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I’d separate those two. The Da Vinci code is not supposed to represent a factual telling of reality; it’s a fictional novel. You might not like it as a piece of
by ashtonkem 5y ago
I’d separate those two. The Da Vinci code is not supposed to represent a factual telling of reality; it’s a fictional novel. You might not like it as a piece of high art, but most of us understand the difference between art and pop literature. Heck, most of us consume and like “guilty pleasure” media, I actually rather enjoyed Angels & Demons by the same author.
Malcolm Gladwell is purporting to communicate factual reality. If he discards good arguments and evidence to entertain, then he is doing a real measurable harm in a way that Dan Brown is not.
- fenomas 5y ago> The Da Vinci code is not supposed to represent a factual telling of reality It was published with a preface titled "FACT" claiming that all the secret societies and rituals and documents in the novel were historically accurate. That was the book's whole schtick.
- ashtonkem 5y agoEh, lots of books use the whole “this is totally the secret history of …” as a gimmick; they’re still sold in the fiction section.
- zentropia 5y agoBut sill, a lot of people there is some kind of truth on them.
- ashtonkem 5y agoSome people are fools.
- fenomas 5y agoThere was no "..wink, wink" to the da vinci code. The author specifically claimed that certain parts of the book - he listed exactly which parts - were documented historical truth. Isn't that "purporting to communicate factual reality"?
- ashtonkem 5y agoIf some people thought that a fictional book sold as such contained true things, then they are gullible fools likely to fall for anything. I wouldn’t read too much into that.
- fenomas 5y agoYou're welcome to think so, but that doesn't change the fact that Dan Brown was unambiguously purporting to communicate factual reality. More so that Gladwell, in fact - I don't think any of Gladwell's books ever had a "the following parts of this book are historical fact" preface! (though a few of them could arguably have used one...)