Welcome to TOS Weekly!
Nearly every month, there’s a new adaptation of a beloved classic novel coming out, from last year’s Frankenstein to last month’s Sense and Sensibility to Greta Gerwig’s upcoming The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. It’s delightful to see new perspectives and modern storytelling techniques applied to influential stories, but we must be on our guard against subjectivism and other ethical errors sneaking in to dilute or distort the timeless themes that have inspired generations. In my review of Netflix’s recently released East of Eden series, I point out just such an error in their portrayal of Cathy—a blackhearted villainness who, in this telling, is supposed to evoke empathy in the audience.
As some sharp cultural commentators have noted, empathy even for evildoers has become a replacement for rational ethical judgement in some circles. Gad Saad attempts to break down this phenomenon in his Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind. But his approach is sadly flawed, as reviewer Michael Dahlen explains. This Halloween weekend, dive into these ruthless dissections of the horror of subjectivism dressed up as good intentions or treat yourself to some of our archival content directly related to the holiday of monsters.
I hope you enjoy this week’s articles,
Angelica Werth
Associate Editor
New This Week
Netflix’s East of Eden Turns Steinbeck’s Villainess into a Confused Mess
The theme of John Steinbeck's East of Eden is the most universal and morally fundamental of all: the choice between good and evil. The recently released Netflix adaptation, unfortunately, only conveys that theme partially.
Suicidal Empathy Misdiagnoses A Real Societal Problem
Saad’s attempt to formulate a theory that explains a broad range of personal behaviors, cultural issues, and political policies is both ambitious and admirable. Unfortunately, it fails, as his theory is misnamed, ill-defined, and a poor fit for many of his examples.
From the Archive
Ayn Rand’s Method for Slaying Monsters
Happy Halloween! It’s a holiday to make light of evil and to celebrate the good. But, given the inflatable ghosts on your neighbor’s lawn and the kids dressed as zombies and monsters—it’s also an opportunity to reflect on the basis and nature of evil.
The Bright Side of Horror
Many people tend to think of horror-themed movies, games, and holidays as inherently depressing, nihilistic, or pointless, but none of that necessarily must be true. Done right, horror can be positive, fun, and pro-life.
This Week’s Anniversaries
The Life and Poetry of John Keats
John Keats was born in London on October 31, 1795. He went on to become a prolific author of life-enriching poetry.
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