/lit/ - Literature

>Why is this?

Because he is a cuck

>>7503904
He's an awfully dumb cuck then. I'm sorry, but if you're in your 30s, you should not be obsessing with YA any longer unless you're a woman or gay.

Maybe that's unfair. At the very least, he shouldn't write mediocre YA books.

He has defined his marketing segment and enriched himself in it. There is no escape when you make that kind of money from something so easy.

>>7503888
It's because Green has found, like so many before him, that appealing to the dumb masses is the best way to make money, and Green likes money. He is, in a way, the Adam Sandler of literature: he's not completely talentless, but, instead of actually trying to create something of worth, he contents himself with big checks and big houses.

>>7503888

John Green is someone who wishes he was DFW(notice how much he worships the guy and mentions countless times how much he's apparently read Infinite Jest), yet in reality he's miserable at the fact he's a sellout and nothing but a shit tier version of Jonathan Franzen.

>>7503910
>>7503911
>money
I guess it makes sense. He certainly isn't challenging his readers though nor is he allowing anyone to get anything more out of his books (as there is no "hidden meaning" as far as I can tell).

>>7503916
>DFW
The author and not "Down For Whatever," right?

>>7503928
nah, he's talking about the airport.

>>7503911
I actually saw a movie Adam Sandler participated in that was actually pretty decent besides Click (and even that was pretty formulaic). The Master of Disguise was actually pretty funny and interesting. I guess he just produced it, but it'd be cool to find out that Adam Sandler had some KNOWLEDGE that allowed him to be a bit better.

>>7503888
>Young adults should be introduced, on a basic level, to the greater joys and ills of the world. Trapping these kids in the vocabulary of a preteen does not help. Plus there's this whole nerdfighting thing that just doesn't make any sense.
>It's like when you see a mother go "a goo goo ga ga" to a child. No, you're not supposed to do that. Use real words so the child can actually fucking learn. This is actually critical advice in parenthood.

I had this exact debate with some co-workers (mainly female) using your points. They argued that an adult reading YA fiction will be able to see things that they could not understand as a teenager. Since they could reread the work and "get more out of it" YA fiction is still worth reading once you reach your late 20's. They also argued that an ignorant person in their thirties can still gain value from reading a book in designed for people who are 15.

In regards to your John Green points, his books are making mad stacks. He's not going to rock the boat and will continue to appeal to a wide swathe of his target audience. Look at and talk to a John Green fan, these are people who want to read a book that's fun and gives them an emotional high for the weekend it takes to finish the work. The last place they look to to expand their horizons is literature.

>>7503932
I have downies, sorry.

BEHOLD!

A KEKOLD!

>>7503888
John Green is an overman who has successfully overcome his pride in order to cash in on the most profitable aspect of the literary market: impressionable young women raised on YA novels who like to be told that they're special. I wouldn't be surprised if he's secretly some world renowned Hegel scholar who writes under a pseudonym for fear of ruining his YA reputation.

I'm only pissed I didn't think of it first

>>7503888
People don't want to date women who've slept around because:

1. Increases the chance that you could have been a second best or the safe choice to one of their exes
2. Usually end up being more jaded or emotional damaged
3. Increasing a chance that you have to meet one of her exes and have an unfavorable interaction

>>7503936
>The Master of Disguise
>funny
Either a troll or a little baby.

>>7503937
The problem is that John Green's books have no value after you're 12. There's nothing else to see. He doesn't write complicated back stories that only an adult can pick up.

I think it's because he's not an adult, so that's not within his area of expertise. That or it's because he wants to hear:

>HERE COMES THE MONEY - HERE COMES THE MONEY: MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY MONAAAAAAY

>>7503960
I only watched parts of it, but the parts I did see were kind of comical. Adam Sandler doesn't understand subtlety though.

>>7503954
>green the hegel scholar

Doesn't John Green feel the least bit of shame for essentially stunting the mental growth of young adults? Doesn't he know his writing is not promoting their inevitable growing up, but insisting that they stay in hugboxes?

>>7504002
Probably not because we don't live in some platonic utopia, we live in a capitalist society where people don't give two shits about the realization of potential as long as they're comfy/making money

>>7504017
I like money too, but I do something productive to make money. I don't prey on children. His writing is tantamount to child abuse.

>>7504028
John Greene makes millions of people happy with his mediocre fiction

What do you do anon?

>>7504034
I trap drugs to make ends meat while in college. Mostly bars, oxy, and coke.

>>7504039
You're a service to society

Seriously, thank you, I wouldn't have gotten my BA if it weren't for people like you medicating me

>>7504028
I get your point anon, it makes me angry too. It gives people the right to say they love reading, or describe themselves as well read when they really haven't read anything difficult or learned anything.

Blame bad parenting or our education system

>>7504043
Oh no problem dude. I also sell smart pills during midterms and finals. I got 240 pills of ritalin I plan on pushing for some music festivals.

I don't like it, but I go to a private university and it is expensive.

>>7504045
I can't really blame John Green, the problem is *bigger* than him.

>>7503916
>wishes he was DFW
yeah, I'm not sure. I've read 3 of John Green's books, and none of them are even trying to be complex.

John Green is legitimately the biggest faggot I've seen, and the most artistically inept fucker.
He once said that movies were not art because you're just "looking at it", then he talked about how The Dark Knight was a masterpiece and an exception.
He also says that books are "conversations with readers" and that's why they're so amazing. That is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard and I hope he gets raped

The problem with our education system is that you only get what you make of it and of course half awake kids who rather be doing drugs aren't going to try as hard as someone whose planning on becoming president one day.

>>7504373
With such a simple way of looking at the world, living your life must be so easy. Sometimes I wish I could go back

>>7504328
sources

>>7504812
It's all in his autistic gaming channel. On the fifa ones I believe if not on the GTA V moral series where he refuses to steal or kill (I'm dead serious)

>>7503909
Women and gays shouldnt even be obsessing over YA. Most women and gay ppl i know, even at 20-25 have moved onto things like Sylvia Plath, Virgin Suicides, Murakami, etc

>>7503888
just say it. he is dumb. we all know what you wanted to tell us.

>>7503888
>let's make the world suck less
treat everyone respectfully, don't pollute, etc.

>>7504328
>I hope he gets raped
rude

>>7503936
>Sandler

He was in Punch Drunk Love which was pretty good. That's the only good thing I've seen him in.

>>7503888
>Why is this?

>>7504871
>good
Funny you mention it, there's a great deconstruction of PTA's works on letterboxd (check the Boogie Nights top review). I didn't know he was an Altman copycat.

You said it better than I could.

>>7504877
he isn't really an altman copycat even though he worked under him. altman is good, pta isn't.

>>7504840
>GTA V moral series where he refuses to steal or kill
I thought you must kill in story missions? Does he just spend 50 hours driving ambulances?

>>7503937
posts like this is why /lit/ is best board.

>>7504865
Yes we know, those are stupid rules. One dimensional and limited and add nothing to ones morals or growth

Because he either
>wants all dat dosh from stupid teenage girls
>can't do anything else

Tbh I feel like sometimes when alone he stares at the ceiling and sheds a few tears about how shitty his books are and about how much his books are essentially a joke to anyone who knows even a tiny bit about quality lit

I like how John Green always appears to be a bit frazzled in the pictures /lit/ posts. It might be funnier than the DFW poop faces.

>>7504057
Did you read TFIOS? AIA was clearly meant to be a stand in for IJ.

>>7506847
yes and yes
I'm not going to take the moral high ground; I kind of enjoyed tfios

>>7506847
I kind of see that now

>>7503888
because he's a fucking idiot, that's why. Why does /lit/ still talk about this guy?

Well, for starters eating Cheerios and fucking someone has different levels of intimacy. Such a strange analogy someone like a writer would think.

Then, there's the different standard. I believe it takes effort and value to sleep with a girl, since they have more options than men. For a girl to be desired, she just needs to be present. Sometimes, not even physically. You just can't ignore the biology behind this behavior, specially in our modern society where Tinder and OKCupid shows us exactly how this unbalance works.

And when did sex became something banal and boring? I understand people have different approaches to it, and it's obviously a normal and healthy thing to do, but after everything, and being present so much in every aspect of our culture, it's still something intimate and special. I may be the exception here, although I very much doubt so, since most normal people still see it as big step, even if it's casual.

But why should I care. I don't know, and I'm not implying there's a causality, but women with a lot of sexual partners just scream something about them. Although not needy, they are desperate, and give away this intimate act as an action of validation. Even if they're horny, isn't it much simpler to get a long term partner? Most people get attached to the person they have sex with, when it becomes the norm it obviously loses a part of its meaning.

I don't know, I'd like to hear more of Mr Green about this type of thing.

>>7503888
Viper got this phenomenon pretty down in his track "Mo' Than A Dream." The chorus is:

>The Money Got Crazy
>The I did got lazy
>But it's comin' so eazy
>Because the whole world needz me

He might have intended to enrich the minds of the world's youth when he started out, but then the money got crazy and he realized that the less he tried the more people would love him. I don't know how well my integrity would hold up if I was offered millions for something I knew was worthless shit.

>>7507118
>I don't know how well my integrity would hold up if I was offered millions for something I knew was worthless shit.
Mine definitely wouldn't, man.

>>7504328
>He also says that books are "conversations with readers" and that's why they're so amazing.

Pretty sure he took that from DFW. I can't remember the essay, but I think it was in A Supposedly Fun Thing.

>>7503888
Because he wants that sweet teenage poon. Girls love vague obscure bullshit.

>>7508450
>TFIOS
>vague
>obscure

kek

>>7508457
I forgot to append "statements" to the end of that last sentence. I think what I'm describing is better known as "woo woo". Old women love woo woo, entire empires of commerce have been built around harnessing the woo woo. Look at Oprah / Doctor Oz.

>>7508475
Definitely, accessibility is key in appealing to the masses.

>>7504849
>Murakami
>Not YA

>>7503888
I guarantee you he'd be more concerned about his cereal if six people had used it to bath their dicks.

He sounds like one of those creepy best friend types who try to talk chicks into sleeping with them because "lol numbers don't matter"

>>7503888
>This is actually critical advice in parenthood.

>>7503928
>"hidden meaning"

>>7507058
>Then, there's the different standard. I believe it takes effort and value to sleep with a girl, since they have more options than men. For a girl to be desired, she just needs to be present.
>>>/9gag/
>You just can't ignore the biology behind this behavior, specially in our modern society where Tinder and OKCupid shows us exactly how this unbalance works.
>>>/reddit/

>>7509923
Not everything that's shit is meant exclusively for children.

>>7504028
At least it gets them to read a book instead of sucking dicks or playing vidya you autist

>>7510250
>>>/tumblr/

>>7503958
John Green has never had sex. This is why he fails to consider these points.

>compares the vast intricacies, complications, and subtleties of relationships to breakfast cereal
>creates characters more bland and uninspired than cheerios
Pottery

>>7506982
I think it's because we're all bitter of his success

A gal I'm going out with says she's into Green's and other YA books and wants me to read them.

It shouldn't take me too long to read a few in the list she gave me, but how should I tell her I'm into better books?
On one hand I don't care much about her taste in literature because I'm neither a sociopath nor too self-absorved to see her better qualities. She reads a lot of YA and told me she's writing a novel, so that's not too far off from the right path, eh? I got her some Le GUIN because you guys told me to, but I'm 99% sure she hasn't read it yet.
Hold me as I read something reviews by adults told me not to because it's her favourite.

>inb4 beta cuck
She's a nice Christian girl, which should count for something here of all places. I just don't want to come off as a huge and inconsiderate faggot and hurt her feeling by saying she has shit taste

>>7511108
Keep her dumb and cute.

only person i ever met who spoke of john green was a qt bartender in nyc. she made a terrible cocktail.

>>7503910
Basically this. Also, he and his brother are trying to focus on encouraging a love of learning in a teen audience. It almost seems like a mission given how many videos they've made. I'm not a reader of his books, but I think it's admirable that he's trying to make knowledge of the world "cool." There's not much in the way of that sort of entertainment left once a kid gets too old for Dora the Explorer type tv.

>>7511108
>how should I tell her I'm into better books?
Don't. Just tell her the books that you like. You don't need to compare your taste to hers.

>>7511226
>You don't need to compare your taste to hers.
What are you doing here.

>>7511251
Hm?

>>7511166
I think you hit the nail on the head. While Green is theoretically bad for learning, he has a practical use that's good and enriching.

I am pretty ambivalent about John Green. His books make for entertaining reading over a weekend, but his talents as a writer are limited to 'thoughtful' teen sophistry.

But the suggestion that he is responsible for dumbing down young adults is hysterical. It's not as if his audience would have been reading Proust if they were not being distracted by YA novels. These are people who would probably not have had any interest in reading at all were it not for writers like Green. So at worst we have gained nothing, and at best there may even be some people who will move on from Green towards, say, Catcher in the Rye and from there on to some proper literature.

I also have to admire Green's work on his youtube history channel. Covers a fairly broad spectrum of events and makes them interesting and entertaining for students.

Finally you all seem to be neglecting what is surely the weirdest thing about Green and his entourage, the whole 'nerdfighter' thing which resembles a cult. I shudder whenever someone mentions it.

>>7511335
We're all narcissistic snobs here, have you forgotten already?

>>7511714

>I also have to admire Green's work on his youtube history channel.

You shouldn't. John Green is legitimately terrible historian.

>Biased
>Glosses over important details in trying to streamline periods of history for dumbshit normies
>Says shit that's egregiously wrong (The Haitian revolution being more important on a global scale than the American revolution; there being no women in history with the title "the great"; anytime he mentions sexism or racism)

>>7503888
>But the shift in YA has gone from the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

????????? being taught in schools doesn't make something YA

>>7511775
Huckleberry Finn is YA.

>>7511714
Saying that teenage interest in books would cease to exist entirely if YA fiction didn't exist is a huge overstatement. Someone who enjoyed the books of early childhood would be able to remember those experiences and try again with writing more appropriate for their level.

Reading marketed at an audience as being "for them" despite having extremely limited value and the intellectual requirements of someone much younger is what allows this stagnation.

Scholars have existed throughout history, before the books they studied could even be considered entertaining. There is no reason to assume human nature has changed in so short a period of time in a way that would prevent all interest in improving reading skills.

>>7511901

It's not just an overstatement, it's a complete distortion. I am not saying that teenagers wouldn't be interested in reading if YA didn't exist, I am saying that the most of the teenagers who enjoy YA fiction would probably just choose not to read anything rather than reading literature.

>>7511746

>biased

Him and every other historian. Quantify this.

>Glosses over important details in trying to streamline periods of history for dumbshit normies

Turns out that a 15 minute per episode history of humanity intended for highschoolers is not the same as a three volume collection on a single period marketed at history buffs.

>Says shit that's egregiously wrong (The Haitian revolution being more important on a global scale than the American revolution; there being no women in history with the title "the great"; anytime he mentions sexism or racism)

I believe he states that he thinks the Haitian revolution is more important, not that it is. As if it needed to be said that this is a matter of opinion, justifiable or not.

Don't know about the comments on Great women in history.

Nah, I'm not convinced. You're expecting Crash Course History to be something it is not, and could never be.