It's basically an overblown and unproveable statement. There is no amount of googling I can do that would verify such a claim. Unless…you want me to dedicate my life to combing through the law and academic libraries counting the Dylan references. For the record I studied in academia and have a law degree and your…

I don't think you understand how that fallacy actually operates.

"Given most of the living writers who are considered influential count him as an influence and he's one of the most widely cited writers in all branches of academia and law, I think that's fair."

I honestly wonder how many people defending this have read enough literature, classic or contemporary, to even meaningfully assess the merits of this award. And while I know that sounds pretentious, it probably is well grounded in reality.

I've come around on the argument this was a category mistake. But I'm still adamant that he's not such a gifted writer such that this award makes any sense at all. It's actually a slap in the face to writers.

A more talented musician? Absolutely. A more talented writer? Not even in the same league.

I disagree. There's literally thousands of poets and authors who stand in line in front of him. I mean, why the fuck are they giving this prize to a lyricist when the likes of Rushdie and Atwood sit Nobel-prizeless?

Franzen is pretty divisive but at least he can tell a bizarre story that draws you in. If you're going for affluent modern day sadness he's at least an example of how to do it well (unless you hate him, then he's just a lousy hacky hack!)

Why does every speculative fiction novel sound like it was designed by a computer algorithm? I'm feeling cynical about books these days. Is it justified or am I just a dick? (Or 2 things)?

I miss literature with a little density to it. Everything coming out these days feels like different variants of the post-modern anomie theme. Like that recent review of a book Dunham praised for its portrayal of 'internet age malaise'. The acute awareness that life may be futile and vaguely depressing is not…

Creepshow gave my ten year old self the serious heebeejeebies for many years. That story about the hick and the meteor? So uncomfortable.

Godzilla is all big effects and lots of smashing though which seems to oppose the more sustained terror of a horror film.

Horror I think needs a certain amount of gore to separate it from
thriller. And as I'm typing this I'm instantly thinking of the Blair Witch Project which I effortlessly place into horror so what the fuck am I even talking about?

Identifying a movie to a genre is like identifying pornography - you know it when you see it.

I agree - any movie dealing with some type of evil that either can't or won't be reasoned with creates that heightened level of anxiety you get with a lack of control over the situation. Nothing you can do except run or die! I rewatched Alien last night and was impressed by how well it held up.

I actually developed a fondness for Jeb by the end of the primaries. It was…weird.

I think people forget what is really recent history. When Obama was elected President people tried to deny that racism was endemic in America. This despite the fact that only 40 years earlier, a third party candidate running on an explicit segregationist platform won a mind blowing 13.5% of the vote and carried five…

Five of sixteen cast members are black, which is actually about triple the 'representative' number. I suppose they do need some Latin and Asian cast members though.

Maybe point out to her that in the 20 combined years of Republican presidential leadership since Roe v. Wade there haven't been any meaningful attempts by the POTUS to scale it back. Not sure why everyone seems to think THIS republican nominee is the one to take up the cause.

Yeah that prize makes no sense. Even if it is literature, it doesn't deserve that prize.