Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Dekorte
(Post 21201)
Could it be that alienation (a theme throughout TL's work) is something experienced far more by men than women?
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I think it's a matter of admitting / giving in to the feeling of alienation. This feeling is as common with men as with women, but maybe man find it more interesting to poke in the wounds of their own souls and to open them up again - as though one has to make sure that they are still there ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Dekorte
(Post 21201)
You can see this in other primates; you'll often find stray males while females are always parts of groups.
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Isn't that rather because male primates are more often cast out than females? There is always an Alpha animal (usally a male) - and this position, the rank if you will, is one that needs to be proven time and again. Sometime a very daring (young) male approaches the Alpha animal one time often and is being cast out by the Alpha.
These are, in 9 out of 10 cases, your "stray males" - animals without a herd / pack who were cast out or have just been "lost".
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Dekorte
(Post 21201)
(statistically) females find alienation too horrible, even for horror, while males are built to experience a certain beauty in it as moving between groups contributes to the disbursement of our genes (it's also valuable for females, but only for genetic variety of mates - not for raising offspring).
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I tend to "stray" because I find the human animal unbearable at most times. I keep few but strong friendships and have chosen my own pack. Does that mean that I am not interested in finding mates or that I am not as dependend on my genetical code as other women?
:D
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Dekorte
(Post 21201)
I could imagine Ligotti's theme of ego loss being less interesting to women as well as it effectively negates emotions related to interpersonal relations (as there are no people as conceptually separate and emotionally distinct entities).
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And men do find it easier to cope with that? Or do they not have to cope with that at all?
I simply find it fascinating to come across characters that are so similar to my own ways and thoughts. THE FEAST and MY WORK are stories that mirror my own thoughts and worries so perfectly that I can't help but love Ligottis work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Dekorte
(Post 21214)
To be clear, my suggested theory was not that women are less capable of feeling alienation, but rather that they on average found that emotion less appealing.
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I happen to know many people (male and female) that find this particular feeling most intersting for different reasons: they can relate to that emotion, are fascianted by the emotional complexity or are, as you said, appealed by that emotion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Dekorte
(Post 21201)
I suspect this is not true of horror authors more popular with women such as Stephen King. They portray such horrors as being the notable exceptions which the protagonists support each other in overcoming, while Liggoti portrays a universe where there is no help and no hope and even the idea of the existence of others or one's self is briefest of illusions in a bubbling chaos of pure information. Where Azathoth is not a monster which exists within the universe, but rather Azathoth is the universe.
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True words ... sometimes there is no-one in this so called reality, that supports you in these darkest hours. To me it is a relief to see that other persons, no matter if they are fictional or real, that suffer from the same moments of pain. I do not enjoy the pain of others, but just the knowledge that I am not on my own in these dark hours.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dante1991
(Post 21221)
I really prefer to read things like that because it makes me feel understood. It is really how I see the world, where, as you say, Azathoh is the universe. Of course, I am an incredibly bleak pessimist, which annoys other people somewhat. But in general I prefer to deal with negative emotions and read authors who write about them.
But I prefer stories that linger in my brain and fester there, possibly later spewing out a black pus that overwhelms my small and finite brain.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MorganScorpion
(Post 21222)
I, ladies and gentlemen, am a FREAK. Consequently I feel quite at home in Ligotti's universe.
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Welcome to the Horrorshow - would you like some Popcorn while we wait for the madness to begin?
:)
Quote:
Originally Posted by MorganScorpion
(Post 21222)
Personally, I find the works of Stephen King VERY alienating. I fit into his universe not at all, in fact, I get the very clear feeling that the man would both fear and despise me should we ever meet. His universe is geared to the bog-standard "normal" man and woman. The plaid-shirt wearing, beer-drinking, tv watching crowd. I'd get lynched, or maybe burned at the stake were I so unfortunate as to appear there.
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There are some stories by Stephen King which I really like (aside from the lovecraftian ones), but I am usually more fascinated by the monsters, by the things that happen - I can't seem to identify with any of his "human" creations.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MorganScorpion
(Post 21222)
I, ladies and gentlemen, am a FREAK. Consequently I feel quite at home in Ligotti's universe.
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Would you care to join the Horrorshow as well? I still have some Popcorn to share ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Odalisque
(Post 21228)
I once tried to read a Stephen King novel. One of the reasons I gave up on it was that I was unable identify with any of the characters. More than that -- I felt alienated from all of them.
I wouldn't be surprised if we were all freaks on this site.
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:) Seems like that, doesn't it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evans
(Post 21230)
More worrying is the sort of characters I find myself sympathizing with.
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Would you mind sharing some of your "sympathic" characters in Stephen King stories?
;)
