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revgodless t1_ixcwhob wrote

His books were some of the first philosophy books I got into.

Ishmael really was the best teacher.

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monstervet t1_ixd4i0j wrote

There’s a regrettable line towards the end of Ishmael where he writes that society ultimately holds people accountable, and even Donald Trump would go to jail for committing crimes. Oh, what I would give to be the naive and optimistic youth reading Ishmael for the first time.

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Frequent-Cold-3108 t1_ixfy9hx wrote

Here is the section you’re referring to—as you can see he’s not talking about a literal prison in Trump’s case:

“There is one significant difference between the inmates of your criminal prisons and the inmates of your cultural prison: The former understand that the distribution of wealth and power inside the prison has nothing to do with justice.”

I blinked at him for a while, then asked him to explain.

“In your cultural prison, which inmates wield the power?”

“Ah,” I said. “The male inmates. Especially the white male inmates.”

“Yes, that’s right. But you understand that these white male inmates are indeed inmates and not wardens. For all their power and privilege—for all that they lord it over everyone else in the prison—not one of them has a key that will unlock the gate.”

“Yes, that’s true. Donald Trump can do a lot of things I can’t, but he can no more get out of the prison than I can. But what does this have to do with justice?”

“Justice demands that people other than white males have power in the prison.”

“Yes, I see. But what are you saying? That this isn’t true?”

“True? Of course it’s true that males—and, as you say, especially white males—have called the shots inside the prison for thousands of years, perhaps even from the beginning. Of course it’s true that this is unjust. And of course it’s true that power and wealth within the prison should be equitably redistributed. But it should be noted that what is crucial to your survival as a race is not the redistribution of power and wealth within the prison but rather the destruction of the prison itself.”

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monstervet t1_ixfzkwo wrote

Yes, thanks for looking that up. I re-read that back in 2019 and I definitely read that as a literal prison.

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tamesage t1_ixctwvz wrote

Those books are life changing.

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mrPandabot35 t1_ixcxk8q wrote

They really are. My Ishmael was my favorite. In Ishmael, I was just so angry at the narrator for being so clueless; “I guess I never thought about it”, “we don’t have myths”, and all that. Then I realized, “oh shit. He’s the general population!”

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TheJoePilato t1_ixdqtx5 wrote

For those unaware, these are ecological philosophy books about a telepathic gorilla. But for real they're great

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Murderyoga t1_ixcsss3 wrote

Call me Ishmael.

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V6Ga t1_ixdpcrw wrote

Full fathom five thy father lies.

Of his bones are coral made

Those are pearls that were his eyes.

Nothing of him that doth fade

But that suffers a sea change.

Into something rich and strange

And I alone am left to tell the tale

Call me Ishmael

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mrPandabot35 t1_ixcxu1l wrote

These books were amazing and eye opening for me. Really got me to think logically and more about accountability.

“The Man Who Grew Young” was a cool little graphic too.

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whyiseveryonelooking t1_ixcvk4x wrote

These books have influenced me in ways that are hard to describe. I've been chewing on them for so long I thought I would go crazy, probably did for a bit. Keep reaching for that third option, question mother culture.

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dwewdwew t1_ixdyp4x wrote

Beyond influential with in my own life. I have passed these books on to so many people in hope they would understand the same.

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hagcel t1_ixempxd wrote

Books? As in more than one? Gotta add things to my wishlist.

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J_S_M_K OP t1_ixf3o9v wrote

There's two sequels: The Story of B and My Ishmael. Enjoy, my friend.

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sweet_jones t1_ixcsnkm wrote

And a really bad Anthony Hopkins film adaptation.

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Auhsojdnalel t1_ixdddcc wrote

Quinn’s other books are interesting as well. There are three in that series. He has a few different books too.

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