, and dumbstruck! Quick, speak doggy speak!

Me: Um, yeah. I do kinda...uh...like you too.

Her: Cool! Hey, do you want to come...[I realize I've actually been staring at the real girl a too long]

Me: Oh crap, she's looking this way. Play it cool! [I avert my eyes just as she looks at me.]

Her: [Thinking to herself] Was that guy just staring at me? Either he likes me or it was nothing. Weirdo alert! Make a mental note of that one. It's probably nothing, but just in case...

That kind of day dreaming can go on for quite a while. I think it's healthy. We go over these mental iterations like simulations for the real thing, so we don't make total fools of ourselves. We don't usually own up to these thoughts, but everyone has them.

Art3mis was already a famous 'Gunter' and appealed to Parzival in that attainably attractive kind of way. That's the hardest kind of crush, by the way. Your attracted to her, but you don't know why. It's not the kind of physical beauty your conditioned to like, but the kind you didn't know you're organically drawn to. A surprising attraction. A biological one. The rarest and best kind of first attraction. It should be the most flattering kind to the subject as well. He doesn't just like the way you look, because you fit into the social image of beauty women feel obligated to emulate. He's actually attracted to you! Something about the way you smile, your bone structure, an odd but endearing imperfection. It could be anything really. I had a crush on a girl in my class I would not otherwise be attracted to. It was Her incredibility radiant smile, cute dimples, and outgoing personality. She had curves too, but robust ones. Much like Cline describes Art3mis. Yeah, I crushed hard on her. I've maybe had 3 or 4 of these type of crushes. They're pretty rare. None ever led anywhere for me. I never followed up on the earlier one because she had a boyfriend. It happened again many years later in college, until we worked together on a group assignment. Total type A, controlling, dismissive authoritarian. It completely popped my bubble! The most recent was the hardest crush of all. She's who I pictured when Cline described Art3mis. Exact same description, only she was taller than Art3mis. Letting that one go still stings, but it would have ruined our friendship. I could tell she knew I wanted her (they always know). She didn't want me. She showed all the signs of fearing I would confess my feelings and tarnish what we did have. She wasn't attracted to me, but was being friendly. I kept it cordial and nothing came of it. She was cool and we kept it that way. And so it goes. That's the kind of crush Parzival has on Art3mis. It was intimidating to him, very much so. Thus he studied her posts and collected pictures, full blown stereotypical tween girl hysteria style. When they actually met and she returned signs of actually liking him. Oh man, it was game on!

Yup, Guys feel this way too. This is evidence of our full range of fully working emotions. Add to that the non-fully formed, adolescent, mind of an agoraphobic and nerdy high school student. It is completely understandable Parzival idolizes Art3mis, collects her photos, studies blog posts, fantasizes about her, but never really believes she's in his league. This is a normal crush he never thought would become a real relationship, otherwise he would have toned down the hysteria knowing it's kinda weird. But, if he's never going to meet her, what difference does it make? It's his fantasy after all, and fantasies are just fantasies! They usually never pan out.

I'll summarize the stages a guy goes through before asking a girl out. I think many women don't give guys credit for how much thought actually goes into the decision to ask them out:

Attraction: Attraction is a hot topic, but it generally combines physical beauty (a social norm) with the personal qualities we individually find appealing (a moral interpersonal connection). At first glance, we become fixated on beauty and it drives us to look deeper into that person. Knowing that may cause us to recoil and diminish the importance of physical beauty. That's a form a of self sabotage arising out of normal insecurity. A person with low self esteem or body issues may feel it's pointless to try. Rather than shrink back from our appearance and becoming embittered, we should be proactive in our personal hygiene, health, and dress. This balanced attitude shows others we value ourselves and our public perception. Really this is about valuing yourself, showing self love. It has the fringe benefit of signaling a potential mate. To a large extent, physical beauty can be overruled by appealing personal qualities like kindness, forgiveness, love, generosity, faith, and on and on. True, first attraction is usually only based on physical appearance. But an abundance of attractive qualities won't go unnoticed.
Decide if you really want to pursue a relationship: This is the stage where guys observe a girl for those attractive interpersonal qualities. Sure, he's also admiring you're curves. But really, he's working up the courage. He's looking for something more. He's also waiting to be put off by something that trumps all (like a fierce or judgmental attitude, impatience, shallowness, really anything that doesn't meet his moral code and isn't likely to change). He's forming a mental image of the person you might be. Scary I know, but women do it too, don't lie. It's normal and necessary. Parzival did this by studying Art3mis' blog, looking at photos, generally observing her qualities and interests. This is an important step before getting to know someone through dating. Remember, guys can be hurt too. A broken heart is not something that only happens to women. Nor is rape! Guys have to be cautious too.
Make a move or decide to accept a courtship request: The danger of observing a person for positive qualities before dating is that we may like the mental image of that person more than the actual person. Sometimes a guy, or girl for that matter, likes the mental image of that person more than they think the real relationship would be like. They'd rather keep that image than make it real. It doesn't necessarily mean he's put off by something you did or too scared to ask you out. It may mean nothing at all. You can ask him to find out if you want to. It may be he wanted to ask you out, but didn't think you'd accept and wanted to save some dignity. Maybe He's too insecure to ask. Maybe He decided not to, that he saw something that put him off (Fair or not). Maybe he was conflicted by his moral code. Some people only court those of like faith, but are tempted by those who aren't. Maybe he just never noticed you before and would like it if you took the initiative. Maybe not. The only way to find out is to ask, which takes courage and will likely be an awkward conversation. Ask yourself, how many crushes go unnoticed because no one ever said anything? It's a humbling thought that should fill you with a sense of compassion and understanding for the heavy responsibility. Now ask yourself if it's fair to thrust the first move upon Guys just because of a social gender role. Cut us some slack for taking our time, or do it yourself. Be prepared for the answer, it may not be what you hoped for.
Dating: To replace the mental image of the person with the real one is one of the purposes of courtship. This is where love and forgiveness come in. If you have these qualities, they'll help cover over minor imperfections and give our hearts time become entangled. But, yeah, there is a point when a crush should progress to dating or be..well...crushed.

In any case From a 2017 perspective, Parzival probably should have made a move long before his crush neared stalker territory, true. But I ask, can we expect the still developing mind of an adolescent boy in high school to get it right, especially given the responsibility I detailed above? While we try to make a good decision, the heart aches and pushed us to make the wrong one. The heart want's love and latches onto the first person that comes along, like venom does Spiderman. This is one reason that saying "follow your heart" is total BS. The mind is the only thing protecting our heart from being broken. What it should say is "train and follow your conscience". Back to the point, Parzival lives in a VR obsessed dystopian 2044 and has never actually met Art3mis in person. We can reasonably assume current abuses of technology will continue to progress and evolve with that tech. For all He knows, Art3mis could be a 300lb dude VR catfishing him. Can you really blame him for going a little overboard on his research of her? Maybe it wasn't cyber-stalking as much as it was cyber-vetting. Moreover, he never thought that he would actually meet her, so it was just a fantasy. When it crossed the line, became a real possibility, It's believable that an adolescent boy would be completely vexed by an older women that embodied his passions in female form, and make a few mistakes along the way.

Parzival eventually told Art3mis those embarrassing truths about his "stalking" her. I can guarantee you no guy would intimate this unless he knew she would see them for what they are, the foolish groans of a lovesick heart, told in confidence to a loved and trusted friend. Guys would keep those intimations to themselves forever if they thought it would hurt the relationship (Unless sufficiently angry, but that's sabotage and a whole other beast in itself). If you go back and read the book, pay attention to the guarded conversations both she and Parzival had. It's clear they were feeling each other out, trying to decide if each was who He/She said they were. Parzival's correspondence shows He's interested in a relationship and gauging Art3mis' interest. He's trying to convince her while also trying to understand why she's hesitant. Art3mis doesn't want the distraction at first and keeps him in the friend zone, but she allows it to continue despite the hypocrisy of her indulgence. At first Art3mis said they were competitors. All conversation would be related to the hunt, even if it wasn't. She said that it was a bad idea for them to converse at all. But she hypocritically continues their correspondence, not making good on her threat to block his e-mail. Their correspondence then increases in frequency and length. It eventually progressed to private chat rooms (the VR type). They even started to reveal each others thoughts on Halliday Cannon and interpretations of critical clues. Clearly, Art3mis was driven by her desire for a relationship with Parzival as much as Parzival was. When once she said No, her actions proved she wanted otherwise. Parzival correctly discerned she was disingenuous and continues to persue a relationship with her, despite her initial hesitation. By the time he tells her the truth about his fantasy crush, and the "cyber stalking", He knew she would find them cute, be able to laugh about the otherwise alarming confession. They were very close by then.

In 2017, I agree, those statements are alarming. If I were a woman, and maybe I am for all you know (right?), who had never met this guy before, it would cause me to be more cautious. My emotions might make me more willing to forgive this for the sake of love. I would none the less keep some distance, like Art3mis does. You have to remember this is 2044, they've met countless times in the OASIS, and were falling in love. Art3mis holds Parzival at a reasonable distance, for a reason. She, like Parzival, has to be careful, probably even more than he does. For all she knows, He could be a 300lb black chick like Ache actually is (Big spoiler)! This doesn't make Her a "Trophy Women" as the author of the article claims, it makes her a cautious one. A smart one. One with self esteem and body issues that further add to her reluctance to accept Parzival's advances. That and the goal.

Remember, Art3mis had dedicated herself to pursuing the egg also. Parzival was asking her to put this aside, for love. Parzival had his crush long before Art3mis began falling for him. In short, he was primed to be in love with her. It took Art3mis longer to get there. When he told her he loved her, she put the brakes on because she wasn't convinced she had the same feelings yet. Also, She had to reconcile her feelings with her dedication to the egg hunt.

These reasons are not unusual nor are they shallow. They're real. I've known real people who've felt this way. What the author of that article failed to mention is what Parzival did next. He lovingly gave her space, but reminded her that his feelings hadn't changed at every opportunity she gave him, besides a few grand gestures like the radio outsider her window (which was romantic in the 80s BTW, you know, the time frame everyone in 2044 is obsessed with). I choose to see it as chivalry and courtliness. It's proof he loved her, not just lusted after her. If it weren't he'd have made stupid and dangerous advances. If he were a horny dog, he'd have lost interest and moved on to an easier target. Also, if Art3mis were really uninterested she would've made good on her threats to block Parzival's e-mail. No, Parzival desperately loved her, and that's what made him so persistent. And, to the author of that article's point, It won her over in the end. I don't see her as a "Trophy women", but a woman who's heart was won by a man who proved his lover for her despite both their failings. He made mistakes along the way. Like real life, flawed but beautiful. Kinda like the birthmark, huh? I guess she didn't catch that simile/metaphor.

Now here's the big caveat. I see her point about Parzival's persistence despite Art3mis' clear objections to his advances. That is not ok! Sounds like I'm contradicting myself doesn't it? Well, yeah, I am. No means no, right? Yes, it does. Unless it doesn't. That's the catch 22. Art3mis' objections were counter intuitive to the interest she showed during their earlier courtship. When Parzival told her he loved her, She felt forced to reciprocate his affection or end the relationship. She choose the latter because she didn't believe he could love her without actually meeting her, and it probably scared her to think He might. It rightfully confused Parzival. He was so in love with her at that point he didn't care what she actually looked like. She, being so self conscious about her birthmark and perhaps other factors unique to the shut in nature of a VR centric life in 2044, was unable to really believe that. It collided with her goal to win the egg and was too much stress to continue dealing with. Parzival was willing to deal with it by giving up the Hunt. He actually loved her. She, unsure of her feelings, scared, and/or conflicted decided to end the, as She rationalized it, non-relationship. Parzival, either discerning she was disingenuous or He being blinded by love, continued to peruse her. This thinking wasn't explained by Cline very well. He really needed to develop both characters more on that point.

To a woman reading this, I can see how Parzival's continued interest in her smacks of stalking. Understandably it could be unsettling to read Cline's romanticizing of that behavior, and mine too for that matter. But, from a either a Man or Women's perspective, It's so hard to love someone who doesn't feel the same way. To let go feels wrong without making sure he/she wasn't just scared, in disbelief, or conflicted by something reconcilable. If you have to end it, he/she needs a convincing argument, clear boundaries set. You must make it clear your feelings won't change and you don't want them to continue perusing a romantic relationship anymore. The problem is that most people avoid this confrontation. It'e easier to brush off the responsibility and it usually leaves the other person confused and hurt. They may try desperately to prove their love, like Parzival does. He doesn't know why Art3mis broke it off, He probably assumes she doesn't believe he could lover her. So he foolishly sets out to prove it. If she didn't love him and really didn't want his affection, sh would have said the words. "I don't love you. That won't change. Please leave me alone." There is blame is on both sides. These characters are fallible, young, and in love. They're making young and in love mistakes. It is romantic, in that 80s kind of way.

If someone doesn't want a romance, you can't change that, the decision is made. Be thoroughly crushed and seek comfort from your support structure (Family, friends, religion, whatever). That's the risk you take falling for the wrong person. So guard your heart and choose to date the right person to begin with, as best you can. Be prepared to be disappointed, but open to love. Remember, dating is about deciding. Guard your heart in the mean time. Once the decision to dedicate your lives together is made, allow your hearts to meld like they've been aching to all along.

Let me be clear. If a someone ends the relationship, only remind them of your feelings if they ask you about the subject. They'll be able to discern your continued love for them by your actions. Don't continue to push the point, even if you suspect hs/she is disingenuous. Parzival did. So he's not innocent in all of this. All may have turned out fine in the end, but that's no excuse. Again, though, this is a touchy subject because people make these mistakes. So it does make Parcival's character more believable, especially for his age.

It's a credit to Cline for making both Parzival and Art3mis such insightful and emotionally deep characters. That's saying nothing of Ache, who was also well crafted character. I wonder if the author would focus on the negative and say she is the token Black Lesbian and call Cline a homophobic racist! Or maybe the editor didn't let that publish. I really liked this book and the characters in it. They were real, authentic. Like people I know. I feel like the author wanted Cline to fit his characters to her social utopia, not Cline's dystopian future, or even the mine field that is young love today. She made a point about stalking. Yay, it's made. Good on you. I saw his vision. I liked it better - it's more believable. The characters are thinking, feeling, fallible, and fun. They're also young and stupid. Like us all, at one time.

**Draco1962** · September 8, 2017

As I see it there are plenty of girls with Daddy issues trying to please their professors with their in-depth doctoral thesis using cherry picked exerpts of Cline's texts and scripts to prove a flawed thesis that he is a misogynistic, homophobic, racist.

Similar discourse occurred prior to the release of Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game.

Sadly we live in a time where opinions are plenty, but common sense values backing them is a rarity.

**RIP-Felix** · September 9, 2017

I can understand where she's coming from. She had a valid point and made it.

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If you were a women who has had to fend off the unwanted attentions of a man, reading Cline romanticize the man's perspective without giving much of the woman's might put you off. As written, women who have been through it will likely identify with Art3mis' position, and see Parzival's continues advances after she clearly broke it off as a threat, not cute. So the criticism is not unfounded if it brings these feelings to the surface without an attempt to address and defuse them. It's a source of tension Cline probably failed to catch. Understandable from a male author. Indicative of the type of ignorance this issue struggles against.

I've had to fend off unwanted female advances before. In one case it meet the definition of sexual assault nowadays. I walked her home, but shouldn't have come inside. I felt like I should have done more to make it clear I didn't want an encounter, but I was young and stupid. In hindsight I think she was trying to get back at an ex-boyfriend. So she was probably trying to use me for revenge sex. Really it was just a girl that got too sexually excited and didn't want to stop when I did. I wasn't comfortable with the situation. I wasn't ready. I felt morally threatened. I made it clear I didn't want this to be my first sexual experience, not with words, but by moving her off me, standing up, and leaving. She didn't make it easy, but she didn't follow me. There was no violence. I didn't report it because I felt ashamed for putting myself in that position in the first place and it was harmlessly impassioned moment. Besides, it seemed like way more trouble than it's worth. She didn't deserve that kind of treatment. I sure as hell didn't want a public spectacle. These are common feelings. I'm glad I used good judgement, but wish I had been more cautious. So, yeah it happens to guys too.

BTW, I did notice this when reading the book just as that author said she did. The difference is that I was the bigger, stronger, one. I used that to end the situation and leave. Women faced with that situation are far more vulnerable, and that fact puts them in a more psychologically traumatizing place than I was. Also, this woman never kept after me. she left me alone afterwards. So I can't fully understand what that's like. I imaging it's terrifying, embarrassing, paralyzing even.

She chose to highlight this, I rationalize the characters emotions and mistakes such that it's romantic and believable, like Cline wanted. That's why it's troll bait. She wanted to write a piece that would have some bite to it, about a book that's hot right now. Granted it's a legitimate social concern, but one not intended by the author. He understandably didn't catch the possibility it could make people feel that way. You can poke holes in any author's work. I like the book. I make excuses for the book, so I can continue liking the book. I'm not a women who has gone through this, but I'm a man who has. I am clearly biased, I don't have a women's experience on the subject. I know it, but that's half the battle. Knowing I'm biased helps me to put aside my skewed paradigm and see this from another perspective. I identify with the guy because I am one, but I can sympathize with the woman because I can empathize and have been through something similar. I don't agree with the "Trophy Women" argument, but I see her point.

**tthurman** · September 17, 2017

http://uproxx.com/tv/south-park-ready-player-one-member-berries/

**tthurman** · September 25, 2017

Who is F'Nale?

Action From The Movie Set Ready Player One

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**tthurman** · October 1, 2017

I think Alex really liked this!

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**RIP-Felix** · October 1, 2017

On 10/1/2017 at 3:03 PM, tthurman said:

I think Alex really liked this!

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https://theoutline.com/post/2076/ready-player-one-movie-bad

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I think it's complete garbage! Total troll bait.

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**tthurman** · October 1, 2017

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**RIP-Felix** · October 2, 2017

On 10/1/2017 at 4:43 PM, tthurman said:

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I'm sure you know I was being sarcastic, but after reading that I had to share it. What a douche!

I'm really starting to think this is a generation thing, one we get, and one the millennials and non-gamers are far too removed from to grasp.

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That and people are too sensitive...

Rant warning:

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When I was growing up we called each other names that would get you expelled today. We were just bust'n each others balls, play'n, being dicks just for the sake of it. If someone got offended, one apology and it was bro code to forgive (even if it was disingenuous). After that, we moved the F*@K on! Now with twitter, facebook, Instagram, just the interweb in general, you can't say that S#!t without it being there forever. You inevitably offend someone who doesn't know you and doesn't give a $h!t if you loose your job and become financially ruined for some stupid thing you said 10 years ago when you were totally different person. What's worse, it follows you into adulthood. It doesn't matter if you apologize. It's there forever. It's like everyone now is some kind of saint on social media, making moral judgments from behind the safety of their phone. With the benefit of hindsight being 20/20, and the ever changing trends in socially acceptable behavior, they feel it's okay to form electronic lynching parties and burn anyone alive just for being a fallible human being. Or even $h!tting on the legacy of historical figures because they went along with popular social trend of their time, which have since been vilified (in many cases for good reason). Or maybe because they failed to realize how a statement could be taken the wrong way. People label, insult, defame, troll, and cause real lasting harm to real people. They perpetuate the cycle of intolerance with their own intolerance, even though they may be right. In fact, being right makes them feel justified not to tolerate intolerance. They say they want justice, then act unjustly to others. Then they get all butt hurt when it happens to them. The only thing that intolerance breeds is more intolerance. It's total hypocrisy.

There is a need to open dialog on important issues. I'm not saying terrible things should be instantly forgiven and swept under the rug. No, I'm saying those important issues don't need sacrificial scapegoats to accomplish meaningful discourse or change. In other words, you don't have wait for a bigot, murderer, or racist to come along just to use that as a springboard for your message. Nor do you need to vault insensitive statements, by someone who made an honest mistake, onto the world stage and blow them way out of proportion, making that person the villain, and thus a victum, in the process. It's drastic. It's counterproductive. It's antithetical to tolerance, because it's hypocritical! You don't legitimize murder by using their case to make social change! If it should be done, no murder should be given credit making the change happen. If it should be done, do it. Stop giving these fame seekers their wish. Stop telling people the problem is worse than it is. Stop making Americans fear expressing themselves. It sucks, but the threat to free speech on social media and the free press is mounting to monumental stature. Consequence are becoming more than just a cival issue, they're nearing criminal levels. I wouldn't be surprised to see huge supreme court decisions coming in short order on these issue.

Free speech protects the right to legal forum, but not you from consequences for utilizing it. If you swear in class, free speech doesn't protect you from getting in trouble, just as it doesn't protect you from being fired for using your platform on social media to make comments your company dislikes. It sucks, but the law currently only protects your freedom and franchise, your right to speak in public forum and those who provide that forum to continue doing so, but not your job or reputation. If you get black balled and that prevents you from working in your career, there are severe damages. This may become THE civil right case of the 21 century.

People need to realize there is a HUGE gap between the social perception of reality, the one perpetuated in the media and pop culture, and reality itself. Turn off the TV, get off social media, and talk to your neighbors. You'll find at first they're apprehensive, skeptical, and distrusting. They're waiting for you to make your pitch, because we've all been conditioned to believe everyone is trying to take advantage of us. However, once they realize your not trying to get their money or murder their family, they're just real people with normal lives and normal desires. It's very rare, very very rare for these bad thing to happen. The reasons you see it more and more on the news is because we have the 3rd largest population, incriminate such a high proportion of that population, have deep seeded racial and political divides, have greedy multinational corporate conglomerates in control of major new outlets, and live in a disputatious, but democratic, society. It's the price we pay for the freedoms we enjoy. And make no mistake, this is one of the most permissive and prosperous nations in the world. It's a great place to live, as long as you can let other people believe whatever they want to believe, and spout all their BS to their hearts content. You have the right not to listen and avert your eyes. You have the right to close your door and make your own choices. That's our right as autonomous human beings. We should never want to remove the forums anyone can use to say vile or insightful things. If what they say has merit or not should be judged in the court of public opinion.

The side product of freedom is having to listen to alot of ignorance. It gets tiring, sure. However, even if we have to suffer a fool every once and awhile, it's worth it. However, and this is a big however. Every democracy throughout history devolved into a capitalistic republic, then an oligarchy as the concentration of wealth and power increased. Then they fell into civil war and revolution when the wealth gap reached critical levels. Plato described the process 2500 years ago. He describe the same social discord I just did above, as well as the inevitable consequences of greed on a democracy. None of this is new. there are countless examples. Rome is the the most applicable. And it's no wonder, we modeled our republic after theirs! You could argue that the NFL, MMA, and other sporting events are the modern equivalent of gladiators, and that they serve the same purpose - to entertain and distract us from the ever widening wage gap. Instead of becoming enraged and discontent, they were bamboozled by sport, champions, distractions of relative peace and comfort at home in Rome. To protect themselves from attack, Rome stretched it's armies across the earth to fight enemies abroad, which reflected growing insecurity, xenophobia, and failed foreign policy. Sound familiar? The only difference, is that unless the Mexicans or Canadians invade we have no Mongol invaders to exploit our over extended armies. That and Nuclear weapons level the field to global holocaust if the worst comes to worst. Unless "Rocketman" blows a fuse, the US is here to stay as long as the experiment of democracy can hold itself together. History will get a front row seat to see if democracy can work in the long run or not. All previous evidence and wise philosophers say it won't, but this is our time. And if there's anything I know about Americans it's this. Americans are stubborn and won't go down without a fight!

Okay, rant over.

Don't give much credence to the rant above. It's just me putting random thoughts into written form. They mean little more than my attempts to draw coherent connections between random facts to make sense of the crazy complex world we live in. One of the byproducts of that process is talking yourself into conspiracy theories, then realizing your just improving on the narrative. The world is just too stupid and inept to have actually planned it. It just worked out that way...because the world is in the hand's of the wicked one...erg...I mean...it's because of random chance...erg...it's because of greedy power mongers...I mean...
Well, people. Yeah that's the one (right?) People Fu@k the world up, and write disparaging articals of my favorite books. Here's a conspiracy theory (actual spoiler contained in this one).

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The multinational conglomerate that hold most of the worlds wealth and power actually are IOI and won Hallidays Easter egg. They used monopolization of the OASIS to enslave the human race and become the "master class". Improvements to the VR technology advanced to the point of direct neural interface through strategically placed neural inteface ports. They're surgically implanted and periodically updated as infants grow to adulthood. They are trained from birth to accept the neural interface as their sole sensation and it thus becomes their reality. The Matrix was born.

It was all a plan hatched in the late 1990's and secretly brought to fruition by secret societies of the rich and famous. Their ego-centrism and grandiosity led them to believe that the only way for the human race to survive global climate change, completion for resources, deforestation subsequent biodiversity loss was to construct a false dystopia for the human race to spend their lives in. The felt it was their responsibility to save the human race from themselves. The Master class would become stewards of the planet. They gradually charged themselves with the responsibility to restore the earth to ecological balance, all while maintaining the illusion and function of the matrix. As time went on and their egos grew, they pursued philosophy as their main goal. They eventually abandoned the moniker "master class" in favor of the "Paternal Key-holders of Perception".

Here's the kicker. It's not 2017, the SNES classic wasn't just released. There is no red and blue pill or reality as we know it, because none of this is real. We are all living in that dystopian simulation. This is the matrix!!! We have been enslaved by the descendants of Tom Cruse, IOI, the master class and now the PKP. Oh and the only way out is to lay your head across some train tracks and repeat after me. "The train is coming. You know where you want to go but you're not sure if it's gonna take you there." Oh...and if you think that top trick will work, it won't. I already tried. (Don't ask me how I know about the train thing however, it wasn't a pretty picture, and not a particularly fond memory)...ROTFLOL

**tthurman** · October 4, 2017

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**tthurman** · November 13, 2017

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**tthurman** · December 13, 2017

**tthurman** · December 13, 2017

This looks very encouraging!

I can't wait!!!

**stigzler** · December 13, 2017

Looks really good.

**RIP-Felix** · March 27, 2018

2 DAYS LEFT!!!

In preparation I'm reading the book again. It may be a bad idea, but I want to have the story fresh in mind so I can pick out all the details/flaws I can. It's part of the hype process. I may just be setting myself up for a massive letdown, but maybe not...Hopefully not. I am managing my expectations. There are major rewrites required, for licensing reasons. So long as they don't ruin the spirit of the book and rewrite too many of the core plot lines, I think I'll like it.

**Draco1962** · March 27, 2018

I reread the book and bought tickets with reserved seats for me and the wife for Saturday in IMAX 3D (closest you can get to VR in a theater). Looking forward to it!

**RIP-Felix** · March 31, 2018

I saw it, and didn't like it...Damn!

...I really wanted to like it. I tried, but just culden't get past the liberties they took with the MAJOR plot lines. They trounced on the spirit of the book too much for me to enjoy their adaptation of the story. I hate agreeing with this cliche, but...The book is WAYYYY better.

Did you like it? I'd love to hear why. So please, help me to have a better perspective. I'm dying to be proven wrong.

**Draco1962** · March 31, 2018

I am approaching it as if I never read the book. I did the same with Ender's Game and was much less disappointed.

**RIP-Felix** · March 31, 2018

I saw ender's game, but still haven't read the book. I guess I judged the book by the movie, and since I found it mediocre, I've avoided the book. IMO Ender's Game (the movie) was WAY better than RP1. I fear that people will judge READY PLAYER ONE (the book) by the movie and never give the book a chance. That would be a real shame.

READY PLAYER ONE

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