[mordymoop]

To hear Burgess talk about his book, one would never realize that it is a comedy.

The book is extremely funny, darkly funny obviously, but still uproariously absurd and filled with set pieces that possess the structure of comedy. The subject of humor is usually Alex’s misfortunes and the consequences he reaps from his terrible choices. He is a sort of George Costanza figure painted in shades of ultraviolence.

Burgess behaves as though he thinks he has written a very serious book. Of course it is possible to create a humorous satire that also has a message, e.g. Veerhoven’s Starship Troopers, but whenever I read Burgess’ commentary on Clockwork I am left with the sense that this isn’t what he was trying to do. Which leaves me thinking that he, like many creators, doesn’t actually understand why his creation was good.

[hindsightbias]

> Veerhoven's

I stopped talking to people about the film because I discovered that most of them didn't see it as satire or think the book (which they read as teens) was proto-fascist.

[0xBDB]

The movie is an obvious satire. I've never understood how people get proto-fascism from the book. Even assuming it isn't a satire itself (and I could be convinced either way) it dwells on the military in a conservative society but the society it describes is also a democracy that doesn't even let active-duty military members vote.

[euroderf]

Absolutely. The satire was lost on those who needed it most.