Re-evaluating Robinson Crusoe | Book Review

A book review of Robinson Crusoe 15 years after my first reading. It's a remarkable work of fiction. Don’t get me wrong. It has a fascinating structure, a brilliant premise, a surprisingly exciting third act. I really enjoyed it. But given how safe Defoe plays it, in terms of the culture and the politics of the novel, I can’t help but come away from this re-read thinking that this was the least creative direction he could have taken this story. The video explains why.
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[@jormar6]

This review is propaganda.

[@theemptyatom]

Generally I think your reviews are pretty good, but this one - grrr. I just don't believe in imposing on a book (in this case the 1700's) the view of some modern day left leaning liberal view, in a way you are guilty of the thing you are accusing him of. Would you read Moby Dick with an eye towards criticizing whaling of that period of time? I mention Moby Dick because not all that long ago I read In the Heart of the Sea which deals with the real historical event of the Whale Ship Essex that Moby Dick was in part based on, by using info written by Owen Chase, etc. The book, in the main, was okay when it was talking about the adventure but the author just couldn't help his 21st century liberal self and bag on the Quakers of the early 1800's etc. Totally ruined the book for me because it was so unnecessary. So much so it has put me off from ever reading his book on the Mayflower, or anything else for that matter because I can only imagine how he may want to impose his 21st century liberal views on a society of a different time and place.

[@DavideMazzetti]

I completely agree with you. You CANNOT and should not transfer our modern PC attitudes onto a work written centuries ago. Slavery at this time was a completely acceptable practice and Friday would have been regarded as a 'savage' - no matter how abhorrent we may find it today ( and rightly so) You should treat a work as it stands - a product of its time.

[@theemptyatom]

@@DavideMazzetti Agree

[@kedon1458]

No, slavery, in fact, was not a completely acceptable practice at the time. Opposition to it was already potent in the early 17th century. Missionaries were railing against it. Former overseers talked about how the enterprise damaged their souls. Letters, diary entries, etc, (from celebrities of the day to regular accountants) show that it was a topic that bothered people now and then, especially in light of their Christian values. I'm not saying people in 1719 were chanting in the streets against slavey (it would take a couple more decades for court cases and a growing industry of "testimony of a former slave" to fuel broad anti-slavery sentiments), but it didn't have unambiguous support either. It's moral (and, again, anti-Christian) failings were understood, but some folks also found it's supposed civilizing benefits a compelling competing argument as well (plus, gosh, who doesn't want cheap-ish sugar?). Defoe, even for this time, failed to capture the nuance of these sentiments. @@DavideMazzetti

[@saly351]

The men was a result of its time so I agree It's wrong to criticize the author but the book needs to receive criticism it just so ethnocentric European mind that need to be put on discussion!!

[@erichowry9356]

Great review. I read this book in junior high. I am 52 years old but I am going to read this book again!

[@insertbookpunhere]

You return from the dead and post two videos in one day? You absolute scoundrel. I haven't read Robinson Crusoe and I probably never will, but I love this insight and reflections on rereading. Good job with the content 👍

[@RickMacDonnell]

Meh, the first video doesn't really count :P

[@Arttekot]

This book is not propaganda, you are looking at it through the glasses of ideology. You are very trivializing the spiritual layer of the story. And the book is entirely about this, about a person who is imprisoned, alone and trying to find meaning in this. To see the power of Providence, to understand what he was punished for and how he should live on. This is not about imperialism. He is afraid of savages because savages are dangerous. Not all savages are evil, Friday is not evil. Did you not notice that Robinson Crusoe himself becomes a slave and tries to escape? The fact that the historical background frustrates you is your problem.

[@MrTheZephyros]

It is propaganda, sorry

[@joeydinero9300]

Propaganda vibes all the way fam 💯 Lmfao

[@josmith5992]

Having read this twenty five years ago, my recollection is vague at best but really enjoyed your take on it Rick. It’s been one I’ve been meaning to reread as I’ve heard so many takes on it over the past few years and I’d forgotten that it’s not just an older version of the Tom Hanks movie 😊

[@RickMacDonnell]

I was pleasantly surprised by how unlike Cast Away it was :P So nice to hear from you, Jo!

[@Live_your_Dreams_Everyday]

Cannibalism was a fact and actually still is. Maybe based on this alone there was (and is) some reason to make judgements about which cultures are 'superior'. If you live in the US or any former colonial place you are living the benefits of the hard decisions people in the 'days of discovery' made. Not the whole story, but just an alternative thought for the day..

[@saly351]

Their is no such thing as superior culture The European view of indigenous peoples has been, since colonization, ethnocentric, which considers the indigenous way of life inferior because it does not contain elements considered, by Europeans, symbols of civilization and progress. Of course when it comes to cannibalism we are talking about an attack on life which should be never normalized

[@jacksnackrafice6559]

My resolution for this year was to read more. I decided to start with the classics, went to my local Goodwill and bought all I could find. I started with Robinson Crusoe by happenstance because it was on top of the pile when I sat down. To read. Between the point of him reading the island and him rescuing Friday it's an EXTREMELY slow burn. I'm glad I read it but I am certainly glad to be done with it.

[@profaneangel0842]

3:38: "Indigenous values"? Such as? These indigenous societies were, in their small ways, every bit as colonialist, misogynistic, and pro-slavery as any contemporary society in Europe. Some of them went so far as to sacrifice their enemies to their gods, or even to eat them. Either you are criminally unaware of these basic historical facts, or you disingenuously choose to ignore them. Either way, it does you no credit to pretend that Europe = bad; anything else = good

[@kedon1458]

Which indigenous society are you referring to? On what continent? To say that "they" were as every bit as, etc., is to take an incredibly diverse group of societies (by sheer number) and lump them all into a single column (even the term indigenous is kinda silly in terms of "everything non-European"). And, yes, whether Mayan or Igbo or Dravidian, societies are hierarchal and exhibit various degrees of abuse of power. Some societies were indeed "war-like" or oppressed non-local tribes. However, the scope, scale and impact of European imperialism is unparalleled -- global level unparalleled. Not to mention that its growth turbocharged forms slavery or servitude that did exist in some pre-colonial societies because of money AND fear of retribution (see, for example, what the Dutch did in the Banda islands because Bandanese weren't following the script). And the ritualistic sacrifice/cannibalism thing is so tired. Any proper historian would tell you these "facts" were overhyped for propaganda reasons. Yes there were ritualistic sacrifices in some Mesoamerican civilizations (I'm assuming these were the ones you're referring to), but this wasn't an everyday affair. Folks were having their heads decapitated left right and centre throughout significant stretches of French history -- is a bloodlust for decapitation ultimately what define the "Gauls" in history books? Nope. And, finally, it's kinda sad that you can't imagine what positive values could exit in these many different societies. From treating the land as an autonomous entity that deserves as much respect as human agents to some of the earliest forms of universal healthcare that would put our contemporary systems to shame... some"indigenous societies" were radical af.

[@joeydinero9300]

In no way did he say "Europe equals bad". That's your misunderstanding of his point clearly.

[@brileyvandyke5792]

We mustn’t be judgmental. It’s unfair to expect anyone from the 18th century to anticipate 21st century political understanding. Posterity May look at 21st century literature as “problematic “ and ridiculous.

[@JuanReads]

Alternative title: "Millenials discover colonialism";) Nice video, Rick!

[@RickMacDonnell]

Ha! No kidding. Thanks, Juan!

[@sanityscove8917]

Cannibalism was a wiflde spread phenomenon on every continent. Cannibslistic islanders were the norm. It was dark. The spread of Christianity is one of the primary ways cannibalism has largely vanished over the last 200 years.

[@kedon1458]

It was the norm? Where? Which islands? All of them? And on this practice alone *some* Europeans could claim a moral superiority that justified genocide in some cases?

[@markdrocy3454]

@@kedon1458 it was very common across the ancient world, he didnt say they should be genocided.

[@hedgiecc]

I read it for the first time last year & was very shocked, considering the book’s reputation as the first English novel. I suggest reading Aphra Benn’s Oroonoko, written several decades before RC. As a text it has its own issues but its take on slavery and Africans is very different. Unlike Defoe Benn had direct personal experience of the colonies. Another very interesting take is ‘Foe’ by JM Coetzee.

[@RickMacDonnell]

hedgiecc I’ve already planned on reading Foe so you’re right on the money! I read Oroonoko is university but would love to revisit it sometime. I remember being a fan of it, considering it’s history. Thanks for the recs, though 😊

[@markdrocy3454]

"making the islanders cannibals" Cannibalism was more common than people think in primitive tribes, so its not so bizarre for defoe to show how crusoe came across it. "Crusoe getting rid of this tribe?" When did he get rid of a tribe? He saw a small group of men about to kill someone and when they chased a guy towards him and were a threat to him he killed them, then he got a little buddy who pledged to join him for life. He also many times went over in his mind how it might be wrong to attack people who don't even know cannibalism is wrong. Obviously people of the 1700s would think christianity superior to tribal religions. you expect too much. "What defoe doesn't explore are all these indigenous values.. that crusoe should have learned from" You romanticize primitive tribes, clearly put tribal people morally above people of the 1700s. I think that's wrong, although crusoe clearly has no problem with slavery he at least looks down on how the spanish killed so many indigenous for no reason. And if you know anything about how these primitive tribes usually worked from anthropology and the insanely high levels of murder, slavery, rape etc of primitive people you'd stop seeing them as morally above crusoe. "Slavery was actually considered an advancement" True, but you may disagree: isn't slavery better than just killing all the men and boys after a battle, which was common. You don't realise how savage the ancient world was compared to 1700s. You ignore that we all came from these brutal cultures and slowly evolved modern ideas, and you do realise defoe is in 1700 so hes not gonna have modern ideas right? A lot of the book is pretty f-ed up I agree, the end is bizarre. I found it funny how (spoilers) he left the island with the english captain and seemed to completed forget how he had arranged to rendezous with the group of 16 or so marooned europeans and friday's dad and only they would have instead met the two criminal mutineers on his island whom he left there The book is kinda all over the place. XD

[@mastersal4644]

Welcome back. And I really have to go back and read this again.

[@cuppa.books.]

Not one I've ever been bothered about reading but your review actually makes it sound more interesting 😁

[@Tolstoy111]

The entire world was “colonized”.

[@md.nazmulhossainnazmul765]

Love from Bangladesh 🇧🇩

[@owencoles6866]

My god man this book is from the 1700s. Save us the liberal virtue signalling bullshit.

[@jonnybuijze1770]

Thank you for this review! I myself had to read this for literature class and I just couldnt stand it! It's like he learns the same 3 lessons (Other people will always have it worse, God is Good, murdering the savages will make him a murderer too) over and over again, it feels like I'm being beaten overr the head with these morals!

[@KillYour_TV]

Biased ideologically driven review tbh. I am excited to read the book nevertheless!

[@joeydinero9300]

How is it biased? Please elaborate.

[@jpcooper07]

Wow!!!

[@061_arsh]

cringe thumbnail.

[@cvin3716]

Excellent review!

[@RickMacDonnell]

Thanks!

[@AarushiTiwari1104]

Thank you so much for properly putting why i hated the book in words! It rubbed me the wrong way, when I read it in 5th grade, again in 9th, and again a few months back! You've said it all so well. I'm definitely subscribing!

[@RickMacDonnell]

FINALLY, SOMEONE WHO GETS IT lol. Thanks for watching :)

[@AarushiTiwari1104]

@@RickMacDonnell of course! And thank you for putting this up!

[@somebody31415]

I listened to it at work over the past few days, and I absolutely hated it! The book just keeps getting worse with the racism and the pro slavery ideology and the overt appeal to Christianity to justify the supremacy of European colonialism and let’s not forget that paragraph about how Rob drowns kittens!

[@KOTEBANAROT]

Cringe Defoe and his fail book is nothing before the majesty of based and paganpilled Moby Dick