Recommendation (2)

 RECOMMENDATION (2)

In my endeavor to recommend books to bigots, I next discuss, briefly GENERATION A, again by Douglas Coupland.  I'm slowly working my way through his novels and other offerings for the search of appropriate reading material for people having a particular mindset that is normally unmoved by either adversity or novelty.

In this book, we have the harvesting of DNA and possibly other body parts, of people without their knowledge for the purpose, of what else, profit.  Through chemistry and modern technology, it has become possible to use the essence (not clearly defined) of people being mined to manufacture a drug that will sell in the zillions.  Once used, as with most pleasurable substances, the more it is used, the more it is purchased.  So, in this book, the essence of others is in high demand.

Interestingly, the folks being harvested don't realize this until the end of the novel when all becomes clear.  Not a very tricky plot, but since it is a simple plot with a twist, many bigots will find it an acceptable read.  Interesting to my mind, being raised in Mahaska County, Iowa, one of the main characters is from Oskaloosa, the county seat of Mahaska County.  Hence, all bigots from Iowa and especially from Mahaska County should have special interest in the work.

Now there are not any actual bigots portrayed in the book so it is safe for a bigot to read.  It is clear that bigotry is not limited to certain beliefs or categories; bigotry can appear in the most surprising places; but in whatever form, bigots become uncomfortable or angry when confronted with other bigots who are not bigoted in the same way.  Unless one associates with other similar bigots, one can become significantly discomfited.  For instance, a bigot in the US will not approve of an Iranian bigot nor will the Iranian bigot approve of the US bigot.  This is one of those interesting quandaries facing bigots, they don't approve of each other any more than they approve of those who evince no bigotry.

In summary, GENERATION A will offer little offense to the normal bigot, hence appropriate for their perusal.

Richard E H Phelps II

Mingo