Who's read this book? I was thinking about it today while at work. I read this book for the first time ten years ago, after my brother-in-law mentioned it over dinner. It was nothing like I expected but I ended up really enjoying it, mainly because it's one of the funniest books I've ever read. Granted, mostly it's dark humour, but if that's your bag this might be right down your street. From my experience people are quite ambivalent towards this book. They either 'get' it or they think it's weird or wrong or worse. It certainly touches upon some sensitive points and breaks social conventions. But I wasn't offended by it or outraged, I found it entertaining and also quite insightful into the human condition. While flawed, the 'Dice' idea is a very unique concept and really intriguing. Imagine if we could destroy the 'self' and become random instead. Of course, there's nothing really desirable about this and I'm not about to start practising in my own time. Luke Rhinehart nevertheless drew me as a character and I found his obsession with following the way of the dice very interesting. In some ways it's a story of gradual descent into insanity unless you see his story as a 'victory' (he certainly might.) I won't go into detail but he becomes more and more extreme until he really can't control his life anymore and everyone around him is affected. I would say this is well worth reading for the humour and controversial content as well as witnessing someone's life fall into shambles while escaping everyday humdrum and boredom for something a little more spontaneous (or a lot!) Be interested to see if anyone read this book and what their opinions are on it.
Why not? I'm in a similar position to you, having read it about 8 years ago, and again a few months back. I also think it's one of the funniest books I've ever read. Even if I don't use them for a week straight, I always have my 2 purple dice with me, should I become bored enough to require a jolt back into the present that using them in Luke's way provides. I've noticed the same extreme responses in the people I recommend the book to. They either quit after a certain chapter (you know the one), or read it all in one go and become (if only for a short while) a dicer. Although, I don't think I've ever met someone who got the book but didn't want to try it.
It's good that someone else has read this and enjoyed it. At the age I read it I found it jumped out at me with its ideas and philosophy and I found it quite impressive at that time. It's awesome that you have two dice with you and take to it with such commitment. Maybe I am unusual in that I didn't try it, though that's not to say I wasn't tempted. As much as I enjoyed Luke's philosophy and as convincing as it was I am a little more like Jake in the book (who does actually take on the die but I'm not sure if this is in the sequel). I wouldn't seek to destroy the self because if anything I think life is about developing more self and personality, and that we cannot escape our natural personality even if we try. We can choose to ignore these natural impulses, but I don't think that's the same as becoming truly random or without any true self. I do agree with Luke that routine can be boring and that consistency or familiarity can breed contempt. But the measures he goes to are of course extreme and impractical when it turns excessive. It's also I don't think a solution, though very entertaining as a book. While I do think we should break down conventions and not act as people expect us to act, just because that is seen as who we are, I think this is more behavioural than anything. I think we should aim to be free and independent and completely ourselves, recognising that we all have many 'selves' as it were that are not contradictory but instead hand in hand. A little like Yin and Yang, two opposing elements that somehow interact and interconnect. So, in a sense, are we. I can be laidback on many things and suddenly passionate or principled on a particular thing, but it's not being out of character, it's just getting across our complexities and paradoxical characteristics. If I start rolling a dice and doing things I don't want to do then I'm not being myself naturally. Not only is it potentially dangerous (depending on the options) it's also a little anarchistic, despite being hilarious in the novel. Plus, we have control over the options we write, which means we have free will over the choices. I suppose writing down options on a simple level could be fun--should I go to the park or should I go randomly to a show on my own?--but I guess that's not the spirit Luke intended. I think we need to change automatic behaviours and be much more audacious and look at like in a different way, but throwing the dice to deconstruct conventions may just be a little too radical. It may also be counter-productive, and I think I always read it as such. But it is a great book and I'd be interested in your opinions on the dice and how you use it.
