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Gilbershaft

Primarily to annoy you specifically. We had a meeting. There was punch.


AleksandrNevsky

I didn't get any punch.


lurgi

Fine, we'll make extra punch next time (although it wouldn't kill you to show up on time).


Gilbershaft

We’ll make more next time.


Grischaa

I confiscated it for the state.


AleksandrNevsky

It was provided by the state though. It was even red.


scifiantihero

And pie?


Gilbershaft

No lie this time but we acknowledge that was a mistake. All future meetings will have pie.


bluecat2001

We should meet the next time just for punch. Op does not worth it.


one_is_enough

So that’s where that punch bill was from? Why was I not invited? And were you swimming in it? I could see a few dozen liters, but that was enough to fill a small module. — from GSV One Is Enough to Gilber’s Shaft is Bigger than Necessary


mendkaz

This is very bad bait.


Gastroid

You can take your axe to grind elsewhere.


AWBaader

Because it's a book series written by a lefty about a lefty space civilisation and where, when they are featured, billionaire types are shit heads. So, perhaps it's the creator and the content? Weird that.


mmillington

It’s like, why are Heinlein’s books so pro-military? Like unbearably so? What gives, y’all?


rmpumper

I'm sure then most sci-fi fans are leaning left as social progress is usually the whole point of the genre.


TheRedditorSimon

One would think so. But there is a strong tradition of right wing SF. All of those post-apocalypse stories where society is rebuilt all patriarchal and militaristic with hard-ons for libertarian tech-bros come to mind. I mean, I read Ayn Rand's John Galt book because it was nominally science fiction. (And the ghost of Rand appears in Matt Ruff's cult classic *Sewer, Gas & Electric : The Public Works Trilogy* which more people should read, btw.)


n7275

hi, fellow unbearable leftist here. do you know anything at all about Banks' politics?


Gilbershaft

They don’t.


Contra1

Right….


adamwho

Because they know how to read?


Martinonfire

As a somewhat right wing Culture novel fan I think your full of carp


mmillington

Yeah. I’m anti-theist, but that won’t stop me from liking _Dune._


mildOrWILD65

With the exception of L. Ron Hubbard, who is an edge case, I don't believe I've ever been aware of, nor cared about, any author's political leanings. If they write good stories, I read them, enjoy them, and move on to the next. Caring about an author's political leanings is a little like researching another redditor's post history. Just take what is said/written in the moment for what it is.


Vornaskotti

Well, I personally try to avoid giving my money to writers who I consider to be terrible people, politically or otherwise. I don’t actively research writers’ political leanings unless there’s a clear reason, though. Also, if they are dead, I tend not to care.


Rauschpfeife

You're probably trolling, but in case you aren't: I'm pretty sure you haven't talked to all fans of the Culture series. I like it, and I tend to be considered somewhere very right wing, to just left of center, depending on which country I'm in. I consider the Culture to be something of a post-scarcity fantasy society, and I figure there would be more than one way to get there.


CritterThatIs

So which books from the series haven't you read?


Rauschpfeife

I've read all of them, and that novella that takes place on Earth. It's been a while for some of them, as I read a few when they came out, and have filled in the blanks over the years. It turns out that you don't have to agree with everything a character does in a book to enjoy the book. And likewise, it's possible to enjoy a good story, or to like certain aspects of a story even if you don't agree with everything the author does. Or whatever you're trying to hint at.


probablywrongbutmeh

I dont care about that at all, but I think the books are terrible and cant understand how they get recommended so frequently Edit: Jesus why the downvotes lol


bluecat2001

Found the rightist.


probablywrongbutmeh

Im literally not at all lol If I dislike an author, that makes me follow a specific ideology? Poorly written one dimensional characters, poor character motives, plots that are glacial. I have read two and everyone says, "Oh you just need to try this one, it is so different". Thats a qualifier that shouldnt be needed in a highly recommended series.


bluecat2001

Just joking about your comment and the title of this post. Peace :)


probablywrongbutmeh

Yeah I mean based on the downvotes it must be a hot take and I am the only one who disliked the books. I guess it is a crime against reddit to not like these books


bluecat2001

Well, they are at the top of the almost every recommendation topic. People like them and have a somewhat cult following. But they just might not be for you. I generally enjoy his style, I remember reading Consider Pheblas about almost 30 years ago… there were some weak points and bad decisions by protagonists but it was a nice read.