Harry and Meghan. - This is NOT the Andrew Tate Thread.

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

34 minutes ago, Spockydog said:

What I love most about this entire affair is the fact that it is the anti-woke mob who are driving the H&M brand right now. And to such heights. In their thousands, they are taking to the airwaves and the comments sections and the messageboards, to vent their impotence and fury.

And the higher Harry and Meghan's popularity rises, the angrier they become.

But what these people do not seem to understand is that it is they who are doing this. They are the ones pouring petrol on the flames of Harry and Meghan's celebrity.

And 'Fastest Selling Non-Fiction Book of all Time' sounds very much to me like it will render all the gammony sneering as to whether they are just 'rich' or fuck-off rich completely moot. They are going to make millions and millions and millions.

I hope Harry is laughing at the cretins who bought his book so they could post screenshots to social media, along with their hilarious commentary. Yeah, I hope he is laughing hard at these twats.

And, years from now, when Harry and Meghan look back, from atop their pile of gold, I hope they privately raise a glass to Piers Morgan and Jeremy Clarkson, and all their butt-hurt bleating.

For it was these pathetic man-children who ultimately gave these kids the keys to their golden kingdom.

What's even better:

• The English tabloid press can't do anything to respond that they've already been doing or years. The more viciously they respond, the more they prove how toxic they are.
• Only they can't not respond in that way. Their business model depends on it. 
• The firm can't really clap back either. "Never complain. Never explain." Right?

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

Some days, the universe gives me gifts.

 

[Varysblackfyre321]

1 hour ago, Deadlines? What Deadlines? said:

Some days, the universe gives me gifts.

 

a fair bit of that is people trying to find some ridicule of Megan like her kicking a puppy.

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

Mein. Fucking. Kampf?!?

LOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!

 

 

[BigFatCoward]

I mean, that person is clearly a fucking idiot, but they are hardly representing the rest of the population.  The retweet is a stupid as the original tweet.  'They' who are 'they', its one fucking ballsack.

[Deadlines? What Deadlines?]

You're correct on the first point, but the rest of the population doesn't get on times radio. I disagree with the second point. 

[Knight Of Winter]

Superficially knowing Harry's story over the last few years, only thing that comes to mind is how unremarkable and ordinary his character is. Not particularly clever nor particularly dumb, neither noble nor an asshole, or average bravery and competence. Neither a role model nor a villain. Were he not a (former) British prince, his personality and life story would be interesting to few people.

In fact, I find this whole affair to be a pretty bleak commentary on UK (and western) society. The fact that fastest-selling non-fiction book of all times is not some ground-breaking science book, or some smart philosopher's magnum opus, or an essay discussing magnificent art or anything in similar vein - but a story that basically airs dirty laundry on British royal family: says a lot about where average citizen's priority lies. Who apparently doesn't care about reading anything of value - but instead amuses themselves with discussing celebrity drama.

As for Harry, good for him for recognizing that. I don't know whether it will bring him much fulfilment or closure - but it will certainly make him very rich(er).

[SeanF]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64223264.amp

The BBC's review is not complimentary.  "the longest angry drunk text ever sent".

[BigFatCoward]

31 minutes ago, SeanF said:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64223264.amp

The BBC's review is not complimentary.  "the longest angry drunk text ever sent".

its like you never read the review at all.    

[baxus]

2 hours ago, Knight Of Winter said:

The fact that fastest-selling non-fiction book of all times is not some ground-breaking science book, or some smart philosopher's magnum opus, or an essay discussing magnificent art or anything in similar vein - but a story that basically airs dirty laundry on British royal family: says a lot about where average citizen's priority lies.

If we want average citizen to read a "ground-breaking science book" or some high philosophy, we would have to significantly increase the level of education the average citizens get. As it is, average citizens and most of "above average" citizens lack the knowledge required to understand the findings and conclusions in those books. There's a reason why those findings are published in scientific journals.

Btw, didn't Stephen Hawking's "Brief History of Time" sell extremely well back in the day?

[Varysblackfyre321]

3 hours ago, Knight Of Winter said:

Superficially knowing Harry's story over the last few years, only thing that comes to mind is how unremarkable and ordinary his character is. Not particularly clever nor particularly dumb, neither noble nor an asshole, or average bravery and competence. Neither a role model nor a villain.

You’re description makes him sound like a normal human being—which he is.

I don’t think most people can be type casted as hero or villain, noble or an asshole.

3 hours ago, Knight Of Winter said:

n fact, I find this whole affair to be a pretty bleak commentary on UK (and western) society. The fact that fastest-selling non-fiction book of all times is not some ground-breaking science book, or some smart philosopher's magnum opus,

I find this proclamation incredibly pretentious.

3 hours ago, Knight Of Winter said:

says a lot about where average citizen's priority lies. Who apparently doesn't care about reading anything of value - but instead amuses themselves with discussing celebrity drama.

It says they don’t exclusively buy reading material just to look refined or cultured or smart.

[IheartIheartTesla]

It did, although depressingly, Hawking noted that his publisher told him each equation he included would halve the sales of the book. In the end, I think he only has one, which I suspect is Einstein's field equation(s). (Edit: apparently it was even simpler, E=mc^2, which even a scientific illiterate probably knows at this point)

Anyway, Harry was on The Late Show last night. I think he definitely is more well liked in the US, and hopefully he and Meghan can find a happy life here.

[Knight Of Winter]

30 minutes ago, baxus said:

If we want average citizen to read a "ground-breaking science book" or some high philosophy, we would have to significantly increase the level of education the average citizens get.

No argument here. Agree 100%

30 minutes ago, baxus said:

As it is, average citizens and most of "above average" citizens lack the knowledge required to understand the findings and conclusions in those books. There's a reason why those findings are published in scientific journals.

Btw, didn't Stephen Hawking's "Brief History of Time" sell extremely well back in the day?

I wasn't talking (perhaps I should have clarified in my original post) about texts which require complex knowledge by experts after years of specialization (such texts do indeed get published in scientific journals, get read by philosophy professors etc.); more like pop-science (and pop-art, and pop-philosophy) where this complex knowledge is distilled down to the level where average interested reader can understand it and still learn new and interesting stuff. "Brief History of Time" is indeed one such book, and I hope there are others that will follow in its popularity (e.g. "Sapiens" or "Homo Deus" by Harari).

I don't know if you've heard about very cool youtube series by WIRED (example here) - in essence it consists of an expert talking about a subject in 5 different levels, from elementary school kid (level 1) to another expert (level 5). When I talked about books I hope people would read more - I'm aware that level 5 is out of question: it's too complex and out of reach for anyone without highly specialized knowledge. But levels 3 or 4 should be attainable.

[Gaston de Foix]

13 hours ago, Spockydog said:

And 'Fastest Selling Non-Fiction Book Of All Time' sounds very much to me like it will render all the gammony sneering as to whether they are just 'rich' or fuck-off rich completely moot. They are going to make millions and millions and millions.

There are millions and then there are millions.  Harry reportedly had a $20 million advance for his book.  He has donated a portion of that, and reportedly paid his ghostwriter $1 million.  But you don't get any royalties until you meet the advance.  After taxes, agent fees, legal fees, researcher costs etc he'll probably have pocketed between $6-10 million of that $20 million.

He will likely meet the advance, and will earn a stream of royalties all his life.  But, he's not fuck-off rich yet.  I would estimate his and Meg's current net worth to be between $20-$50 million.  For comparison, the Duchy of Cornwall is worth $1 billion and provides an income stream of $21 million a year to Prince William.  Plus, you know, William gets all his costs covered by the Civil List. 

By any objective standard Harry is really wealthy, but he doesn't have enough money to generate an annual income that he doesn't have to work and enjoy the lifestyle he wants (private planes, multiple homes, etc.).  The big problem for him is that his future monetizing his brand is subject to diminishing returns.  It's not at all clear there is a market for Prince Harry's Netflix show on, say, African wildlife.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  But he's executed the book really well and that's going to increase the marketability of his future endeavors.  

[Knight Of Winter]

13 minutes ago, Varysblackfyre321 said:

It says they don’t exclusively buy reading material just to look refined or cultured or smart.

Sigh.

No, Varysblackfyre321, just no. It's telling that your first thought about books I mentioned is that that're used for appearance or as status symbols. rather for their actual content. I don't buy science or philosophy books to appear cultured or smart - I buy them to be smart. Because by reading them I know that I will - unlike Harry's book and certainly unlike your posts - hear some new and useful information. It will open up new perspectives and ways of thinking I didn't have before. Because it will expand my horizons and unlock new avenues of thinking. And cause me to be just a little more enlightened or a little more knowledgeable about the world than before reading them.

Because that's what great non-fiction book do - and great fiction books, for that matter. That's what I've noticed on myself after reading e.g. Harari's book about history. Or Koolhaas's book about New York architecture. Or Hawking's book about astrophysics. Or Marcus Aurelius's book about philosophy. Or any number of other alternatives.

I expect a response proclaiming me to be elitist or pretentious snob, but who knows - maybe I'll be positively surprised by your erudite and well argumented response with valid counter-points.

[Spockydog]

21 minutes ago, Gaston de Foix said:

There are millions and then there are millions.  

Good grief.

 

[kiko]

46 minutes ago, IheartIheartTesla said:

It did, although depressingly, Hawking noted that his publisher told him each equation he included would halve the sales of the book. In the end, I think he only has one, which I suspect is Einstein's field equation(s). (Edit: apparently it was even simpler, E=mc^2, which even a scientific illiterate probably knows at this point)

It worked. I bought it for my 14yo son for Christmas. He seems to like it even though math and physics are not his favorite subjects. 

[Fragile Bird]

The fact that Spare is such a hit puts me in mind of another huge hit in the UK, Fifty Shades of Grey. After people tired of the book they donated them to the charity shops in such numbers that one of the biggest outfits pleaded to the public not to donate copies to them, as they had too many already. Do you remember that hilarious picture of a playhouse big enough for an adult to stand in, made of copies of Fifty Shades of Grey?

I wonder if in a year or two someone will be making a play castle using copies of Spare as the bricks.

[Spockydog]

And they just left him there, lying in the dirt, because why let the health and wellbeing of your citizen soldiers interrupt Queenie's birthday celebrations.

Get these fucking parasitic cunts in the bin ASAP. 

 

[Varysblackfyre321]

47 minutes ago, Knight Of Winter said:

No, Varysblackfyre321, just no.

The “no” here is weird as the rest of your post doesn’t actually try to repeal my claim on the success of Harry’s book shows most of the British public doesn’t buy reading material(not necessarily books) exclusively to look smart or cultured.

47 minutes ago, Knight Of Winter said:

It's telling that your first thought about books I mentioned is that that're used for appearance or as status symbols. rather for their actual content.

Forgive me, but you’re initial post was you crying on how the success of Harry’s book being indicative of an apathy in the west towards more nobler pursuits.

That it shows  average citizen doesn’t care about reading anything of value(which would subjective as hell).

 

 

47 minutes ago, Knight Of Winter said:

I don't buy science or philosophy books to appear cultured or smart - I buy them to be smart.

Sure.

47 minutes ago, Knight Of Winter said:

Because by reading them I know that I will - unlike Harry's book and certainly unlike your posts - hear some new and useful information.

Eh

47 minutes ago, Knight Of Winter said:

Because it will expand my horizons and unlock new avenues of thinking. And cause me to be just a little more enlightened or a little more knowledgeable about the world than before reading them.

Yes you’ve demonstrated you have the very big brain.

47 minutes ago, Knight Of Winter said:

I expect a response proclaiming me to be elitist or pretentious snob, but who knows

I try not to do personal attacks on here anymore as to avoid getting a warning.