John C. Wright's Blog, page 207

Or so I hear from SFSignal

The Berlin Film Festival will screen Fritz Lang's original cut of Metropolis.

Dialog with Trypho and the Myth of Er

Recently in this place began a discussion where was examined by what faculty, if any, man might perceive God, assuming God to be both benevolent in wishing Man to see Him, and omnipotent to accomplish that at which He aimed. One side argued that such a God would provide abundant evidence to the senses of Man so as to quell all honest doubt, and that since no such evidence existed, such a God's existence, or His providence, was in doubt. The other argument was that God, a spirit, both of neces...

Wright's Writing Corner: Tramps Abroad

The latest installment from my lovely and talented wife:
http://arhyalon.livejournal.com/89151.html

As a special bonus, she has not one but two Writers Write on Writing articles, one from redhead Pirate Queen Misty Massey, one from workaholic fantasy writer extraordinaire David B. Coe, but also posts some views and news from our recent China adventure.

Here is a snippet from Misty Massey:

“Where DO you wacky writers get those crazy ideas?”

I don’t know if fantasy writers get this question more...

The faculty of belief

This is something I wanted to answer, which is too long for a comment box, and significant enough to allow a violation of my rule against weekday postings.

Someone who rejoices in the moniker Surly One comments: "If an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent God exists, and wants me to believe in him, it should be easy for him to make this happen."

Oddly enough, back when I was an atheist, this was my exact conclusion as well. My reasoning forced me to the next logical step, which I hope you...

Alone

Only posting a link! Here is an article from Belmont Club:

http://pajamasmedia.com/richardfernandez/2009/10/26/alone/

A snippet:
What the Left and Fascism share is a belief in the transformative power of the state. Both regard government as the “high ground” of society and not, as some Americans still believe, simply a necessary evil. It is a prize to be seized by main force; the castle to be stormed. In the long run there is little reason to think that Nick Griffin will allow any more freedom ...

Excerpt!

If you want to hear a snippet from the audio version of my short story GUEST LAW (or, better yet, buy the whole thing) go here:
http://audiotexttapes.net/guestlaw.htm
 I don't know anything about the voice actor except that his name is Tom Dheere and he loves accents. His web page is here.

Interview!

DAPPLED THINGS interviewed me here , http://www.dappledthings.org/mqa09/interview01.php and this was mentioned on the FIRST THINGS blog here http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2009/10/26/what-postmodern-ninja-messiah-figures-fight-for/

Well, my loyal minions, that I have been mentioned at FIRST THINGS, of all corners of the Internet, the one I most respect, is quite a feather in my cap.

This means my fame, and hence my power, are expanding like a dark mass of fog, with tendrils...

The Future Belongs to the Puppeteers

Only posting a link!

Bill Willingham has seen the future, and it is safe. No hunting dinosaurs with jetpacks and bazookas, though.

http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/bwillingham/2009/10/25/ive-seen-the-future-and-it-is-safe/

I admit I was more amused by the introduction than by the essay, which repeats a theme I know all too well. That theme is that we do not have the future we were promised because (not to put too simple an explanation on it) the Left drains human civilization of its dreams, i...

Which Starship to Own? Which Space Princess to Abduct?

This is a post from three years back, reposted here for those of you who came in late. I will tell of my recent adventures in Red China sometime later this week, time permitting, faithful readers.

The fine fellows at Meme Therapy have posted a discussion about which Science Fiction starship one should own? The general consensus there is the TARDIS, as this vehicle travels both in time and space, is user friendly, and grants the Gift of the Time Lords, allowing one to speak all languages...

Facing the ogre atop a glass mountain

Armed only with a pen, this day I faced a mound of paperwork 15 forms high: passport copy, certificate of abandonment, application for visa, medical forms, certified copies of translations of copied certificates of Chinese permissions, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. I wrote my wife's name at least 20 times, Lady Jane Jenny Lenny Lane Jagi Nemenstratus Cthulhu Lamprighter Lampwright Lamplighter Nyarlathotep-Smythe Wright, Countess of Polinac --- fortunately, I had my own name legally changed...