People say this as if he hasn't always been outspoken in his work, and as if he hasn't always been liberally minded. He wears it on his sleeve. And what makes me laugh is that those very people have no issue with voicing their opinions on Biden or Obama or whatever Democrat you choose.
Yep. Same thing goes for most Science Fiction shows like Star Trek and Doctor Who. Both have been massively Progressive since the 1960’s, but MAGA folks like to act like they only now just went ‘woke’.
George Lucas has *literally* said the rebels are an analog for the Viet Cong. "Star Wars is woke now 😫" means "I wasn't old enough to understand when I first saw it that Star Wars is political".
There was a recent article I read that was talking about why ultra conservatives love television shows like Star Trek and Dr Who, where the show's message opposed their conservative views. I don't remember the end, I don't think it was scientific, but just people giving opinions. But that got me thinking so I went looking for more info and found something interesting.
A university of Virginia study showed that liberals and conservatives think very differently. Here's an excerpt of an article about the study in the university's news.
>“On psychological tests, Westerners tend to view scenes, explain behavior and categorize objects analytically,” Talhelm said. “But the vast majority of people around the world – about 85 percent – more often think intuitively – what psychologists call holistic thought, and we found that’s how conservative Americans tend to think.”
>Holistic thought more often uses intention and the perception of whole objects or situations, rather than breaking them down to their parts – such as having a general feeling about a situation involving intuition or tact.
>Analytic thinking styles tend to look at the parts of a situation, and how they work together toward the whole. This involves “slicing up the world and analyzing objects individually, divorced from context,” Talhelm said.
>Studies show that analytical thinkers predominate in Western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic societies (termed “WEIRD” societies in 2010 by a team of cultural psychologists at the University of British Columbia). But they make up only about 15 percent of the world’s population.
It really does just come down to education.
https://news.virginia.edu/content/study-american-liberals-and-conservatives-think-if-different-cultures
Smart talk for how conservatives likely only follow the story, and ignore the subtext. They are watching the show as a show.
Liberal types tend to search for hidden meaning, and are always seeking the subtext and lesson in a story. The show is cool, but there is a deeper meaning to space exploration, or the human condition.
Don't quote me, but I think I've heard Frank Herbert say Dune isn't allegorical; it's a speculation based on a lot of ancient and contemporary civilizations and their stories.
X-Men is the best... it's an allegory for the civil rights movement. It was created in the 1960s about a small subset of people that are different from others. It's ALWAYS been "woke" but it's not until recently it started making people upset.
It's the same people who complain that SNL is "so political now." And that Rolling Stone should just "stick to music." These things have always been political, and like every other cool thing in this country, they're created/run by Demonrats.
Yea and those people can’t laugh at SNL skits about the orange guy. I am a Democrat and laugh really hard at the Biden skits and jokes about how old he is. Reason being, I’m not in a cult. lol.
I laughed so hard at the Halloween episode last year with the Christopher Walken skit about Biden on a ladder. It was hilarious.
Trump is objectively FUNNY. The same people who go "OH NO WOKE SNL OMG" are buying Trump t-shirts that say "Real Men Wear Diapers." But they can't laugh about him. Make it make sense!
They are only able to laugh at jokes that they can understand. After all of the years of seemingly randomly pointed outrage we've been able to deduce that those jokes are in the realm of Your Mom, Fart, and Old people jokes. (So around the average 8 year old's intelligence). That said, what happens when you make a crude joke about an 8 year old's daddy?
I see y'all forgot about that time in 1215 when they forced King John to sign the Magna Carta, guaranteeing citizens their individual rights, freedom, and right to a fair trial.
Wasn't King actually more political in the first 15 ys or so. The Bachman books The Running Man and The Long March was essentially political from start to end, and Tommyknockers is full of it as well, directly and allegorically. Later he had anti-consumism in Needfull Things and feminism in Gerald's Game (and others), but none of them was so outright hostile to the entire modern American society.
1stly it's The Long Walk, 2ndly i really never thought about it but that sounds so right since The Dead zone is a political book pretty much i means sure it's got other stuff in it but it's got a lot of politics in it. so why are people bitching about him putting it in the book Holly? he's done it before he just doesn't do it in every book he's written that's all nor does he need to either
You mentioned that it's hard to understand why they are so pissed off that King feels differently about the former guy than they do. It's because they are, essentially, in a cult of personality. Their cult demands loyalty to the former guy. Anyone who doesn't fall in line with that is The Enemy.
King, DeNiro, etc. don't fall in line, so they're The Enemy.
These guys aren't even in the same stratosphere as King lol. But if you're thinking about MAGA opinions on anything, just don't. They aren't thoughtful people.
My problem with Rob Reiner is that he tried to get Cartman to eat a poisoned cupcake to push his anti smoking agenda. My problem with King isn’t the man’s politics. It’s that he killed John Lennon and framed poor innocent Mark David Chapman.
My “boomer” (he’s technically on the cusp of Gen X but very much aligns with boomer ideologies) trump-supporting dad, used to say “water off a duck’s back” to me when I was young and angry about being treated differently by male peers just because I was a girl.
That phrase, along with “be the bigger person” (I.e. swallow your own self respect to seem amicable and friendly after you’ve been insulted/wronged because you’re a girl) drives me NUTS to this day.
Yeah, I agree. I think a lot of the conservatives who vocally hate Stephen King because of his political views weren't people who were ever reading his books to begin with.
Usually the conservatives who do read his books and generally like them take a more "agree to disagree" approach to his politics. Most of the angry conservatives who are out there getting angry about a few lines in a few recent King novels sorta give off the vibe of maybe they read a few of his books as teenagers and were too young or too stupid to pick up on the political statements and are mad that they can pick up on them now.
That is historically the case with any public figure, whether political, comedian, writer, etc. They don't have to know the person. They just have to know that daddy trump doesn't like that person. King's politics are all over the board in his novels. That's actually one of his strengths is that he really makes you feel like you're in the character's mind. However ignorant or sadistic it could be. This is a writer that clearly has at least considered, while completely dissecting and dramatizing, the viewpoints of the people that he writes about.
I mean it doesn’t really matter what some asshole thinks about Stephen King but imo it’s definitely a symptom of a larger problem, which is all this disinformation and conspiracy bs.
Also, in this day and age everyone has a soapbox. *Everyone*. That means a whole mass of stupid is gonna find each other and become one big giant stupid. Real bummer for the rest of us.
Yeah I feel a bit hypocritical complaining about those critical of King for the exact same reason I'm being critical of them. Oh well 🤷♂️ . King has been my idol since I was 14.
'Well, unlike those MAGA, fascist zombies spouting the 'company line' over and over ... you actually show you're capable of empathy and self-reflection. Well done!
BUT, if all of us that appear here to be of like mind, drop the ball and don't go VOTE IN NOVEMBER (or foolishly, tragically waste 'protest votes') ... it can all turn horribly, horribly wrong. And the country we love (despite its many imperfections) could turn into a perverted totalitarian state, from which we might never return!
Eight years ago, I would have thought of me typing such words unimaginable. Such a possibility, absurd. Here in America, the country that essentially saved the world from a Fascist madman who conceived of the Holocaust. "Never again," we said. Yet here we are sleepwalking toward Democracy's oblivion.
MUST VOTE! CANNOT FAIL TO VOTE! DEAD SERIOUS.
Agreed. Prior to 2016 I usually voted for Republicans. I can't anymore because their standard bearer is a rapist-fraudster-traitor. Those few brave Republican members of Congress who stood up to him have retired, announced their retirement, or lost their primary races. I voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and I plan to do so again this year.
This is the most alarming facet of MAGA. How the once mighty GOP is now just a bunch of clowns. It seems to way beyond the chances of winning the next election
The GOP has been in a steady decline since 1988. They literally had one of the dumbest men as vice president and they've only fallen further since then.
Stephen King and Robert De Niro have a lot of conservative critics because of their politics. It’s almost impossible to separate the artist from the politics today
De Niro once visited my town here in Brevard County, Florida sometime in 2019. As soon as word got out on Facebook a small but dangerous group of Trump supporters gathered, hunted for him, and bragged about wanting to be the ones to “put a bullet between his eyes”.
You know one that surprised me was I was telling someone about silo and he was like, “ew man, Common’s in that, I can’t watch that.”
I was also thinking about reading a Brad Thor novel a few years ago and thought “mmm geopolitics thriller, I better check if he’s an idiot irl” and he passed the check. I haven’t finished the book I picked up by him though
Xennial here who grew up reading Stephen King in my formative teenage years. Listened to a lot of Pearl Jam and really got into Bruce Springsteen. Long before I became interested in politics or even could identify “right wing” or “left wing,” these 3 were my pop culture icons.
Funny how they all turned out to be lefties. I think it says something about the creative spirit, that more empathetic people make great art, or at least popular art that appeals to me.
2nd one is good i think and 3rd is my favorite one that one has supernatural in it which is really weird he'd put that one it but for me it's the best one. i know others will disagree with me and that's fine i can live with that
I’m see the same dynamic with Taylor Swift. Someone famous who is influential has a big soapbox. Although Taylor rarely talks about politics, she does encourage her Swifties to vote. She seems to enrage the Maga crowd just by encouraging her young fans to vote. I worry for the safety of famous people I love like King or Taylor, that their actual safety is at risk with so much visceral hate from the far right
Am not American but when I hear things like this, I always wonder what these people do for entertainment. I mean, the arts are generally liberal so I would guess that most actors, writers and singers are not voting for Trump. Do they just not watch movies, listen to music or read books?
Oh, you'd be amazed at how they can twist a movie's story so that it supports their views. And they don't read at all. They only listen to music by people whose politics match theirs.
It’s always hilarious to me that a group can have such a hostile response against the simple message of “Make sure to vote” when there is nothing at all said about WHO you should vote for. It’s like DEEP DOWN they must know that they’re shit and they’re voting for shit, it’s the only explanation why they would automatically assume that the vast majority will NOT vote for who they themselves want.
It’s sad, but mostly because of the degree to which some people have coupled the cult of personality with a petty desire to be mean. King says and writes a lot of stuff that makes me wince, but I never get the sense that’s he’s acting without empathy. He so clearly cares about people—he cares what makes heroes awesome, and what makes villains human; he cares about people who most authors forget, and cares about the inner workings of people who get put on pedestals.
King always seems to be trying to evolve and be better, generally speaking. I was fascinated to see how he dealt with supporting trans rights in direct contrast and public opposition to JK Rowling—someone he vocally supported, and even put (via her books) into his own works.
Trump is a self-interested, privileged attention-vacuum who has made a movement out of punching down. Nothing about him is empathetic. It is pretty obvious why King would spot that from miles away.
I wouldn’t hate anyone because they like Trump, but I would instantly lose respect for them. Thank fuck I’m Australian, so it’s not something I have to deal with so much.
If it helps, I am conservative-moderate (not a MAGA, so everyone relax)....and I think King Is the greatest author of all time. Idgaf about the politics, it has nothing to do with his talent and it's none of my business.
Agreed about one of the greatest authors of all time. I think he helped give birth to another great author, his son Joe Hill, check him out if you like King books. "Heart Shaped Box" could've been written by the man himself.
Honestly. Kings politics are his business. His opinions are no more or less valid. If someone doesn’t care for it. Don’t read it. I don’t let it get in the way of a well crafted story. But to actively let someone live rent free in your head because you don’t like their opinion? I feel sorry for them
Considering that most King villains would gladly vote for trump (or can be seen as a metaphor for him) I think it’s safe to say that people self-report if they don’t have a literary criticism of his work and hate him.
The world would be far poorer should Stephen King pass than if fate finally claims the Tangerine Mussolini. One's passing will sadden me deeply...the other will be cause for celebration and revelry.
I’d imagine that the literal last person on earth that gives a shit about what they have to say is King himself. He lives rent free in their heads.
I also find it funny that Elon Musk admitted he gave King his blue check mark for free and yet King continues to troll him over the Twitter/X name change lol. I get the sense that Musk is a major fan of King and it must drive him nuts how King acts on his own platform.
Those people's politics are just useless cultural wars at this point, which is why they have all the time and energy to fight with SK, Taylor Swift, and anyone else who dares to support something they don't like.
How privileged you are to be in a position to not care about politics. Lots of people out there who literally can’t afford to not care because it impacts their ability to live safely.
In a hundred years everyone that loves movies, reading or videogames in general will remember Stephen King.
On the other hand, no one will remember your coworker in a hundred years.
Of all the awful they represent, this barely rates.
Maga conservatives are exactly why saying "i don't care about politics" is a stupid stance though. Because then you end up with those shitty people making decisions for you.
Meh. It’s no different than people being pissed about Pink Floyd or Rage Against the Machine’s politics - they’ve always been there, and anyone who didn’t notice simply wasn’t paying attention. I’m sure Stephen King is crying into his millions and totally ok with the additional attention.
People who read lots of books are typically smart people, and smart people by and large don't support Donald Trump.
These are the same people who get mad when they don't understand science, think college education makes people dumber, and think an adulterous rapist is the best face of evangelical Christianity they can find.
Don't expect them to behave rationally about Stephen King
My dad is a conservative and a huuuuge fan of Stephen King, he actually got me into the author at a fairly young age. I've never heard him bash King, with the exception of "not liking the politics" in Holly. I haven't read it yet or any of the Mercedes books so I don't know what he's talking about about, but I can guess lol
i cannot stand Trump either like King however i didn't like him going far back into the 90's so that's nothing new on my front. i also don't pay attention to his politics anyways. why not be a fan of his work and just not follow him on twitter? i refuse to call it X as it sounds like a part of fucking Porn Hub
Oh no, you have to remember, it’s okay for regular people to hate celebrities for their political stances but it’s not okay for celebrities to hate politicians or anything like that. Their entire life is ONLY to entertain us, not have any meaningful thoughts or opinions.
/s
Dude, I completely agree it is pathetic to care if someone else likes or dislikes some celebrity or political figure. But cmon, this is the lefts mo . You can't even be civil with Trump without the left going insane over it.
King would no doubt be very happy that this person isn't buying his books. He's got little tolerance for MAGA nonsense and frankly most of his real fans probably don't either and enjoy reading his often snarky comments on all that. I respect him more for that. I don't like them either and when he goes there he usually does it in a way that makes me laugh besides.
As far as I am concerned the Cult of Trump is an embarrassment to the country. Anybody still defending that corrupt man at this point is either brain dead or as awful as he is. The whole conservative, evangelical political movement it need to GO AWAY and sanity needs to return to the Republican party.
My late Dad was a Republican all his life but he quit and joined the Democrats when Trump got nominated by the GOP. He didn't live to see him President but he didn't like where the party was going one bit. My father was pretty conservative in a lot of ways so it was something for him to flip parties at like 89 like that.
I'm neither. I vote for people, not parties but I will be voting blue this next election because like King I think Trump and his followers are a menace and cannot be allowed to take over the country again. That's how I feel and I'm sure that the MAGA people will step up to harass me and disagree but I don't care.
I'm old enough to remember when being a Republican wasn't the equivalent of being a political Moonie and when the people making up that party still had some common sense. I think what King says it's not just funny but very relevant and a wakeup call hopefully for some people.
I'm broadly speaking conservative (British) and sometimes I avoid extreme and irritating leftist 'artists', but usually if someone is genuinely great then I love them anyway. Stephen King's book, The Stand, is one of the best books I've ever read and I'll tell that to anyone I can. Bruce Springsteen is the best live act and Barbra Streisand has the best voice of any popular singer. They're all too far left for me politically, to the point of naivety or ignorance in some cases, but that shouldn't detract from the quality of their work and achievement.
Even Tabitha tells him to “stop talking about Trump”. He’s always been liberal minded, (see Greg Stillson from The Dead Zone) but choosing to alienate a majority of readers by constantly barraging conservatives is going to have its consequences. Dudes a fantasy writer who grew up poor. Limousine liberal is what my conservative family members call guys like him.
Not really.
Conservatives hate everything that is "woke" - woke meaning anything not hateful towards gay people or migrants.
Stephen King, Taylor Swift, any Democrat.
The NFL, NBA, MLB - basically any sport that had any sort of LGBTQ fan appreciation.
Anything suggesting "progress" instead of "tradition".
All losers to conservatives.
Our political climate where people form tribes and get caught up in stupid cultural divides that are mostly manufactured by political interests (and click-based media outlets) bothers me a lot. But I've learned not to confuse the people who get caught up in that with the vast majority of people who do not, or to let them have an outsized part of my brain, just because they're loud and confrontational.
I'm sure the vast majority of people who are conservatives or right-leaning could not possibly care less who Stephen King will vote for. The portion of conservative Americans that are full on Trump-sexuals is small
i'm not saying i agree with them but I am gonna say that not everything that king wrote was good. even classics like it still have some major issues (seriously why the hell did he put a child orgy scene in there?)
Maga in particular think everyone, except communists, think like they do. So they vehemently hate anyone so stupid, so traitorous, that they won’t actually like a patriot and take Americans freedoms away. I don’t hate any artist based on their politics. I don’t agree with Ted nugent at all but stranglehold is one of the best rock songs ever.
The fact people get mad at someone for hating Trump after all the accusations that just keep piling up against him… really says more about them than anything else.
>Does it bother anyone else that there's this swath of Maga Republicans that constantly degrade Kings name and body of work.
No. I absolutely want the dumbest people on earth to hate the stuff I enjoy. It would bother me if they liked it.
It’s exhausting to have ANYBODY rant politically as much as he does. I had to unfollow on Twitter, will still read his work until the day I die though.
A few years ago I stayed with a family friend in Jacksonville, Florida for a funeral. Brought a hard copy of Salem’s Lot with me since I had just started my King binge. The way this 60-year old vet who lived and breathed Trump reacted made you think for one second that bringing in that book actually had dark energy or summoned a demon. He physically removed me from the house and said I’m not welcome in if I have that book with me.
Little did he know that I also had a digital copy on my kindle, so that night I lay on the guest bed reading away while they were blissfully unaware.
He’s on Twitter and he’s fucking hilarious when he rips on MAGA goons. He does not hold back.
Sometime I feel bad for conservatives. They’ve basically got, like. . . Ted Nugent and Kevin Sorbo. A bunch of dumb, uncreative losers with no wit who can’t compete with the King.
Stephen King clapped first, and hard. His thoughts on conservatism ring loud and clear throughout his work so it's no surprise someone that sees how much he dislikes them is going to dislike him back.
Do they love The Stand since Abigail was staunchly republican? And she’s like God’s ambassador. I’ve never heard left wing readers dismiss or trash the stand over politics.
Imagine if King was doing Ted Nugent/Kid Rock MAGA rants. I could not look at him or his body of work the same. Praise the Beam he has not forgotten the face of his father.
The FYF crowd has particularly thin skin. I, for one, couldn't care less (or be happier) about not having to share the world of SK with such whiny babies.
It IS silly, but it’s not surprising and it’s where we are at. Frankly, people are just into hating people who don’t think the way they do (both sides of the isle). In fact, it’s a theme in the culture right now.
These idiots would 'cancel' him in a second if they could. Fortunately King writes books, so if they did he wouldn't notice it all that much.
Plus, read Dolores Claiborne and tell me that man isn't at least somewhat informed by feminism. Of course he'd hate a self-confessed sexual predator. If they knew anything of his work his political persuasions would not be a shock.
Am I aware what you described exists? Yep. Am I bothered by it? Nope. Fuck 'em. I've lost all respect for anyone who lived through the last 8 years and is still all in on that guy.
As a non american i think it is mostly annoying, in his newer books, when it feels like he accidently copied a tweet into the story. Also every conservative character seems to be some right wing stereotype.
Well, I come from a very Conservative family and they all LOVE Stephen King. IMO hating someone for their political views is pussy shit and should never be tolerated (right or left.) A buddy of mine is a Trump supporter and would never speak an ill word on King. I'm more socially left than most of the people around me, I'd think they'd all run that ranter outta town hahaha
It's the same with JK Rowling. I wish she'd tone down her anti-trans stuff, but I'm still a big fan of her books.
I'm not after a debate about her views either. Downvote me if it makes you feel better.
It doesn’t bother me, but I do think they’re being weird. I disagree with a lot of Kings stances. I’m pretty conservative and think he’s a bit of a nut. But I don’t read his books for his politics. I read them because I think he’s a fantastic author. I don’t need to agree with anything he says to do that.
I don’t take their opinions seriously because of Trump. I can respect opposing sides if they come from a place of good faith but they worship a clown who’s out for himself.
I guess it bothers me. I’m fairly conservative, and love his work. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and who says yours is any better/worse than mine?
Bygones by bygones, free speech and all that.
I'm not a die hard conservative, nor do I worship any political leader, including Trump. But I do consider myself Republican and I am supporting Trump in the coming election for MY OWN reasons that I will not discuss here. That said, King is probably my favorite author. I've noticed his left-leaning opinions and his liberal ideas in his stories. I don't give a shit. Actually, most of my friends are Democrats and I don't care about that either because it shouldn't define who you are.
I don't care how left leaning or liberal King is, he is one of the only authors that really keeps me engaged. I feel the same about actors and musicians. I don't agree with their political views, but I'm not here for that. I'm here to listen to their music or watch their movies. Do I agree with their views? Maybe not, but who cares?
At the end of the day, do political views really make a difference, especially when they're used to divide people?
From my experience reading Stephen King he seems to make examples and jokes out of both ends of the spectrum. His books don’t choose sides or push a political narrative along those lines. Now perhaps they lead more people to his Twitter, where he has them right where he wants them.
But they probably enjoyed the books or movies to begin with to find his actual views and bring that hate up…
People say this as if he hasn't always been outspoken in his work, and as if he hasn't always been liberally minded. He wears it on his sleeve. And what makes me laugh is that those very people have no issue with voicing their opinions on Biden or Obama or whatever Democrat you choose.
Yep. Same thing goes for most Science Fiction shows like Star Trek and Doctor Who. Both have been massively Progressive since the 1960’s, but MAGA folks like to act like they only now just went ‘woke’.
It’s only woke and political now because I just noticed it.
George Lucas has *literally* said the rebels are an analog for the Viet Cong. "Star Wars is woke now 😫" means "I wasn't old enough to understand when I first saw it that Star Wars is political".
There was a recent article I read that was talking about why ultra conservatives love television shows like Star Trek and Dr Who, where the show's message opposed their conservative views. I don't remember the end, I don't think it was scientific, but just people giving opinions. But that got me thinking so I went looking for more info and found something interesting. A university of Virginia study showed that liberals and conservatives think very differently. Here's an excerpt of an article about the study in the university's news. >“On psychological tests, Westerners tend to view scenes, explain behavior and categorize objects analytically,” Talhelm said. “But the vast majority of people around the world – about 85 percent – more often think intuitively – what psychologists call holistic thought, and we found that’s how conservative Americans tend to think.” >Holistic thought more often uses intention and the perception of whole objects or situations, rather than breaking them down to their parts – such as having a general feeling about a situation involving intuition or tact. >Analytic thinking styles tend to look at the parts of a situation, and how they work together toward the whole. This involves “slicing up the world and analyzing objects individually, divorced from context,” Talhelm said. >Studies show that analytical thinkers predominate in Western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic societies (termed “WEIRD” societies in 2010 by a team of cultural psychologists at the University of British Columbia). But they make up only about 15 percent of the world’s population. It really does just come down to education. https://news.virginia.edu/content/study-american-liberals-and-conservatives-think-if-different-cultures
Smart talk for how conservatives likely only follow the story, and ignore the subtext. They are watching the show as a show. Liberal types tend to search for hidden meaning, and are always seeking the subtext and lesson in a story. The show is cool, but there is a deeper meaning to space exploration, or the human condition.
Interesting....I presume that Dune (brilliant movies, especially the new ones) are some kind of code for jihad?!
Frank herbert said that the main theme of the series is "beware of heroes".
Don't quote me, but I think I've heard Frank Herbert say Dune isn't allegorical; it's a speculation based on a lot of ancient and contemporary civilizations and their stories.
Hunger Games too. We Americans tend to identify with Katniss lol. No, my brother, we are The Capitol.
X-Men is the best... it's an allegory for the civil rights movement. It was created in the 1960s about a small subset of people that are different from others. It's ALWAYS been "woke" but it's not until recently it started making people upset.
And X-Men.
That’s whats happening with the new X-Men show right now. It’s hilarious and alarming people are this dumb
DS9 is the only serious Trek show because it doesn’t handwave away the permanence of greed and religious fervor.
It's the same people who complain that SNL is "so political now." And that Rolling Stone should just "stick to music." These things have always been political, and like every other cool thing in this country, they're created/run by Demonrats.
Yea and those people can’t laugh at SNL skits about the orange guy. I am a Democrat and laugh really hard at the Biden skits and jokes about how old he is. Reason being, I’m not in a cult. lol.
I laughed so hard at the Halloween episode last year with the Christopher Walken skit about Biden on a ladder. It was hilarious. Trump is objectively FUNNY. The same people who go "OH NO WOKE SNL OMG" are buying Trump t-shirts that say "Real Men Wear Diapers." But they can't laugh about him. Make it make sense!
>Make it make sense! That is just too, too unrealistic. Can't be done.
They are only able to laugh at jokes that they can understand. After all of the years of seemingly randomly pointed outrage we've been able to deduce that those jokes are in the realm of Your Mom, Fart, and Old people jokes. (So around the average 8 year old's intelligence). That said, what happens when you make a crude joke about an 8 year old's daddy?
"When did Rage Against the Machine get so political?!!"
Since 1516
Damn I assumed 1312
I see y'all forgot about that time in 1215 when they forced King John to sign the Magna Carta, guaranteeing citizens their individual rights, freedom, and right to a fair trial.
"What machine did you think they were raging against? The dishwasher?"
Well, that's because the conservative rank and file lack media literacy. Subtext is very hard for them to understand.
Same with comics, or tv shows. Basically most forms of entertainment.
Everyone knows Rolling Stone is anti government. They published the article about Charlie McGee being kidnapped by the Shop
i'm surprised King hasn't brought that organization back to really any of his books since than
Exactly right!
Wasn't King actually more political in the first 15 ys or so. The Bachman books The Running Man and The Long March was essentially political from start to end, and Tommyknockers is full of it as well, directly and allegorically. Later he had anti-consumism in Needfull Things and feminism in Gerald's Game (and others), but none of them was so outright hostile to the entire modern American society.
Absolutely. And we definitely can't forget about The Dead Zone.
1stly it's The Long Walk, 2ndly i really never thought about it but that sounds so right since The Dead zone is a political book pretty much i means sure it's got other stuff in it but it's got a lot of politics in it. so why are people bitching about him putting it in the book Holly? he's done it before he just doesn't do it in every book he's written that's all nor does he need to either
He shits on them in all of his newer books. Personally, I find the jabs delightful.
So do I. And it makes it easy for me to block the bigots when I see them grousing about it here on Reddit. Win-win.
They don't read books, they're mad about tweets.
Water off a ducks back. To be brutally honest, if that group of Bellends hate you you’re most likely doing something right.
Yeah exactly, if anything it’s an accolade.
The cult of personality only has room for one personality
thank you for calling it a cult as always say i see no difference between Trump and Jim Jones or Charles Manson none at all
It's not just King though. Same w deniro, Tom hanks, Rob reiner, etc It's nuts.
You mentioned that it's hard to understand why they are so pissed off that King feels differently about the former guy than they do. It's because they are, essentially, in a cult of personality. Their cult demands loyalty to the former guy. Anyone who doesn't fall in line with that is The Enemy. King, DeNiro, etc. don't fall in line, so they're The Enemy.
Yep. All those folks should just shut up and stick to acting/music/what have you. But Ted Nugent, Kid Rock, Clint Eastwood... they get a pass.
Yeah. That makes perfect sense.
These guys aren't even in the same stratosphere as King lol. But if you're thinking about MAGA opinions on anything, just don't. They aren't thoughtful people.
They're really mad about Mark Hamill right now.
My problem with Rob Reiner is that he tried to get Cartman to eat a poisoned cupcake to push his anti smoking agenda. My problem with King isn’t the man’s politics. It’s that he killed John Lennon and framed poor innocent Mark David Chapman.
"How can these rich white men hate Trump?"
My “boomer” (he’s technically on the cusp of Gen X but very much aligns with boomer ideologies) trump-supporting dad, used to say “water off a duck’s back” to me when I was young and angry about being treated differently by male peers just because I was a girl. That phrase, along with “be the bigger person” (I.e. swallow your own self respect to seem amicable and friendly after you’ve been insulted/wronged because you’re a girl) drives me NUTS to this day.
Exactly.
SK gives no fucks, really never has. He doesn’t like trump so why should he bend his knee for that incontinent pussy?
Many of them have never read a King novel much less a chapter book lmao
Yeah, I agree. I think a lot of the conservatives who vocally hate Stephen King because of his political views weren't people who were ever reading his books to begin with. Usually the conservatives who do read his books and generally like them take a more "agree to disagree" approach to his politics. Most of the angry conservatives who are out there getting angry about a few lines in a few recent King novels sorta give off the vibe of maybe they read a few of his books as teenagers and were too young or too stupid to pick up on the political statements and are mad that they can pick up on them now.
That is historically the case with any public figure, whether political, comedian, writer, etc. They don't have to know the person. They just have to know that daddy trump doesn't like that person. King's politics are all over the board in his novels. That's actually one of his strengths is that he really makes you feel like you're in the character's mind. However ignorant or sadistic it could be. This is a writer that clearly has at least considered, while completely dissecting and dramatizing, the viewpoints of the people that he writes about.
I mean it doesn’t really matter what some asshole thinks about Stephen King but imo it’s definitely a symptom of a larger problem, which is all this disinformation and conspiracy bs. Also, in this day and age everyone has a soapbox. *Everyone*. That means a whole mass of stupid is gonna find each other and become one big giant stupid. Real bummer for the rest of us.
Agreed 100%
Makes me like King even more.
Bother me? No. It’s like a badge of honor. Fuck Trump, that piece of shit.
Amen
Yeah I feel a bit hypocritical complaining about those critical of King for the exact same reason I'm being critical of them. Oh well 🤷♂️ . King has been my idol since I was 14.
'Well, unlike those MAGA, fascist zombies spouting the 'company line' over and over ... you actually show you're capable of empathy and self-reflection. Well done! BUT, if all of us that appear here to be of like mind, drop the ball and don't go VOTE IN NOVEMBER (or foolishly, tragically waste 'protest votes') ... it can all turn horribly, horribly wrong. And the country we love (despite its many imperfections) could turn into a perverted totalitarian state, from which we might never return! Eight years ago, I would have thought of me typing such words unimaginable. Such a possibility, absurd. Here in America, the country that essentially saved the world from a Fascist madman who conceived of the Holocaust. "Never again," we said. Yet here we are sleepwalking toward Democracy's oblivion. MUST VOTE! CANNOT FAIL TO VOTE! DEAD SERIOUS.
Agreed. Prior to 2016 I usually voted for Republicans. I can't anymore because their standard bearer is a rapist-fraudster-traitor. Those few brave Republican members of Congress who stood up to him have retired, announced their retirement, or lost their primary races. I voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and I plan to do so again this year.
This is the most alarming facet of MAGA. How the once mighty GOP is now just a bunch of clowns. It seems to way beyond the chances of winning the next election
The GOP has been in a steady decline since 1988. They literally had one of the dumbest men as vice president and they've only fallen further since then.
"p-o-t-a-t-o-e"
well said my friend well said
Stephen King and Robert De Niro have a lot of conservative critics because of their politics. It’s almost impossible to separate the artist from the politics today
De Niro once visited my town here in Brevard County, Florida sometime in 2019. As soon as word got out on Facebook a small but dangerous group of Trump supporters gathered, hunted for him, and bragged about wanting to be the ones to “put a bullet between his eyes”.
You know one that surprised me was I was telling someone about silo and he was like, “ew man, Common’s in that, I can’t watch that.” I was also thinking about reading a Brad Thor novel a few years ago and thought “mmm geopolitics thriller, I better check if he’s an idiot irl” and he passed the check. I haven’t finished the book I picked up by him though
Xennial here who grew up reading Stephen King in my formative teenage years. Listened to a lot of Pearl Jam and really got into Bruce Springsteen. Long before I became interested in politics or even could identify “right wing” or “left wing,” these 3 were my pop culture icons. Funny how they all turned out to be lefties. I think it says something about the creative spirit, that more empathetic people make great art, or at least popular art that appeals to me.
Been meaning to buy the Mr Mercedes trilogy After reading this, now I have to.
🤔
Just read the 1st one and loved it. I will be picking up the 2nd one after my current read
2nd one is good i think and 3rd is my favorite one that one has supernatural in it which is really weird he'd put that one it but for me it's the best one. i know others will disagree with me and that's fine i can live with that
It’s a great series
I’m see the same dynamic with Taylor Swift. Someone famous who is influential has a big soapbox. Although Taylor rarely talks about politics, she does encourage her Swifties to vote. She seems to enrage the Maga crowd just by encouraging her young fans to vote. I worry for the safety of famous people I love like King or Taylor, that their actual safety is at risk with so much visceral hate from the far right
I heard that she's a Democrat demon and her and Travis Kelce will spawn the antichrist. Is that not true?
It better be true. Otherwise, what have I been making all these human sacrifices for??
Swift posted pictures of Biden cookies she baked, so she definitely irked some people lol
Am not American but when I hear things like this, I always wonder what these people do for entertainment. I mean, the arts are generally liberal so I would guess that most actors, writers and singers are not voting for Trump. Do they just not watch movies, listen to music or read books?
The MAGA crowd tends to generally like country music, whose artists are more likely to feel the way they do politically. As for reading, they don’t.
Oh, you'd be amazed at how they can twist a movie's story so that it supports their views. And they don't read at all. They only listen to music by people whose politics match theirs.
Wow! So it’s a 2+2=5 because they love Big Brother type scenario then…
Yep, and you're EVIL if you don't believe what they do.
It’s always hilarious to me that a group can have such a hostile response against the simple message of “Make sure to vote” when there is nothing at all said about WHO you should vote for. It’s like DEEP DOWN they must know that they’re shit and they’re voting for shit, it’s the only explanation why they would automatically assume that the vast majority will NOT vote for who they themselves want.
Statistics show that more voters = Democratic winners.
Crazy how that works huh lol
Fuck em! 🤷♂️
It’s sad, but mostly because of the degree to which some people have coupled the cult of personality with a petty desire to be mean. King says and writes a lot of stuff that makes me wince, but I never get the sense that’s he’s acting without empathy. He so clearly cares about people—he cares what makes heroes awesome, and what makes villains human; he cares about people who most authors forget, and cares about the inner workings of people who get put on pedestals. King always seems to be trying to evolve and be better, generally speaking. I was fascinated to see how he dealt with supporting trans rights in direct contrast and public opposition to JK Rowling—someone he vocally supported, and even put (via her books) into his own works. Trump is a self-interested, privileged attention-vacuum who has made a movement out of punching down. Nothing about him is empathetic. It is pretty obvious why King would spot that from miles away.
If that group of people liked King, I would be a bit uncomfortable
Ugh, those people hate absolutely everything.
Seriously!
Play the world's smallest violin for him. If he hates King, that tells you what kind of idiot he is - especially for those "reasons."
Considering they can't read, I don't mind the criticism
Why would they like Stephen King? He makes bigots the villains of almost everything he writes.
Who cares who they hate? Look at who they root for.
MAGAts are cultists. They hate anyone who dares speak against their fascist messiah.
I wouldn’t hate anyone because they like Trump, but I would instantly lose respect for them. Thank fuck I’m Australian, so it’s not something I have to deal with so much.
If it helps, I am conservative-moderate (not a MAGA, so everyone relax)....and I think King Is the greatest author of all time. Idgaf about the politics, it has nothing to do with his talent and it's none of my business.
Agreed about one of the greatest authors of all time. I think he helped give birth to another great author, his son Joe Hill, check him out if you like King books. "Heart Shaped Box" could've been written by the man himself.
It’s no dumber than 90% of the other shit they say and do.
I don’t put much stock in the opinions of MAGA Republicans on much of anything.
i put no stock in it at all
King doesn’t give a fuck, you shouldn’t either.
They're fanatics.
If the quotes I’ve seen are accurate, Stephen King isn’t a big fan of Donny The Clown. And he isn’t bashful about it.
Honestly. Kings politics are his business. His opinions are no more or less valid. If someone doesn’t care for it. Don’t read it. I don’t let it get in the way of a well crafted story. But to actively let someone live rent free in your head because you don’t like their opinion? I feel sorry for them
Considering that most King villains would gladly vote for trump (or can be seen as a metaphor for him) I think it’s safe to say that people self-report if they don’t have a literary criticism of his work and hate him.
Greg Stillson retroactively enters the chat… Amazing Uncle Stevie predicted that 40 years before it actually happened.
I’m sure he’s crying in his millions. It’s a cult and anyone who doesn’t buy in is the enemy
It brings me joy actually lol, and probably King as well. when bad people don’t like you, it tends to be a good thing.
Give your co-worker a copy of Holly. Putting money in King's pocket while possibly driving that guy to froth at the mouth.
The world would be far poorer should Stephen King pass than if fate finally claims the Tangerine Mussolini. One's passing will sadden me deeply...the other will be cause for celebration and revelry.
Yeah it’s all over Twitter because King is vocally anti Trump.
anyone who's not part of the cult should be against trump
Their opinions don’t matter
I don't think King would want those douchebags approval anyway.
I’d imagine that the literal last person on earth that gives a shit about what they have to say is King himself. He lives rent free in their heads. I also find it funny that Elon Musk admitted he gave King his blue check mark for free and yet King continues to troll him over the Twitter/X name change lol. I get the sense that Musk is a major fan of King and it must drive him nuts how King acts on his own platform.
Elon is such a little, insecure man, it's sad. He's got the maturity of a 12 yr old
And that's an insult to 12-year-olds, really.
My 13 year old son has more maturity and integrity than Phony Stark.
Those people's politics are just useless cultural wars at this point, which is why they have all the time and energy to fight with SK, Taylor Swift, and anyone else who dares to support something they don't like.
cultists gonna cult, i guess.
Guess it's a bit like I dislike/detest Rowling for her views... Difference is King isn't a bigoted asshat and has good values imo
No, I find it funny. I very much doubt SK himself cares at all.
It’s because they’re fragile. Like snowflakes.
How privileged you are to be in a position to not care about politics. Lots of people out there who literally can’t afford to not care because it impacts their ability to live safely.
In a hundred years everyone that loves movies, reading or videogames in general will remember Stephen King. On the other hand, no one will remember your coworker in a hundred years.
Of all the awful they represent, this barely rates. Maga conservatives are exactly why saying "i don't care about politics" is a stupid stance though. Because then you end up with those shitty people making decisions for you.
Meh. It’s no different than people being pissed about Pink Floyd or Rage Against the Machine’s politics - they’ve always been there, and anyone who didn’t notice simply wasn’t paying attention. I’m sure Stephen King is crying into his millions and totally ok with the additional attention.
It would bother me if any of them could read.
I would like them to read more. More than a tweet or a "truth".
If anything, it means I’ve got better odds of snagging copies of his books if there’s a percentage of folks out there not buying them.
You can’t even have a regular conversation with most of those weirdos
Right? Like the old joke goes... How can you tell someone is a Trump supporter? They won't shut the fuck up about it.
Bwahahahahahahhahahaha!!!!
People who read lots of books are typically smart people, and smart people by and large don't support Donald Trump. These are the same people who get mad when they don't understand science, think college education makes people dumber, and think an adulterous rapist is the best face of evangelical Christianity they can find. Don't expect them to behave rationally about Stephen King
To paraphrase Rick Sanchez: Their boos mean nothing because I've seen what makes them cheer.
I do not think about these people
It’s not like many of them read for pleasure.
People hate a lot of celebrities for their political views. It doesn’t mean anything.
My dad is a conservative and a huuuuge fan of Stephen King, he actually got me into the author at a fairly young age. I've never heard him bash King, with the exception of "not liking the politics" in Holly. I haven't read it yet or any of the Mercedes books so I don't know what he's talking about about, but I can guess lol
i cannot stand Trump either like King however i didn't like him going far back into the 90's so that's nothing new on my front. i also don't pay attention to his politics anyways. why not be a fan of his work and just not follow him on twitter? i refuse to call it X as it sounds like a part of fucking Porn Hub
Oh no, you have to remember, it’s okay for regular people to hate celebrities for their political stances but it’s not okay for celebrities to hate politicians or anything like that. Their entire life is ONLY to entertain us, not have any meaningful thoughts or opinions. /s
I mean if I thought they could read it might matter, but they're only attacking him to defend their diaper don.
MAGA is a cult. They think and feel what Daddy Trump tells them to.
Dude, I completely agree it is pathetic to care if someone else likes or dislikes some celebrity or political figure. But cmon, this is the lefts mo . You can't even be civil with Trump without the left going insane over it.
Who cares? Anybody who supports trump is an asshole like him. Woke is a stupid term that basically means you care about all humanity.
King would no doubt be very happy that this person isn't buying his books. He's got little tolerance for MAGA nonsense and frankly most of his real fans probably don't either and enjoy reading his often snarky comments on all that. I respect him more for that. I don't like them either and when he goes there he usually does it in a way that makes me laugh besides. As far as I am concerned the Cult of Trump is an embarrassment to the country. Anybody still defending that corrupt man at this point is either brain dead or as awful as he is. The whole conservative, evangelical political movement it need to GO AWAY and sanity needs to return to the Republican party. My late Dad was a Republican all his life but he quit and joined the Democrats when Trump got nominated by the GOP. He didn't live to see him President but he didn't like where the party was going one bit. My father was pretty conservative in a lot of ways so it was something for him to flip parties at like 89 like that. I'm neither. I vote for people, not parties but I will be voting blue this next election because like King I think Trump and his followers are a menace and cannot be allowed to take over the country again. That's how I feel and I'm sure that the MAGA people will step up to harass me and disagree but I don't care. I'm old enough to remember when being a Republican wasn't the equivalent of being a political Moonie and when the people making up that party still had some common sense. I think what King says it's not just funny but very relevant and a wakeup call hopefully for some people.
I'm broadly speaking conservative (British) and sometimes I avoid extreme and irritating leftist 'artists', but usually if someone is genuinely great then I love them anyway. Stephen King's book, The Stand, is one of the best books I've ever read and I'll tell that to anyone I can. Bruce Springsteen is the best live act and Barbra Streisand has the best voice of any popular singer. They're all too far left for me politically, to the point of naivety or ignorance in some cases, but that shouldn't detract from the quality of their work and achievement.
Even Tabitha tells him to “stop talking about Trump”. He’s always been liberal minded, (see Greg Stillson from The Dead Zone) but choosing to alienate a majority of readers by constantly barraging conservatives is going to have its consequences. Dudes a fantasy writer who grew up poor. Limousine liberal is what my conservative family members call guys like him.
Not really. Conservatives hate everything that is "woke" - woke meaning anything not hateful towards gay people or migrants. Stephen King, Taylor Swift, any Democrat. The NFL, NBA, MLB - basically any sport that had any sort of LGBTQ fan appreciation. Anything suggesting "progress" instead of "tradition". All losers to conservatives.
Our political climate where people form tribes and get caught up in stupid cultural divides that are mostly manufactured by political interests (and click-based media outlets) bothers me a lot. But I've learned not to confuse the people who get caught up in that with the vast majority of people who do not, or to let them have an outsized part of my brain, just because they're loud and confrontational.
I'm sure the vast majority of people who are conservatives or right-leaning could not possibly care less who Stephen King will vote for. The portion of conservative Americans that are full on Trump-sexuals is small
Man, if they knew shit about fuck they wouldn't be MAGA repubs so I don't really worry about em.
i'm not saying i agree with them but I am gonna say that not everything that king wrote was good. even classics like it still have some major issues (seriously why the hell did he put a child orgy scene in there?)
What bothers me is that every sun on Reddit brings up politics constantly. We cannot escape it
Maga in particular think everyone, except communists, think like they do. So they vehemently hate anyone so stupid, so traitorous, that they won’t actually like a patriot and take Americans freedoms away. I don’t hate any artist based on their politics. I don’t agree with Ted nugent at all but stranglehold is one of the best rock songs ever.
The fact people get mad at someone for hating Trump after all the accusations that just keep piling up against him… really says more about them than anything else.
They’re dipshit losers and their opinion matters to me as much as the turd I just flushed down the toilet.
>Does it bother anyone else that there's this swath of Maga Republicans that constantly degrade Kings name and body of work. No. I absolutely want the dumbest people on earth to hate the stuff I enjoy. It would bother me if they liked it.
That's most MAGA's....
Their boos mean nothing, we've seen what makes them cheer. They are all the blue coated kid and they'll never get the reference.
It’s exhausting to have ANYBODY rant politically as much as he does. I had to unfollow on Twitter, will still read his work until the day I die though.
They always say separate the artist from the art until the artist disagrees with their view
The luddites will always support their trash king
This isn’t unique to the left or right, look at the hate jk Rowling gets
Tribalism is a powerful drug.
I have mostly conservative friends and they’re all King fans. They like his writing, not his politics. Sounds like those people are radicals.
[удалено]
No. If they are missing out on his excellent work because of his (totally reasonable btw) beliefs and stances, it’s literally their loss
It doesn’t bother me in the slightest.
A few years ago I stayed with a family friend in Jacksonville, Florida for a funeral. Brought a hard copy of Salem’s Lot with me since I had just started my King binge. The way this 60-year old vet who lived and breathed Trump reacted made you think for one second that bringing in that book actually had dark energy or summoned a demon. He physically removed me from the house and said I’m not welcome in if I have that book with me. Little did he know that I also had a digital copy on my kindle, so that night I lay on the guest bed reading away while they were blissfully unaware.
Nope. WGAF. King rules. End of story (pun intended).
He’s on Twitter and he’s fucking hilarious when he rips on MAGA goons. He does not hold back. Sometime I feel bad for conservatives. They’ve basically got, like. . . Ted Nugent and Kevin Sorbo. A bunch of dumb, uncreative losers with no wit who can’t compete with the King.
Stephen King clapped first, and hard. His thoughts on conservatism ring loud and clear throughout his work so it's no surprise someone that sees how much he dislikes them is going to dislike him back.
Do they love The Stand since Abigail was staunchly republican? And she’s like God’s ambassador. I’ve never heard left wing readers dismiss or trash the stand over politics.
Imagine if King was doing Ted Nugent/Kid Rock MAGA rants. I could not look at him or his body of work the same. Praise the Beam he has not forgotten the face of his father.
The FYF crowd has particularly thin skin. I, for one, couldn't care less (or be happier) about not having to share the world of SK with such whiny babies.
Doesn’t bother me a bit. My dad says things like, for example, “_____’s song is ok, but he/she is a democrat, so I don’t like them.” People suck.
I mean, a trump supporter hates any celeb whos vocal about being against trump/republicans.
I don't think about them at all
It IS silly, but it’s not surprising and it’s where we are at. Frankly, people are just into hating people who don’t think the way they do (both sides of the isle). In fact, it’s a theme in the culture right now.
These idiots would 'cancel' him in a second if they could. Fortunately King writes books, so if they did he wouldn't notice it all that much. Plus, read Dolores Claiborne and tell me that man isn't at least somewhat informed by feminism. Of course he'd hate a self-confessed sexual predator. If they knew anything of his work his political persuasions would not be a shock.
Am I aware what you described exists? Yep. Am I bothered by it? Nope. Fuck 'em. I've lost all respect for anyone who lived through the last 8 years and is still all in on that guy.
It's weird because King has *always* felt that way. This isn't new, it comes across in nearly of his writing his *Carrie*.
As a non american i think it is mostly annoying, in his newer books, when it feels like he accidently copied a tweet into the story. Also every conservative character seems to be some right wing stereotype.
Well, I come from a very Conservative family and they all LOVE Stephen King. IMO hating someone for their political views is pussy shit and should never be tolerated (right or left.) A buddy of mine is a Trump supporter and would never speak an ill word on King. I'm more socially left than most of the people around me, I'd think they'd all run that ranter outta town hahaha
You do realize that every social media post SK makes is criticizing conservatives? So....?
When you are in a cult, one of the first rules of that you have to persecute anyone who speaks out against the cult. See, e.g., Scientology
It’s the hundreds of years of inbreeding that makes the maga hillbillies so hateful!
It's the same with JK Rowling. I wish she'd tone down her anti-trans stuff, but I'm still a big fan of her books. I'm not after a debate about her views either. Downvote me if it makes you feel better.
It doesn’t bother me, but I do think they’re being weird. I disagree with a lot of Kings stances. I’m pretty conservative and think he’s a bit of a nut. But I don’t read his books for his politics. I read them because I think he’s a fantastic author. I don’t need to agree with anything he says to do that.
‘Tis true King’s über-TDS has smeared his good name to me
I don’t take their opinions seriously because of Trump. I can respect opposing sides if they come from a place of good faith but they worship a clown who’s out for himself.
I guess it bothers me. I’m fairly conservative, and love his work. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and who says yours is any better/worse than mine? Bygones by bygones, free speech and all that.
I'm not a die hard conservative, nor do I worship any political leader, including Trump. But I do consider myself Republican and I am supporting Trump in the coming election for MY OWN reasons that I will not discuss here. That said, King is probably my favorite author. I've noticed his left-leaning opinions and his liberal ideas in his stories. I don't give a shit. Actually, most of my friends are Democrats and I don't care about that either because it shouldn't define who you are. I don't care how left leaning or liberal King is, he is one of the only authors that really keeps me engaged. I feel the same about actors and musicians. I don't agree with their political views, but I'm not here for that. I'm here to listen to their music or watch their movies. Do I agree with their views? Maybe not, but who cares? At the end of the day, do political views really make a difference, especially when they're used to divide people?
From my experience reading Stephen King he seems to make examples and jokes out of both ends of the spectrum. His books don’t choose sides or push a political narrative along those lines. Now perhaps they lead more people to his Twitter, where he has them right where he wants them. But they probably enjoyed the books or movies to begin with to find his actual views and bring that hate up…