Tomorrow's video is one I really love, a mix of psychology, history, and the usual analysis, taking a look at a book I'd have never picked up on my own and how it explores the struggle to meet the human definition, a struggle often abused for power.
A year or so back, my dad got a collection of some of H.G. Wells most notable works (you've probably seen me cover The Time Traveler) and I promptly stole it for a few months to read at work. The story that stuck with me the most was The Island of Doctor Moreau, a story about a shipwrecked man discovering the cruelty inherent to his own species; not in the normal way, where we harm each other so easily, but the cruelty inherent to *being* human, of existing as creatures with instincts and desires which are pushed down to make way for meaning and purpose. Wells presents this case by abstracting it from humans for a moment, placing it onto other creatures, before revealing the true intent, creating a deeply engaging tale about how we might be trying a bit to hard to be "human," and giving evidence as to why that struggle exists through Moreau's historical context; the vivisection debate of late 19th century England, which revolved around the perceived character of "men of science," a debate which, had it gone the other way, could have seen us witnessing unethical experiments much more often. Surprisingly early for it's time as well, the book correctly shows the failure of punishment, in line with the body of knowledge operant conditioning is today. And you know what inspired this whole thing? The Trials of Oscar Wilde. That connection I'm saving for the video.
It really is one I love, and I hope you will too. I know it won't do well because it's not on anime, but I'm very proud of it. It's been up since Monday for financial supporters, and the next video will hopefully be up more than a weekly early, a look at one of my favorite stories of all time, FFX.
Thanks as always for your time.
-(Signed, the name I thought of while I was driving and thought was really good, and then forgot by the time I'd gotten home)
ProfessorViral
Tomorrow's video is one I really love, a mix of psychology, history, and the usual analysis, taking a look at a book I'd have never picked up on my own and how it explores the struggle to meet the human definition, a struggle often abused for power.
A year or so back, my dad got a collection of some of H.G. Wells most notable works (you've probably seen me cover The Time Traveler) and I promptly stole it for a few months to read at work. The story that stuck with me the most was The Island of Doctor Moreau, a story about a shipwrecked man discovering the cruelty inherent to his own species; not in the normal way, where we harm each other so easily, but the cruelty inherent to *being* human, of existing as creatures with instincts and desires which are pushed down to make way for meaning and purpose. Wells presents this case by abstracting it from humans for a moment, placing it onto other creatures, before revealing the true intent, creating a deeply engaging tale about how we might be trying a bit to hard to be "human," and giving evidence as to why that struggle exists through Moreau's historical context; the vivisection debate of late 19th century England, which revolved around the perceived character of "men of science," a debate which, had it gone the other way, could have seen us witnessing unethical experiments much more often. Surprisingly early for it's time as well, the book correctly shows the failure of punishment, in line with the body of knowledge operant conditioning is today. And you know what inspired this whole thing? The Trials of Oscar Wilde. That connection I'm saving for the video.
It really is one I love, and I hope you will too. I know it won't do well because it's not on anime, but I'm very proud of it. It's been up since Monday for financial supporters, and the next video will hopefully be up more than a weekly early, a look at one of my favorite stories of all time, FFX.
Thanks as always for your time.
-(Signed, the name I thought of while I was driving and thought was really good, and then forgot by the time I'd gotten home)
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 179