Fear and Loathing is overrated

Im goiing to have to agree there since it is a drug fueled rant, and that caught my attention.. But the drug part aside.
I didnt get the inclination to sniff gasoline to get high from Fear and Loathing. I got that idea out of a Health book in school...
Im sure that has some merit also.
we cant blame peoples drug habit on books no more than we can blame peoples religions on books since I wonder how many people have killed themself in the name of God..or because of something they read... but they do hold a part whether we blame the literature or not?

 

Well i started to read the book and i didnt really enjoy it that much. It was a few years ago and well the plot line mostly just confused me with the hallucinations and i didnt know what was happening. In retrospect maybe that's what he wanted to happen to the reader to show how he felt as well... or maybe I'm just dumb/I didnt concentrate enough...

 

I though it was stupid..

I really don’t see how it got so famous..?

 

It wasn't my favorite Hunter Thompson book but I thought is was definately worth reading.

 

My teacher recomended it to me cuz he knows all about me and has for 3 years. I liked the movie so I'm sure I'll like it.

 

Umm, Its really funny. If you have a sense of humor that is.

 

It's funny and has very recognizable situations for other psychedelic drugusers. The book isn't brilliant but it doesn't have to be. Thinking things are overrated is a really overrated thing to do by the way. Haven't you noticed different people like different things?

 

Quick let's label everything overrated and see how many people we can make mad, puh-lease.

How is this book overrated? Are you let down that you didn't get high off it?

 

One think I would like to say about Thomson, is that he was not only a journalist, but a true writer.

He had a keen perception of society, hell he may have been the best cultural anthropologist ( yea, I think he coulda been one) to have ever commented on one of the most tumultuous and beautiful eras in American history.
Yea, I believe he knew he was capitalizing on hippie and drug culture to sell books,( what writer didn't capitalize on his\ her era?) but it didn't necessarily distract his writing style.

I find his stuff poignant, funny, crazy and insightful.


Having said that, I don't think I would have liked him, had I'd known him personally.

 

you're crazy, hes a fantastic writer, sure i agree he isn't the most consistent but thats because half of his stuff is for newspapers/magazines. have you read of his books other than that? he has some amazing experiences to comment on.

 

ya I wasn't crazy about Fear and Loathing. it was still better than alot of other movies, though.

 

Its a great book, especially if you read it prior to watching the film adaptation. His writing can be sporadic and cuts to the core of society.

Its not a book to be judged by its plot, but rather by its style.

 

Anyone getting psyched over F+L in LV because of the excessive drug consumption needs to open their minds to the rest of the film.
As already written, Gonzo journalism is an original style in a class of it's own. Born to blag the popular mind. In order to comprehend the film, a bit of background research is advised. Namely a writing by HST titled 'Security' (google it), as well as some Gonzo journals ('The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent And Depraved').
It's amazing how many pre-judgemental minds express themselves in this thread, presenting the sheer notion that they knew Hunter S. Thompson, when they are just judging him on that film or other writings (which are in themselves, when all said and done, only semi biographical writings..)
HST was a man of distinction. There was the man, the myth, and that which lay in between - whatever that may of been. But there's the family that remains today, the family that have spoken about the real Hunter, the side of him maybe he didn't want people to see. Along with the recent 'Gonzo: The Life and Work of Doctor Thompson' and a new film casting Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro ('The Rum Diary'), I guess only shallow minds will continue to despair over Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, as there is more to HST than getting sh*t tossed on drugs and creating a trail of destruction.
If you look into it, you'll see fact blended harmonically with ficton;
but that's part of the glory of Gonzo.

Back onto the film, it's amazing how much more of fear and loathing even the sharpest of viewers will clock onto if they decide to put the subtitles on..

 

Very well sad Psygrunge.

 

I think the movie is hugely responsible for so many hyping the book up.
It'd be interesting to see how many of these people were into the book before setting eyes on the film.

 

i thought it was over rated tbh. I think HST gets far to much credit considering there are far better writers out there who dont.

 

Psygrunge very well said! I am strong fan of HST and have been for 4 years and counting. I will admit, back when I was just a kid in highschool, the cool thing to do was get high and watch Fear and Loathing. However, it was a trend that everyone soon passed by. I took it a step further and started really looking into HST. Bought his books, read them, watched all I could on him. I wanted to understand how he ticked, and I can honestly still say I have no idea but I admire him for the reasons you stated Psygrunge. He stood out from the rest of Man... and was something else. He fucked with society. Don't judge a classic. If all you got out of that movie was heavy drug use, then that is just you. It does take research.

Psygrunge I will take you up on that advice of turning the subtitles on! I have never thought of that thank you

 

PsyGrunge is exactly right.
A search and adventure into the American Dream.
There is so much context that would be lost on most if you are either not from the time period or don't understand him and his motivations.

 

Bite your dick, son!!