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November 4, 2009
Dean Koontz on Frankenstein
The original novel is mostly mistaught in our universities these days, as professors twist Mary Shelley’s themes—and even turn them upside down—to endorse this or that modern attitude or political viewpoint. Of the several reasons why the book is a classic, perhaps the most important is the portrayal of Victor Frankenstein as a compassionate utopian destroyed by hubris. The history of humanity is soaked in blood precisely because we throw ourselves into the pursuit of one utopia after another, determined to perfect this world that cannot be perfected.
Of all centuries, the 20th was the bloodiest because of Hitler’s National Socialism, Lenin’s and Stalin’s and Mao’s and Pol Pot’s and Castro’s versions of Communism; as many as 200 million were murdered or killed in war because of these utopian schemes. Victor Frankenstein, utopian of the first order, hoped to perfect God’s creation, to reanimate the deceased and thus defeat death, and his project could result only in calamity, for it was against the natural law and common sense.
Via KA-CHING!
Posted by Vanderleun at November 4, 2009 11:04 PM. This is an entry on the sideblog of American Digest: Check it out.
Your Say
Here's a horror to consider as "universal" health care and cap and trade are crammed down... if I have my history right, most of the 200 million murdered or killed because of these utopian schemes did NOT die during war... Smiley faced fascists now run what was the best country in the world. Have a nice day.
Posted by: Western Chauvinist at November 5, 2009 7:31 AM
Let's not forget to add Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt to that freak show of utopians. It is interesting in these lists that Hitler is always first, even though he was small beans compared to Lenin, Stalin, and Mao.
Posted by: Quent at November 8, 2009 4:58 PM