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Interesting DrJacJacMcScrumptious Send a noteboard - 08/01/2011 12:18:56 PM
I have read most of the Discworld novels.

While he certainly has a great sense of humour and sharp wit, you cannot get away from his underlying mockery of religion and the greater meaning of life.

The way Death is parodied, the way Small Gods depicts the small mindedness of the gods and the way the meaning of everything is fooled around with with the so called "auditors" being in charge of everything, is far too reminiscent of Douglas Adams's nihilistic masterpiece, the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, for my liking.

Actually, this modern trend of relativism leading to the ultimate message of "nothing really has meaning" strikes me as very similar to Ishamael's supposed philosophical views as depicted in his Age of Legends writings "The Absence of Meaning" and so on.

I far prefer the affirming themes found in Dean Koontz's later books to the nihilistic satirizing of the Meaning of Life found in the works of authors like Pratchett and Adams.


Though I disagree that Pratchett is nihilistic. That's like saying Nietzsche is nihilistic, it's a reversal of the truth. Nihilism is a concept Nietzsche despised, and it involves maintaining the same moral ideals imposed by religion without the religious belief, thus following a morality that isn't justified by your beliefs. It is slave morality with religion replaced with a belief in nothing. I disagree that TP being an Atheist means he is s nihilist. Vetinari may be one, but whilst TP can show the worse aspects of human nature, he also frequently highlights how good it can be too.
And the answer came to her instantly: pride. Oh, you hear them say it's a sin; you hear them say it goes before a fall. the shepherd prides himself on keeping the wolf out from the flock. We pride ourselves on making a good history of our lives, a good story to be told.
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Sir Terry Pratchett DrJacJacMcScrumptious - 07/01/2011 05:42:34 PM 1264 Views
I'm torn between my love of Pterry and my inherent laziness. beetnemesis - 07/01/2011 05:55:25 PM 822 Views
Why do think you don't like unseen academicals as much as the others? *NM* DrJacJacMcScrumptious - 08/01/2011 05:41:30 PM 382 Views
It just felt... unfocused? (spoilers) beetnemesis - 08/01/2011 08:49:51 PM 909 Views
Re: Danae al'Thor - 07/01/2011 05:58:54 PM 971 Views
What do you particularly enjoy about Pyramids? DrJacJacMcScrumptious - 08/01/2011 05:44:31 PM 920 Views
Re: It is self contained, it examines its themes and then moves on, it is packaged to my tastes. Danae al'Thor - 08/01/2011 07:45:23 PM 987 Views
Plus, it has that great assassin test scene at the beginning. beetnemesis - 08/01/2011 08:51:15 PM 836 Views
Re: Packaging. *NM* Danae al'Thor - 08/01/2011 08:52:14 PM 323 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett jh - 07/01/2011 08:21:35 PM 939 Views
Heh. I forgot Good Omens. Camilla - 07/01/2011 10:15:01 PM 828 Views
Re: Collabs can't count, surely? *NM* Danae al'Thor - 08/01/2011 09:24:59 AM 394 Views
Why not? Camilla - 08/01/2011 10:20:57 AM 786 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett Novo - 07/01/2011 08:21:46 PM 985 Views
I just finished Unseen Academicals yesterday! Darth_Katie - 07/01/2011 08:34:03 PM 858 Views
Thief of Time was pretty great beetnemesis - 08/01/2011 08:51:46 PM 1016 Views
Stupid iPhone predicative text. Spot the error *NM* DrJacJacMcScrumptious - 07/01/2011 09:31:55 PM 5112 Views
Good survey, thanks for posting. Legolas - 07/01/2011 09:55:39 PM 989 Views
I posted a review of it, but feel free to post another one. Camilla - 07/01/2011 10:12:00 PM 949 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett DrJacJacMcScrumptious - 07/01/2011 10:43:56 PM 1070 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett Stephen - 07/01/2011 11:04:02 PM 870 Views
Humorous. But his underlying nihilism always leaves me somewhat disturbed after finishing a book.. Shannow - 08/01/2011 09:21:56 AM 999 Views
Interesting DrJacJacMcScrumptious - 08/01/2011 12:18:56 PM 943 Views
To me atheism = nihilism... Shannow - 08/01/2011 12:47:04 PM 881 Views
Ok, I fundamentally disagree with you, but I respect your opinion DrJacJacMcScrumptious - 08/01/2011 12:49:54 PM 878 Views
Fair enough. However... Shannow - 08/01/2011 12:54:24 PM 908 Views
To quote the Angel line that is in the quotes here... Legolas - 08/01/2011 03:29:33 PM 816 Views
A lovely word confusion (not quite a paradox but I'm not sure what to call it) DrJacJacMcScrumptious - 08/01/2011 05:38:38 PM 739 Views
I always loved that quote beetnemesis - 08/01/2011 09:04:07 PM 803 Views
re: Death Novo - 08/01/2011 01:33:10 PM 787 Views
That's exactly my point... Shannow - 08/01/2011 01:40:45 PM 1015 Views
Well. Novo - 08/01/2011 02:05:36 PM 916 Views
What nihilism? Camilla - 08/01/2011 04:28:59 PM 811 Views
To him, atheism = nihilism... Novo - 08/01/2011 05:06:28 PM 829 Views
Then he has misunderstood the concept. *NM* Camilla - 08/01/2011 10:22:04 PM 346 Views
not really a big fan random thoughts - 08/01/2011 04:25:33 PM 1094 Views
oops *NM* random thoughts - 08/01/2011 04:26:09 PM 365 Views
Re: not really a big fan Camilla - 12/01/2011 09:00:54 AM 868 Views
I read about half of it and seemed to be going nowhere random thoughts - 12/01/2011 02:12:28 PM 759 Views
A couple of new questions; DrJacJacMcScrumptious - 08/01/2011 06:03:15 PM 769 Views
Re: A couple of new questions; Stephen - 08/01/2011 06:19:18 PM 863 Views
Character development is almost a double edged sword beetnemesis - 08/01/2011 09:00:44 PM 789 Views
I agree. *NM* Camilla - 12/01/2011 02:58:16 PM 329 Views
Re: A couple of new questions; Camilla - 08/01/2011 10:53:32 PM 946 Views
Re: Sir Terry Pratchett Ellestra - 12/01/2011 05:15:30 AM 1034 Views
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