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a_rov's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
The first point I want to highlight in the review is that the book consists of five lectures given on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 1985 (As suggested neatly in the end).
The reason I point this out being the plot feels like a serious of lectures, which inhibits the scope and depth, which are possible with the written word via the book.
Now with this out of the way, what we have is a decent amount of arguments, claims and examples for a democractic society and against the tyrannical ones (Who would have gueesed huh?).
The main idea can be condenced to - learn history, expirience human memory through the works of literature and be greatful (if you live in a democracy, of course) for what you have even if it's not perfect, it's still a result of just a few hundred years.
Mrs. Lessing talks a lot about the fields of humanitarian sciences, escpecially sociology and psychology, putting forward the importance of continuous research of human behaviour as a necessary part of the civilization progress. Those statements possibly were ahead of the time, I do enjoy the examles scattered here and there of South Rhodesia, England. The most vivid one would be the manuscript submission using a pseudonym, whereas all the ''Experts on Mrs. Lessing'' who swiftly reject it for "not being good enough'' which I find quite relatable even nowadays for people to fall for or, perphaps, better to say for people to overestimate their susceptibility to biases, group think etc. Now the Developed/Developing world does, indeed, put a large emphasis (both in quality and quantity) on analyzing and researching the mental state of affairs of both individual and society, which I find, to the benefit of the Author, quite a progressive vision proven right with time.
To sum up, indeed, it is a pretty short serious of lectures (78 pages), which is definetely not enough for an in-depth exploration of the subject. Yet by using the rich language interwined with history/life examples it still provides a positive overall view of progress, touching the topics of individual beliefs, group think, religion and others thus all the possible "prisons'' we can live in, without actually aknowledging it.
The reason I point this out being the plot feels like a serious of lectures, which inhibits the scope and depth, which are possible with the written word via the book.
Now with this out of the way, what we have is a decent amount of arguments, claims and examples for a democractic society and against the tyrannical ones (Who would have gueesed huh?).
The main idea can be condenced to - learn history, expirience human memory through the works of literature and be greatful (if you live in a democracy, of course) for what you have even if it's not perfect, it's still a result of just a few hundred years.
Mrs. Lessing talks a lot about the fields of humanitarian sciences, escpecially sociology and psychology, putting forward the importance of continuous research of human behaviour as a necessary part of the civilization progress. Those statements possibly were ahead of the time, I do enjoy the examles scattered here and there of South Rhodesia, England. The most vivid one would be the manuscript submission using a pseudonym, whereas all the ''Experts on Mrs. Lessing'' who swiftly reject it for "not being good enough'' which I find quite relatable even nowadays for people to fall for or, perphaps, better to say for people to overestimate their susceptibility to biases, group think etc. Now the Developed/Developing world does, indeed, put a large emphasis (both in quality and quantity) on analyzing and researching the mental state of affairs of both individual and society, which I find, to the benefit of the Author, quite a progressive vision proven right with time.
To sum up, indeed, it is a pretty short serious of lectures (78 pages), which is definetely not enough for an in-depth exploration of the subject. Yet by using the rich language interwined with history/life examples it still provides a positive overall view of progress, touching the topics of individual beliefs, group think, religion and others thus all the possible "prisons'' we can live in, without actually aknowledging it.
francescaar's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Resulta rabiosament actual encara que els textos foren escrits fa gairebé 40 anys.
traceyo's review against another edition
5.0
Reading this fueled a great deal of reflection, reading what Lessing thought of the "1985 world", and recognizing how much still applies to this "2023 world".
fchwpo's review against another edition
3.0
opponents are never hated as much as former allies
fanatics don't laugh at themselves, laughter is heretical unless used cruelly, only the cvilized, liberated, free person can laugh at himself
hardest thing to do is maintain and individual dissident opinion in a group
fanatics don't laugh at themselves, laughter is heretical unless used cruelly, only the cvilized, liberated, free person can laugh at himself
hardest thing to do is maintain and individual dissident opinion in a group
miikka's review against another edition
2.0
Maybe this was good stuff in the 80s and 90s when these lectures were given, but now they sound like arguments made by Twitter trolls.
marilou's review against another edition
informative
reflective
fast-paced
1.5
Lacks rigor, i.e. let me just use a study that was done in [insert vaguest description of a town] a few years ago. This would never fly today. There is no way to know what studies she’s referring to through the book.
Lessing’s obsession with Muslim fondamentalism, while never addressing Christian fondamentalism, also leaves an aftertaste of islamophobia.
Lessing’s obsession with Muslim fondamentalism, while never addressing Christian fondamentalism, also leaves an aftertaste of islamophobia.
missdaisy17's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
amarj33t_5ingh's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
2.0
I had high expectations for this book but Lessing's semi-Utopian ramblings in some parts fatigued me. Good content, but delivered very laboriously.