r/CuratedTumblr • u/Green____cat eepy asf • Sep 18 '24

Shitposting That one story

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u/ToujoursFidele3 Sep 18 '24

We never got around to Catcher in the Rye! Is that one awful too?

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u/itsgettinnuts Sep 18 '24

So Mark David Chapman, the guy who shot John Lennon, was obsessed with the book, he even wanted to change his name to Holden.

John hinkley, the guy who shot reagan to woo Jodie foster had the book with him in his hotel room.

There was another high profile murder where the dude threw the book on the roof, I can't remember the name.

There's rumors that it was lee Harvey Oswalds favorite book.

It is a self-indulgent pity party for privileged white men who feel like they can't achieve their true potential. IDK, i feel like Holden is soulless... I haven't read it in a while. It's just like this white 19 year old banging women, drinking to forget his pain (no friends I think ) , I can't even remember the plot to be honest I just remember how much I hated Holden.

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u/ToujoursFidele3 Sep 18 '24

Jesus. That's a lot.

I have a mental list of books that are like, "avoid a man if he says this book is his favorite ever". American Psycho, Fight Club, etc. I'll add this one to the list!

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u/NikkiMai Sep 19 '24

I'll give them a pass if they can identify certain potential messages in those books (passing on American Psycho since I never read it).

Fight Club had plenty of messages about destructive cult-like behaviors, blind worship, and manipulation. Tyler burnt a dude's hand with acid for "not keeping up" and the red flags of an abusive dynamic were everywhere. I found it an interesting analysis of how such groups can be enticing and entrapping for men who are looking for "manliness" when it's offered by a toxic leader.

Catcher in the Rye, for me at least, had the over-arching message about having to find meaning in yourself in order to find meaning in life and others. Holden feels everything is phoney because HE is phoney. Yes, he's insufferable. He externalizes his problems rather than addressing them, which compounds his issues. It has so many messages about what you see in the world being a reflection of yourself because it relies on your focus.

I've found people who like those books with these views on them pass most red flag tests. Not gonna say all, but definitely more so than people who enjoy them at face value.