The Lottery – Shirley Jackson (1948) (opens in new tab)

I remember reading this as a naive 14 yr old, because it was one of “the” classics of American literature apparently. It scarred me for months later. I hated it.

Now looking back, I don’t think this story would scar me as much anymore. But I still don’t see the point it. Is it an allegory for something deeper than what it is. I still don’t like it much anymore!

Because I’m surprised to see Shirley Jackson on the front page, and maybe someone else will get a smile:

Why one small American town won’t stop stoning its residents to death -https://archiveofourown.org/works/73396436?view_adult=true

What stood out to me was how normal everyone acts. No villains or drawn out speeches just people treating something horrifying like it’s another town chore. That’s probably the part that aged the best (or worst).

The antecedent to The Running Man and The Hunger Games.

The lottery: and other stories https://archive.org/details/lottery00jack/mode/1up

Wasn't there recently just a two button trend with a similar theme?

This story remains pertinent.

Can we imagine a world where we can question everything? Where we have the means to do so?

The Lottery parallels plenty of other works - of the banality of evil. Of how we can turn to cruelty through our traditions and patterns. But can we imagine a future where we create space to ask questions? Constantly?

I really liked the audio version. I would never listen to those ai generated ones, but I guess they might be better than the screen reader for blind people.

Reminds me of circumcision. Nobody questioning, just treating it as a standard thing to torture babies.