February 7, 2025 • 28 mins
As always, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
Visit me at my website: https://www.storiesofshadowandflame.com/
Follow me on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nick-Oliveri/author/B09NLBSHV5?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1737603747&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
TikTok: @booksbynickoliveri
X: @faultyharb
Instagram: @nick0liveri
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to the Nick Oliveri show. I am Nick Oliveri, number one best-selling
(00:05):
novelist, five-time independent best-selling novelist, Ukrainian born.
And on this show, just kind of starting out the podcast, still really finding the
flow, but we mainly talk about great art, great people, and the many things in
between. That's all we talk about, but it's quite the wide range. Today we are
(00:29):
going over banned books, specifically the nature of them in the marketing ploy
that I think a lot of that is. So let's get into it. This is gonna be a little
bit more of a rant style mixed with a lot of my actual professional
(00:50):
experiences in the industry, being in I don't know how many dozens to maybe a
hundred plus bookstores in the past two years as both an author signing copies
as well as just a ready consumer and or just a browser. So most bookstores have
(01:11):
a banned book section. This is a neoliberal concept. Let me tell you why.
Banned books and the idea of that is, I don't know if you ever heard the term
controlled resistance. Banned books and the marketing of banned books are
(01:37):
controlled resistance. Those bookstores are still there to make money. Okay, let's
not get anything twisted. And I'm not just talking about the Barnes and
Nobles of the world. I have a fantastic relationship with the Corporation of
Barnes and Nobles as well as countless across the nation. They invite me to go
and speak and do readings and sign copies all the time. I also have a great
(02:00):
relationship with quite a few independent bookstores. I've been in many
throughout the year of 2024 as I record this in early February 2025. There are so
many banned book sections on social media on TikTok and Instagram. You can
see, you know, read banned books on websites, on Facebook, on Goodreads. Hey,
(02:22):
here are the best banned books. Well, guess what folks, if you can read them
they're not totally banned now, are they? If you can read them they're not
totally banned. I'm really gonna get into it today. Amazon, oh yeah, now I'm talking
about it, is arguably more powerful than our government in some ways. Or at least
(02:46):
Amazon, the company, controls facets of our government in which we are unable to
enact the Sherman Antitrust in order to bust them up. Am I advocating to bust up
Amazon and treat them as a monopoly like we did say Standard Oil and Teddy
Roosevelt versus, you know, the boy John D Rockefeller, JDR? No, no, no, no, no.
(03:09):
I'm not necessarily saying that. I'm not necessarily saying that. We shouldn't do
that. What I'm, I'm gonna be talking about Amazon because criticizing the
government is a lot easier and is a lot safer than criticizing big private
companies. Now I know Amazon's publicly traded, that's a whole financial thing,
(03:31):
okay? Amazon's publicly traded as in they they sell shares on the open market on
weekdays that are not federal and bank holidays in the market, 930 to 330
Eastern. But they're still a private corporation as in they're in the, they
operate in the private sector as a C Corp. Well yes with many, many, many, many
(03:56):
subsidiaries that they've all consolidated under one umbrella and they
are absolutely gigantic and they have a market capitalization of over a trillion
dollars I believe. Absolutely gigantic company, absolute behemoth and if not
monopolistic, oligopolistic. Folks, it's a lot scarier in today's day and age to
(04:19):
criticize a large, large private company that arguably feeds me. I put a lot of
dollars proportionate to what I have into Amazon ads. So Amazon don't take me
off your platform. But if, but it's scarier to criticize Amazon than it
oftentimes than it is to criticize the government as an artist in the United
(04:42):
States of America. Not in Iran, not in Saudi Arabia, not in Brunei, maybe not in
India depending on where you are in the caste system, maybe not even in the UK or
Canada or California which I barely count as part of the United States and
(05:04):
by the way if you think I'm like ignorant or just hating on California I
live there for four plus years so don't, don't, don't think I you know I'm I say
that tongue-in-cheek but I also California is so far gone I counted as
among like partially separate from the US. In the United States we have a special
luxury. I do not believe a government should ban any book. I do not believe a
(05:30):
corporation should ban any book. So if Amazon is the largest bookseller in the
entire world they should allow you to put any book on their platform. Anyone
you choose. Now I do understand this is my opinion. I understand quality
(05:52):
controls. I understand you know when you go to upload a book or upload a
manuscript or just kind of launch the previewer to see how it's going to look
in paperback format for example and it doesn't come out right and Amazon
doesn't allow you to sell it. I understand a certain quality aspect but
a book is sacred. I'm not I kind of became a novelist because of this but
(06:16):
I'm not saying it because I'm a novelist. I'm not saying books are sacred just
because I'm a novelist guys. I'm saying books are sacred because it's the
final frontier of ravenous. Now TV and film you can depict a lot but in books
in literature and prose fiction specifically yes nonfiction too but
(06:42):
really in prose fiction you can depict anything you want and should be able to
depict anything you want and if people like it they'll read it or they'll pass
it on or that is if they ever even discover your work. Listen hear me
(07:06):
clearly. I say that a lot hear me clearly because I don't mince words but oftentimes
my words are minced or misperceived and misrepresented and misheard by
others. Amazon has a policy for example I'm gonna give you a concrete example. I
didn't do any research but like like I said I'm operating a lot of what I
(07:27):
already know off publishing and writing for years and years within the industry
as a best-selling novelist Ukrainian-born yada yada you know it. Someone who is
experimented in many genres someone who has a four-book anywhere from middle
grade to octogenarian high literature to you know lowbrow fantasy series called
(07:52):
The Conjurer or stories of shadow and flame. The Conjurer is my debut. It's
looked at in a lot of ways it could be fantasy ancient historical fiction it's
based off the Aztecs and so on and so forth. It's highly allegorical right but
I've also experimented in many other genres that's just my most commercial
(08:13):
series and my only series but I've done a lot of other works Monsters in my mind
right now sells the best online and particularly the best on Amazon. Let me
give you an Amazon policy though to show you a contrast between banned books from
the government and banned books on Amazon. If a government bans your books
most booksellers I'm just saying it flat out and you can't disprove me just like
(08:38):
you can't disprove God. Call me a fool. I dare you. Do it. Do it. Call me a
hmm I'm not gonna say it right now I don't want this to be graded as explicit
content. Call me a fool though right. Most booksellers are left-leaning. I'm not
complaining about that. What I'm saying is when there is censorship that comes
(09:05):
from the right and says you can't I'm giving you an example you cannot put in
a public library a book catered solely and directly to for children about sex
changes and it's okay to be non-binary and gay and basically talking about sex
(09:26):
which I was never even allowed to say watch think about talk about read about
anything even the word sex was taboo in my household until I was like 14 15 16
even I just it that was just how I grew up it was very taboo in my house I
(09:52):
couldn't do it. Violence was okay sex was not but for four or five six seven
year olds in local libraries or maybe public elementary school libraries and
maybe say Ron DeSantis governor Florida for example signs a bill and says you
can't have in this public library this type of book say it is for like gender
(10:16):
affirming care I'm giving you examples so hear me clearly and if I disavow
something I'll let you know you can't have a book that supports and and and
rationalizes and even normalizes gender affirming care for children or even
anyone under the age of 18 just it's not gonna be allowed in a in a in an
(10:39):
elementary school library nope not gonna happen that's the government doing that
Amazon will sell it especially if it makes money you know what Amazon will
not sell unless it makes a lot of money Amazon has a pop there they have a very
long legalistic and I do hate to I hate legalism okay I disavow legalism in all
(11:06):
its many forms Amazon has a policy and it says hey if you glorify rape we will
not sell your book that is the largest book platform that is a monopolistic if
not all again oligopolistic bookseller it is the largest in the world who
(11:31):
determines if there is sexual assault rape in your book yeah trigger warning I
just said rape sorry not sorry we're talking about books here we're talking
about literature literature is supposed to cut boundaries rape has been a part
of civilization for a while I'm not condoning it obviously but I'm saying the
(11:58):
R word just for the sake of well I don't need to justify it actually we're
talking about literature here and rape occurs in literature so if rape occurs
in literature who is to say that when it occurs when it is glorifying the act
versus condemning it it's unfair it's frankly unfair and I it's messed up it's
(12:27):
contrived and it's censorious it's just as censorious as the government saying
no at this public library you can't do this that still abides by this this this
this ethereal notion we have of the separation of church and state they're
not they're not involving you could you could argue like say in this example
(12:51):
this DeSantis is involving religion he's saying because of his religious ties or
his donors religious ties or the culture that he wants that you know he doesn't
want gender affirming care for children in books for children in schools only
for children okay I don't know if I agree with that or not but I would push
(13:18):
back a lot more on Amazon banning a book because that is how it's distributed the
author okay let's put it this way how are you gonna make more money are you
gonna make more money through a few middle school classroom or middle school
(13:39):
or elementary school classroom libraries or you're gonna make more money through
Amazon and Barnes and Noble because here's here's my main point and I'm
gonna get to the meat of this in right now banned books have become a marketing
ploy a selling point this book is banned therefore it's dangerous no it's not you
(14:00):
want to read something dangerous if you read a banned book and you don't cry or
you weren't triggered or you aren't unsettled or if your stomach doesn't
churn or if it goes against what you believe or rather if you're if it
doesn't go against what you believe then it's just a marketing ploy you are then
(14:25):
if you're giving money to publishers authors and agents that are and book
sellers by the way that are proffering quote banned books and you're not seeing
the full spectrum of banned books banned books like for example how to make a
homemade firearm how to easily make a homemade firearm how to make a homemade
pipe bomb which by the way pipe bombs are not pipe bombs bombs can be
(14:49):
technically legal just letting you know there are books I'm sure that are banned
somewhere probably across Amazon in the government they don't want you to know
that you can get I I don't know if mine comp for example is sold on Amazon but
when you start talking about banned books and they're in booksellers and
independent and Barnes and Nobles and in big big book chains and in indies and
(15:14):
small book chains all across the nation in the world let's focus on the nation
of the United States for for now it is the largest book market in the world
print and Kindle when we start doing that when we start marketing banned books
and saying oh yeah read these banned books you are part of the controlled
(15:37):
opposition you are part of the controlled resistance ask yourself why is
it banned if it doesn't give you a visceral reaction and you're a woman
chances are you're being taken advantage of I'm actually trying to protect your
(15:59):
interests your money your wallet and your attention to not waste your time
and money in a hard-earned capital on books that are just designed to trick you
because they call out say the patriarchy that's been being called out since God
knows when you could say as early as the 50s I would say far earlier than that
(16:20):
but um there's I'm sure a lot of literature to back that but it wasn't in
like 2019 when like the first feminist movement started a banned book doesn't
mean it's controversial or polarizing a banned book means it's actually banned
and you are unable to access it if a bookseller can sell the book that means
(16:40):
it's commercially available you are not opposing anything if you read a quote
banned book that's been marketed to you as a banned book if you're reading a
banned book follow my logic for a second if you say it's not logical then at
least just follow what I'm saying because it's some sort of a thought
pattern it's some sort of a thought pattern give me this if you're marketed
(17:04):
to hey these are the banned books and it's a commercial bookseller they're
trying to sell you something what do they have profit incentive that's it I'm
not saying these booksellers don't care most booksellers I've ever met are
fantastic and passionate about what they do that's why they work at bookstores
but you're not resisting anything you're not creating political change when
(17:26):
you're sitting in an echo chamber of say feminism and intersectionality and you
know land acknowledgments for Native Americans and I don't even know what
that means there's like 500 tribes of Native Americans who all fought and
killed each other and raped and pillaged each other's villages you're not going
to you're part of the controlled opposition if you go get marketed to to
(17:53):
read a banned book read the banned book and don't throw up or have your stomach
churn or have to stop reading it that's where the real banned books begin okay
there are books out there that are inaccessible that I don't know about and
you don't know about because they're actually banned secret knowledge maybe
(18:14):
of the government maybe of people in really high places my whole point though
is not to put anyone down necessarily that sells and markets banned books
quote unquote banned books banned books or people who buy banned books that are
marketed to them I'm not trying to put anyone down here what I'm trying to say
(18:37):
is no book should be banned and this goes back to free speech if you want to
censor one form of speech that is a slippery slippery slope if you want to
censor one color of the political spectrum or one color of the social
(18:57):
spectrum or the economic spectrum or even just ideological you want to censor
one religion you want to censor one viewpoint and you call them terrorists or
Nazis or fascists then my friend I am warning you that's a slippery slope
here's my opinion and here's my antidote government Amazon Barnes and Noble
(19:22):
Indies don't ban any books don't censor any speech if you think a certain speech
is bad if you think a certain book is poor if you think a certain book is
dangerous or harmful to society fight it with better speech because you're not
(19:42):
going to stop the powers that be that hold all of the distribution and all of
the money and all of the social and political capital to distribute whatever
the hell they want you don't know you're you're you're in a very slim paradigm of
history where what you think is ethical has not always been ethical in fact
(20:03):
it's only been a norm for maybe the past five to ten years and they're constantly
changing folks they're constantly changing you are not part of the
resistance if you read quote unquote banned books you're not you're not part
of the resistance you're not fighting the Galactic Empire you're not fighting
the patriarchy you're not doing anything other than masturbating when you read
(20:25):
banned books yeah this was a little bit more of a rant than I thought it would
be but that I guess was necessary I come on here as a means to an ends to just
express things that I can't in novels and that I don't want to do in essays and
(20:47):
publish them for a wide audience and it's it's my pure thoughts you're still
getting me filtered this is me filtered I'm not unfiltered right now but it's
unedited you know that's at least what I can say and I just I just think that if
you're marketed to as a consumer with a host of banned books they're not really
(21:13):
banned now if you can buy them at a major retailer are they ask yourself
that you're a reader you're supposed to be a critical thinker you're a reader or
are you an echo chamberist I know it's not a word but now it is I just made it
one in the whole English language is a contrivance it's a whole is it's a
(21:33):
man-made structure it's a man-made institution grammar is man-made
everything is in terms of English and then even the descendants of English and
the the predecessors of English linguistically it's all a contrivance so
I just made a word you're an echo chamberist you're a you're master but
(21:54):
you're you are engaging in masturbatory acts when you think you're part of the
resistance by reading and promoting and posting about and reviewing quote banned
books when they're sold to you legally you want to actually be part of the
resistance maybe fight one of your own biases but you know what that's harder
(22:23):
well rather that's easier said than done but I really wanted to get across today
just a simple thing I know it's this is gonna go for about 24 25 minutes but
last point here is what I'm trying to drive home which is banned books and the
idea around it it is a marketing ploy and it is what I would call and refer to
(22:45):
as controlled opposition controlled opposition means the powers that be are
giving you a psychological operation a Psyop and they're they are giving you an
illusion they're being illusory in diluting you giving you the idea that
(23:09):
you have power to fight back at who controls you and who puppeteers what you
get to see and what you don't get to see well guess what you can't you can't
fight back unless you take the time and the effort to why do you read banned
(23:30):
books in the first place it's probably already because of one of your
ideological bents I don't know what that might be maybe you are a feminist maybe
you are a white nationalist maybe you are a black nationalist maybe you are
part of the nation of Islam maybe you are a descendant of the Black Panther
(23:54):
movement maybe you are a Christian apologist maybe you are just coming from
some ideological or ethnical bent or not ethnical ethnic bent maybe you are a
Vladimir Putin apologist maybe you are a neo-nazi maybe you are a Democrat maybe
(24:17):
you are a Republican maybe you are an anarchist maybe you are a communist a
Marxist maybe you are a democratic socialist I don't I named all those
things to say in a lot of those are competing ideologies I named all those
to say those are all ideologies you might be coming from one of those
(24:45):
ideologies maybe it's feminism maybe it's neoliberalism maybe it's
communism maybe it's white nationalism if you read a banned book that affirms your
ideology even if it all or even if it's truly truly banned are you opposing
(25:08):
anything maybe but I'm posing the question are you opposing anything are
you actually providing resistance to something or are you feeding by reading
banned books are you feeding into a system that is chewing you up as you
consume the content they exactly want you to read I'm not trying to twist your
(25:33):
mind or bend your mind I'm just trying to expand it a little bit think about
the next time you see a banned books aisle or section online or in the book
store in a blog post maybe and think about the nature of what's being sold to
(25:55):
you think about how they're being portrayed think about what's actually
the contents of these books are they how to make bombs are they how to form an
an ethno state are they how to support an autocracy or maybe maybe you know a
(26:19):
radical theocracy a radical theocratic government or they just like does it
just show is it just a little smuttier than what you should be reading or what
is available on the market is a little bit more aggressive or gory does it go
(26:44):
against a certain faux pas that you know some aspect some some some niche aspect
the social spectrum just doesn't prefer and you say oh I'm part of the
resistance so just ask yourself that just think critically that's all or
don't it's your life sorry not sorry hey there's some links down in the
(27:08):
description below I didn't want to make this one too long but it's looking like
it's gonna be 20 over 27 minutes the point is if you can buy a banned book
very easily it's not very banned now is it so my book of poems comes out April
1st might get banned like for real for real has some radical stuff in there am
(27:35):
I gonna expand upon it well actually I do some poetry readings and some sneak
peeks every now and then and bonus episodes on this podcast you can feel
free to subscribe when you want pardon me once again and yeah check out the
links below you can follow me on Amazon you can check out the website got some
(27:55):
great new apparel and accessories scarves are just looking absolutely
beautiful they're Italian satin McCall is garments we got Janie's bracelets
from the stories of shadow and flame series so consider all that and like
subscribe download it helps out a ton appreciate it and yeah banned books think
(28:18):
about you
Welcome to the Nick Oliveri show. I am Nick Oliveri, number one best-selling
(00:05):
novelist, five-time independent best-selling novelist, Ukrainian born.
And on this show, just kind of starting out the podcast, still really finding the
flow, but we mainly talk about great art, great people, and the many things in
between. That's all we talk about, but it's quite the wide range. Today we are
(00:29):
going over banned books, specifically the nature of them in the marketing ploy
that I think a lot of that is. So let's get into it. This is gonna be a little
bit more of a rant style mixed with a lot of my actual professional
(00:50):
experiences in the industry, being in I don't know how many dozens to maybe a
hundred plus bookstores in the past two years as both an author signing copies
as well as just a ready consumer and or just a browser. So most bookstores have
(01:11):
a banned book section. This is a neoliberal concept. Let me tell you why.
Banned books and the idea of that is, I don't know if you ever heard the term
controlled resistance. Banned books and the marketing of banned books are
(01:37):
controlled resistance. Those bookstores are still there to make money. Okay, let's
not get anything twisted. And I'm not just talking about the Barnes and
Nobles of the world. I have a fantastic relationship with the Corporation of
Barnes and Nobles as well as countless across the nation. They invite me to go
and speak and do readings and sign copies all the time. I also have a great
(02:00):
relationship with quite a few independent bookstores. I've been in many
throughout the year of 2024 as I record this in early February 2025. There are so
many banned book sections on social media on TikTok and Instagram. You can
see, you know, read banned books on websites, on Facebook, on Goodreads. Hey,
(02:22):
here are the best banned books. Well, guess what folks, if you can read them
they're not totally banned now, are they? If you can read them they're not
totally banned. I'm really gonna get into it today. Amazon, oh yeah, now I'm talking
about it, is arguably more powerful than our government in some ways. Or at least
(02:46):
Amazon, the company, controls facets of our government in which we are unable to
enact the Sherman Antitrust in order to bust them up. Am I advocating to bust up
Amazon and treat them as a monopoly like we did say Standard Oil and Teddy
Roosevelt versus, you know, the boy John D Rockefeller, JDR? No, no, no, no, no.
(03:09):
I'm not necessarily saying that. I'm not necessarily saying that. We shouldn't do
that. What I'm, I'm gonna be talking about Amazon because criticizing the
government is a lot easier and is a lot safer than criticizing big private
companies. Now I know Amazon's publicly traded, that's a whole financial thing,
(03:31):
okay? Amazon's publicly traded as in they they sell shares on the open market on
weekdays that are not federal and bank holidays in the market, 930 to 330
Eastern. But they're still a private corporation as in they're in the, they
operate in the private sector as a C Corp. Well yes with many, many, many, many
(03:56):
subsidiaries that they've all consolidated under one umbrella and they
are absolutely gigantic and they have a market capitalization of over a trillion
dollars I believe. Absolutely gigantic company, absolute behemoth and if not
monopolistic, oligopolistic. Folks, it's a lot scarier in today's day and age to
(04:19):
criticize a large, large private company that arguably feeds me. I put a lot of
dollars proportionate to what I have into Amazon ads. So Amazon don't take me
off your platform. But if, but it's scarier to criticize Amazon than it
oftentimes than it is to criticize the government as an artist in the United
(04:42):
States of America. Not in Iran, not in Saudi Arabia, not in Brunei, maybe not in
India depending on where you are in the caste system, maybe not even in the UK or
Canada or California which I barely count as part of the United States and
(05:04):
by the way if you think I'm like ignorant or just hating on California I
live there for four plus years so don't, don't, don't think I you know I'm I say
that tongue-in-cheek but I also California is so far gone I counted as
among like partially separate from the US. In the United States we have a special
luxury. I do not believe a government should ban any book. I do not believe a
(05:30):
corporation should ban any book. So if Amazon is the largest bookseller in the
entire world they should allow you to put any book on their platform. Anyone
you choose. Now I do understand this is my opinion. I understand quality
(05:52):
controls. I understand you know when you go to upload a book or upload a
manuscript or just kind of launch the previewer to see how it's going to look
in paperback format for example and it doesn't come out right and Amazon
doesn't allow you to sell it. I understand a certain quality aspect but
a book is sacred. I'm not I kind of became a novelist because of this but
(06:16):
I'm not saying it because I'm a novelist. I'm not saying books are sacred just
because I'm a novelist guys. I'm saying books are sacred because it's the
final frontier of ravenous. Now TV and film you can depict a lot but in books
in literature and prose fiction specifically yes nonfiction too but
(06:42):
really in prose fiction you can depict anything you want and should be able to
depict anything you want and if people like it they'll read it or they'll pass
it on or that is if they ever even discover your work. Listen hear me
(07:06):
clearly. I say that a lot hear me clearly because I don't mince words but oftentimes
my words are minced or misperceived and misrepresented and misheard by
others. Amazon has a policy for example I'm gonna give you a concrete example. I
didn't do any research but like like I said I'm operating a lot of what I
(07:27):
already know off publishing and writing for years and years within the industry
as a best-selling novelist Ukrainian-born yada yada you know it. Someone who is
experimented in many genres someone who has a four-book anywhere from middle
grade to octogenarian high literature to you know lowbrow fantasy series called
(07:52):
The Conjurer or stories of shadow and flame. The Conjurer is my debut. It's
looked at in a lot of ways it could be fantasy ancient historical fiction it's
based off the Aztecs and so on and so forth. It's highly allegorical right but
I've also experimented in many other genres that's just my most commercial
(08:13):
series and my only series but I've done a lot of other works Monsters in my mind
right now sells the best online and particularly the best on Amazon. Let me
give you an Amazon policy though to show you a contrast between banned books from
the government and banned books on Amazon. If a government bans your books
most booksellers I'm just saying it flat out and you can't disprove me just like
(08:38):
you can't disprove God. Call me a fool. I dare you. Do it. Do it. Call me a
hmm I'm not gonna say it right now I don't want this to be graded as explicit
content. Call me a fool though right. Most booksellers are left-leaning. I'm not
complaining about that. What I'm saying is when there is censorship that comes
(09:05):
from the right and says you can't I'm giving you an example you cannot put in
a public library a book catered solely and directly to for children about sex
changes and it's okay to be non-binary and gay and basically talking about sex
(09:26):
which I was never even allowed to say watch think about talk about read about
anything even the word sex was taboo in my household until I was like 14 15 16
even I just it that was just how I grew up it was very taboo in my house I
(09:52):
couldn't do it. Violence was okay sex was not but for four or five six seven
year olds in local libraries or maybe public elementary school libraries and
maybe say Ron DeSantis governor Florida for example signs a bill and says you
can't have in this public library this type of book say it is for like gender
(10:16):
affirming care I'm giving you examples so hear me clearly and if I disavow
something I'll let you know you can't have a book that supports and and and
rationalizes and even normalizes gender affirming care for children or even
anyone under the age of 18 just it's not gonna be allowed in a in a in an
(10:39):
elementary school library nope not gonna happen that's the government doing that
Amazon will sell it especially if it makes money you know what Amazon will
not sell unless it makes a lot of money Amazon has a pop there they have a very
long legalistic and I do hate to I hate legalism okay I disavow legalism in all
(11:06):
its many forms Amazon has a policy and it says hey if you glorify rape we will
not sell your book that is the largest book platform that is a monopolistic if
not all again oligopolistic bookseller it is the largest in the world who
(11:31):
determines if there is sexual assault rape in your book yeah trigger warning I
just said rape sorry not sorry we're talking about books here we're talking
about literature literature is supposed to cut boundaries rape has been a part
of civilization for a while I'm not condoning it obviously but I'm saying the
(11:58):
R word just for the sake of well I don't need to justify it actually we're
talking about literature here and rape occurs in literature so if rape occurs
in literature who is to say that when it occurs when it is glorifying the act
versus condemning it it's unfair it's frankly unfair and I it's messed up it's
(12:27):
contrived and it's censorious it's just as censorious as the government saying
no at this public library you can't do this that still abides by this this this
this ethereal notion we have of the separation of church and state they're
not they're not involving you could you could argue like say in this example
(12:51):
this DeSantis is involving religion he's saying because of his religious ties or
his donors religious ties or the culture that he wants that you know he doesn't
want gender affirming care for children in books for children in schools only
for children okay I don't know if I agree with that or not but I would push
(13:18):
back a lot more on Amazon banning a book because that is how it's distributed the
author okay let's put it this way how are you gonna make more money are you
gonna make more money through a few middle school classroom or middle school
(13:39):
or elementary school classroom libraries or you're gonna make more money through
Amazon and Barnes and Noble because here's here's my main point and I'm
gonna get to the meat of this in right now banned books have become a marketing
ploy a selling point this book is banned therefore it's dangerous no it's not you
(14:00):
want to read something dangerous if you read a banned book and you don't cry or
you weren't triggered or you aren't unsettled or if your stomach doesn't
churn or if it goes against what you believe or rather if you're if it
doesn't go against what you believe then it's just a marketing ploy you are then
(14:25):
if you're giving money to publishers authors and agents that are and book
sellers by the way that are proffering quote banned books and you're not seeing
the full spectrum of banned books banned books like for example how to make a
homemade firearm how to easily make a homemade firearm how to make a homemade
pipe bomb which by the way pipe bombs are not pipe bombs bombs can be
(14:49):
technically legal just letting you know there are books I'm sure that are banned
somewhere probably across Amazon in the government they don't want you to know
that you can get I I don't know if mine comp for example is sold on Amazon but
when you start talking about banned books and they're in booksellers and
independent and Barnes and Nobles and in big big book chains and in indies and
(15:14):
small book chains all across the nation in the world let's focus on the nation
of the United States for for now it is the largest book market in the world
print and Kindle when we start doing that when we start marketing banned books
and saying oh yeah read these banned books you are part of the controlled
(15:37):
opposition you are part of the controlled resistance ask yourself why is
it banned if it doesn't give you a visceral reaction and you're a woman
chances are you're being taken advantage of I'm actually trying to protect your
(15:59):
interests your money your wallet and your attention to not waste your time
and money in a hard-earned capital on books that are just designed to trick you
because they call out say the patriarchy that's been being called out since God
knows when you could say as early as the 50s I would say far earlier than that
(16:20):
but um there's I'm sure a lot of literature to back that but it wasn't in
like 2019 when like the first feminist movement started a banned book doesn't
mean it's controversial or polarizing a banned book means it's actually banned
and you are unable to access it if a bookseller can sell the book that means
(16:40):
it's commercially available you are not opposing anything if you read a quote
banned book that's been marketed to you as a banned book if you're reading a
banned book follow my logic for a second if you say it's not logical then at
least just follow what I'm saying because it's some sort of a thought
pattern it's some sort of a thought pattern give me this if you're marketed
(17:04):
to hey these are the banned books and it's a commercial bookseller they're
trying to sell you something what do they have profit incentive that's it I'm
not saying these booksellers don't care most booksellers I've ever met are
fantastic and passionate about what they do that's why they work at bookstores
but you're not resisting anything you're not creating political change when
(17:26):
you're sitting in an echo chamber of say feminism and intersectionality and you
know land acknowledgments for Native Americans and I don't even know what
that means there's like 500 tribes of Native Americans who all fought and
killed each other and raped and pillaged each other's villages you're not going
to you're part of the controlled opposition if you go get marketed to to
(17:53):
read a banned book read the banned book and don't throw up or have your stomach
churn or have to stop reading it that's where the real banned books begin okay
there are books out there that are inaccessible that I don't know about and
you don't know about because they're actually banned secret knowledge maybe
(18:14):
of the government maybe of people in really high places my whole point though
is not to put anyone down necessarily that sells and markets banned books
quote unquote banned books banned books or people who buy banned books that are
marketed to them I'm not trying to put anyone down here what I'm trying to say
(18:37):
is no book should be banned and this goes back to free speech if you want to
censor one form of speech that is a slippery slippery slope if you want to
censor one color of the political spectrum or one color of the social
(18:57):
spectrum or the economic spectrum or even just ideological you want to censor
one religion you want to censor one viewpoint and you call them terrorists or
Nazis or fascists then my friend I am warning you that's a slippery slope
here's my opinion and here's my antidote government Amazon Barnes and Noble
(19:22):
Indies don't ban any books don't censor any speech if you think a certain speech
is bad if you think a certain book is poor if you think a certain book is
dangerous or harmful to society fight it with better speech because you're not
(19:42):
going to stop the powers that be that hold all of the distribution and all of
the money and all of the social and political capital to distribute whatever
the hell they want you don't know you're you're you're in a very slim paradigm of
history where what you think is ethical has not always been ethical in fact
(20:03):
it's only been a norm for maybe the past five to ten years and they're constantly
changing folks they're constantly changing you are not part of the
resistance if you read quote unquote banned books you're not you're not part
of the resistance you're not fighting the Galactic Empire you're not fighting
the patriarchy you're not doing anything other than masturbating when you read
(20:25):
banned books yeah this was a little bit more of a rant than I thought it would
be but that I guess was necessary I come on here as a means to an ends to just
express things that I can't in novels and that I don't want to do in essays and
(20:47):
publish them for a wide audience and it's it's my pure thoughts you're still
getting me filtered this is me filtered I'm not unfiltered right now but it's
unedited you know that's at least what I can say and I just I just think that if
you're marketed to as a consumer with a host of banned books they're not really
(21:13):
banned now if you can buy them at a major retailer are they ask yourself
that you're a reader you're supposed to be a critical thinker you're a reader or
are you an echo chamberist I know it's not a word but now it is I just made it
one in the whole English language is a contrivance it's a whole is it's a
(21:33):
man-made structure it's a man-made institution grammar is man-made
everything is in terms of English and then even the descendants of English and
the the predecessors of English linguistically it's all a contrivance so
I just made a word you're an echo chamberist you're a you're master but
(21:54):
you're you are engaging in masturbatory acts when you think you're part of the
resistance by reading and promoting and posting about and reviewing quote banned
books when they're sold to you legally you want to actually be part of the
resistance maybe fight one of your own biases but you know what that's harder
(22:23):
well rather that's easier said than done but I really wanted to get across today
just a simple thing I know it's this is gonna go for about 24 25 minutes but
last point here is what I'm trying to drive home which is banned books and the
idea around it it is a marketing ploy and it is what I would call and refer to
(22:45):
as controlled opposition controlled opposition means the powers that be are
giving you a psychological operation a Psyop and they're they are giving you an
illusion they're being illusory in diluting you giving you the idea that
(23:09):
you have power to fight back at who controls you and who puppeteers what you
get to see and what you don't get to see well guess what you can't you can't
fight back unless you take the time and the effort to why do you read banned
(23:30):
books in the first place it's probably already because of one of your
ideological bents I don't know what that might be maybe you are a feminist maybe
you are a white nationalist maybe you are a black nationalist maybe you are
part of the nation of Islam maybe you are a descendant of the Black Panther
(23:54):
movement maybe you are a Christian apologist maybe you are just coming from
some ideological or ethnical bent or not ethnical ethnic bent maybe you are a
Vladimir Putin apologist maybe you are a neo-nazi maybe you are a Democrat maybe
(24:17):
you are a Republican maybe you are an anarchist maybe you are a communist a
Marxist maybe you are a democratic socialist I don't I named all those
things to say in a lot of those are competing ideologies I named all those
to say those are all ideologies you might be coming from one of those
(24:45):
ideologies maybe it's feminism maybe it's neoliberalism maybe it's
communism maybe it's white nationalism if you read a banned book that affirms your
ideology even if it all or even if it's truly truly banned are you opposing
(25:08):
anything maybe but I'm posing the question are you opposing anything are
you actually providing resistance to something or are you feeding by reading
banned books are you feeding into a system that is chewing you up as you
consume the content they exactly want you to read I'm not trying to twist your
(25:33):
mind or bend your mind I'm just trying to expand it a little bit think about
the next time you see a banned books aisle or section online or in the book
store in a blog post maybe and think about the nature of what's being sold to
(25:55):
you think about how they're being portrayed think about what's actually
the contents of these books are they how to make bombs are they how to form an
an ethno state are they how to support an autocracy or maybe maybe you know a
(26:19):
radical theocracy a radical theocratic government or they just like does it
just show is it just a little smuttier than what you should be reading or what
is available on the market is a little bit more aggressive or gory does it go
(26:44):
against a certain faux pas that you know some aspect some some some niche aspect
the social spectrum just doesn't prefer and you say oh I'm part of the
resistance so just ask yourself that just think critically that's all or
don't it's your life sorry not sorry hey there's some links down in the
(27:08):
description below I didn't want to make this one too long but it's looking like
it's gonna be 20 over 27 minutes the point is if you can buy a banned book
very easily it's not very banned now is it so my book of poems comes out April
1st might get banned like for real for real has some radical stuff in there am
(27:35):
I gonna expand upon it well actually I do some poetry readings and some sneak
peeks every now and then and bonus episodes on this podcast you can feel
free to subscribe when you want pardon me once again and yeah check out the
links below you can follow me on Amazon you can check out the website got some
(27:55):
great new apparel and accessories scarves are just looking absolutely
beautiful they're Italian satin McCall is garments we got Janie's bracelets
from the stories of shadow and flame series so consider all that and like
subscribe download it helps out a ton appreciate it and yeah banned books think
(28:18):
about you
Host
Nick Oliveri
Popular Podcasts
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com