A government anti-terrorism unit in the U.K. has reportedly flagged key English literature as potential triggers for right-wing extremism – leading one author whose work is on the list to bash the agency's strategy.
Classic authors such as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, George Orwell, Joseph Conrad and Aldous Huxley were included on the list of potentially problematic texts compiled by Prevent’s Research Information and Communications Unit, according to The Spectator.
Other authors whose work is allegedly shared by people sympathetic with "the far-right and Brexit" also reportedly include Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Edmund Burke, Thomas Carlyle, Adam Smith and William Shakespeare.
Rachel Maddow claims Lord of the Rings is a 'favorite' for 'far right' figures:
— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) July 18, 2024
"Lord of the Rings is sort of a favorite cosmos for naming things, and cultural references, for a lot of far right figures and alt-right figures both in Europe and the United States.
Mr. Vance when he… pic.twitter.com/hFagDgURNS
So Led Zepplin was far right. Who knew?
ReplyDeleteOn a serious note, this is exactly what I fear most about AI: Re-writing the texts.
ReplyDeleteAt my local county library, the "stacks" have been steadily shrinking. Maybe a 40% decrease over the last two decades. The branches are almost entirely stocked with alternative media.
Imagine the combination of 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. Problematic books rewritten to Woke algorithms and hard copy texts eliminated.
How is your home library? You can't rely on Kindle. BTW: Librarians tend to rank amoung the most radical cohorts.
Yes, good point.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't own a copy of 1984.
I should buy an old used copy.