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I switched political parties and became a Democrat after watching The Grapes of Wrath. I realized I was on the wrong side. I asked ChatGPT a question Q: Why w

I switched political parties and became a Democrat after watching The Grapes of Wrath. I realized I was on the wrong side. I asked ChatGPT a question Q: Why was The Grapes of Wrath banned in some parts of America? A: The Grapes of Wrath, a novel by John Steinbeck, was banned in some parts of America due to its depiction of the struggles of migrant workers during the Great Depression and its criticism of capitalist society. Some people found the book to be controversial and offensive, and some even accused Steinbeck of being a communist. Additionally, the book was banned in some areas because it was believed to be obscene or inappropriate for certain readers.

sesuximo 4y ago
I distinctly remember reading this book in high school and being shocked at the end. In retrospect I guess that’s a sign it was a good book.
- jacurtis 4y ago
  I was too. Of all the books I read in high school, none affected me anywhere close to Grapes of Wrath. The book is very mature, and I think it is often given to students too early in life before they can truly appreciate it. But this book should be required reading for Seniors in high school before they go out into the real world. John Steinbeck also wrote "East of Eden" which I would say was even more impactful of my life, but I didn't read it until my mid-twenties. That book really explores good and evil. It is slightly critical of religion (specifically Christianity), which is why it isn't read in school. But the principles and themes of the book dig really deep into human morals and how we choose our personal values. I really love it. Lastly, Travels with Charley is a fun view of Americana. It was written much later in Steinbeck's life and is a much easier and lighter read. But its very fun and I recommend it to everyone. It is a personal story of Steinbeck traveling across America in his old age with his dog named Charley. Its fun.
  - WalterBright 4y ago
    > this book should be required reading for Seniors in high school before they go out into the real world Maybe read an actual history book about the Depression, instead of a novel.
monero-xmr 4y ago
I switched to being libertarian after I worked for the government
- elecush 4y ago
  Did you move to Monero after working at the Federal Reserve?
- p1necone 4y ago
  Try working for any large organization public or private. There's not much difference. "The Government" is effectively equivalent to hundreds of separately run companies as well, some of them are bureaucratic/ineffective nightmares.
  - karaokeyoga 4y ago
    Layoffs are one difference.
    - Turing_Machine 4y ago
      Another difference is that you can, in general, refuse to deal with a particular company. You can't refuse to deal with the government.
      - jeffbee 4y ago
        In America you can pick and choose your favorite government, all up and down the system, except for the federal one. We enjoy substantial choice in the matter.
        Turing_Machine 4y ago
        > In America you can pick and choose your favorite government Sorry, that is not true. You get the government that 50% + 1 vote wants, and you get absolutely no choice about whether you deal with it, which sucks if you're a member of the 50% - 1 vote group. If I refuse to deal with Amazon, or Apple, or McDonalds, nothing happens (except I don't get to eat Big Macs). If I refuse to deal with my government, they will send people with guns to put me in jail. The situations aren't even remotely comparable.
elecush 4y ago
What was your political stance prior to watching The Grapes of Wrath? You say you "switched sides" but it's unclear to me what shifted in your stance before and after.
- labrador 4y ago
  I was in the military during the Reagan era and was a Republican. I coasted on that for awhile and then watched the film adaptation of TGOW and noticed the government run by the Democrats was trying to help poor people at the time, while Republicans were trying to run them out of town if they couldn't exploit their labor. This was the film depiction. I don't vouch for it's voracity. I'm not a historian. What I did do what take a look around in the 90's and notice Democrats were trying to help poor people while Republicans were trying to cut social security and school lunches for poor kids. That's when I became a Democrat.
  - theGnuMe 4y ago
    Amen brother.
WalterBright 4y ago
My father grew up in the Great Depression in Los Angeles. He went to school with many Okies. Be careful about confusing a novel with history.
- wrp 4y ago
  Steinbeck was the first serious novelist I got into as a kid, even read his collected letters, so I have a soft spot for him. It really shook my perception of his "journalistic" approach when I learned that Travels with Charley was almost entirely made up. Makes me wonder how much literary license he used in other books like A Russian Journal.
  - savryn 4y ago
    another person who read the letters! I'm shocked at how high quality the correspondence was, makes friendships of today feel kinda cheap
Bloating 4y ago
I switch parties all the time. Whats the big deal?
refurb 4y ago
Oh god, I really hope we're not using Chat GPT as a source now.
- UncleOxidant 4y ago
  Welcome to the future.
- jacurtis 4y ago
  Im not even sure what value the Chat GPT response provides in this story. So they watched the movie (not reading the book) and changed political parties. Why? No real reason was given. Then they plop a Chat GPT response in there and that's it. So what is it? They are just living their life as Chat GPT directs them? ChatGPT is a month or so old, so did this all happen a month ago?
  - labrador 4y ago
    ChatGPT has enslaved me

sesuximo 4y ago

I distinctly remember reading this book in high school and being shocked at the end. In retrospect I guess that’s a sign it was a good book.

jacurtis 4y ago
I was too. Of all the books I read in high school, none affected me anywhere close to Grapes of Wrath. The book is very mature, and I think it is often given to students too early in life before they can truly appreciate it. But this book should be required reading for Seniors in high school before they go out into the real world. John Steinbeck also wrote "East of Eden" which I would say was even more impactful of my life, but I didn't read it until my mid-twenties. That book really explores good and evil. It is slightly critical of religion (specifically Christianity), which is why it isn't read in school. But the principles and themes of the book dig really deep into human morals and how we choose our personal values. I really love it. Lastly, Travels with Charley is a fun view of Americana. It was written much later in Steinbeck's life and is a much easier and lighter read. But its very fun and I recommend it to everyone. It is a personal story of Steinbeck traveling across America in his old age with his dog named Charley. Its fun.
- WalterBright 4y ago
  > this book should be required reading for Seniors in high school before they go out into the real world Maybe read an actual history book about the Depression, instead of a novel.

monero-xmr 4y ago

I switched to being libertarian after I worked for the government

elecush 4y ago
Did you move to Monero after working at the Federal Reserve?
p1necone 4y ago
Try working for any large organization public or private. There's not much difference. "The Government" is effectively equivalent to hundreds of separately run companies as well, some of them are bureaucratic/ineffective nightmares.
- karaokeyoga 4y ago
  Layoffs are one difference.
  - Turing_Machine 4y ago
    Another difference is that you can, in general, refuse to deal with a particular company. You can't refuse to deal with the government.
    - jeffbee 4y ago
      In America you can pick and choose your favorite government, all up and down the system, except for the federal one. We enjoy substantial choice in the matter.
      - Turing_Machine 4y ago
        > In America you can pick and choose your favorite government Sorry, that is not true. You get the government that 50% + 1 vote wants, and you get absolutely no choice about whether you deal with it, which sucks if you're a member of the 50% - 1 vote group. If I refuse to deal with Amazon, or Apple, or McDonalds, nothing happens (except I don't get to eat Big Macs). If I refuse to deal with my government, they will send people with guns to put me in jail. The situations aren't even remotely comparable.

elecush 4y ago

What was your political stance prior to watching The Grapes of Wrath? You say you "switched sides" but it's unclear to me what shifted in your stance before and after.

labrador 4y ago
I was in the military during the Reagan era and was a Republican. I coasted on that for awhile and then watched the film adaptation of TGOW and noticed the government run by the Democrats was trying to help poor people at the time, while Republicans were trying to run them out of town if they couldn't exploit their labor. This was the film depiction. I don't vouch for it's voracity. I'm not a historian. What I did do what take a look around in the 90's and notice Democrats were trying to help poor people while Republicans were trying to cut social security and school lunches for poor kids. That's when I became a Democrat.
- theGnuMe 4y ago
  Amen brother.

WalterBright 4y ago

My father grew up in the Great Depression in Los Angeles. He went to school with many Okies. Be careful about confusing a novel with history.

wrp 4y ago
Steinbeck was the first serious novelist I got into as a kid, even read his collected letters, so I have a soft spot for him. It really shook my perception of his "journalistic" approach when I learned that Travels with Charley was almost entirely made up. Makes me wonder how much literary license he used in other books like A Russian Journal.
- savryn 4y ago
  another person who read the letters! I'm shocked at how high quality the correspondence was, makes friendships of today feel kinda cheap

Bloating 4y ago

I switch parties all the time. Whats the big deal?

refurb 4y ago

Oh god, I really hope we're not using Chat GPT as a source now.

UncleOxidant 4y ago
Welcome to the future.
jacurtis 4y ago
Im not even sure what value the Chat GPT response provides in this story. So they watched the movie (not reading the book) and changed political parties. Why? No real reason was given. Then they plop a Chat GPT response in there and that's it. So what is it? They are just living their life as Chat GPT directs them? ChatGPT is a month or so old, so did this all happen a month ago?
- labrador 4y ago
  ChatGPT has enslaved me