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Brad Torgersen on H. P. Lovecraft's cultural Marxist critics
Facebook ^ | May 11, 2016 | Brad Torgersen

Posted on 05/11/2016 10:33:36 AM PDT by EveningStar

I am not a Lovecraft devotee, since horror is not really my niche. I've been tangentially aware of the surge in Lovecraft-bashing, ever since World Fantasy Convention caved in on their trophy squabble. Now that the man's literary works are falling into the public domain, it seems there are a heap of people who want to re-do, un-do, re-work, or otherwise "colonize" the man's fiction legacy.

Ah, cultural Marxism: same as it ever was.

Here's the rub, though. Seeing people who are literally babies in the field, already planting their flags as "historic" persons, come to overturn the smelly old H.P. and his badthinky stuffs and things . . . this is what happens when you tell kids they are priceless, peerless, astoundingly perfect snowflakes—from the cradle on up. They don't realize they actually have to *DO* things, and do them extraordinarily well, and do this for DECADES, before they even have a glimmer of a ghost of a chance of making a mark large enough that their work will survive beyond their lifetimes.

Lovecraft—for all his faults, as a human being—has already become immortal. He is the Grand Canyon of horror. Only Edgar Allan Poe—the Olympus Mons of the macabre—casts a longer shadow.

Most of Lovecraft's determined detractors . . . are not even scratches in the dirt yet. They are not even molehills. They are urinating on the statue of a giant, believing that somehow part of that giant's power will be transferred to them.

This is not a defense of anything H.P. thought or said, as a man. Though, doubtless, the cultural Marxists will interpret all criticism of their rhetoric and tactics, as a defense. That's just how cultural Marxists roll: everything and everyone who is not them, is either maliciously evil, or unforgivably ignorant.

When one particular Lovecraft critic remarked, "The history books are ours, dammit," I just kind of shook my head, and thought of Nikita Khrushchev declaring, "Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will dig you in."

Be careful what you proudly predict, cultural Marxists.

You just might get it—in ways you least expect!—


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: books; bradtorgersen; culturalmarxism; horror; hplovecraft; literature; lovecraft; politicalcorrectness; torgersen
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To: dainbramaged

The short story “The Thing in the Moonlight” is also quite scary when I read it in my youth.


21 posted on 05/11/2016 4:01:56 PM PDT by stbdside
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To: EveningStar
HPL was my favorite growing up and prolly still is, as for contemporary horror though, Robert McCammon and Clive Barker are pretty hard to beat
22 posted on 05/11/2016 4:45:42 PM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -w- NO Pity for the LAZY - Luke, 22:36)
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To: Chode

I loved those two when I was a kid, but Stephen King’s early stuff still creep-ed me out the most, especially ‘It’...I hate clowns and one that comes up out of the sewer and drags you down just crosses the line. :~)


23 posted on 05/12/2016 4:09:13 AM PDT by major_gaff (University of Parris Island, Class of '84)
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To: major_gaff
i hate it when that happens
24 posted on 05/12/2016 3:57:46 PM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -w- NO Pity for the LAZY - Luke, 22:36)
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To: bakeneko

+1.

L


25 posted on 05/12/2016 4:00:55 PM PDT by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
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To: dainbramaged

I just re-read that one last week. It does indeed hold up. Shogoths are the scariest monsters ever.

L


26 posted on 05/12/2016 4:01:39 PM PDT by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
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