The Hunger Games and Philosophy

I originally thought the book might turn out to be sort of dull but it wasn't dull at all. The author liked The Hunger Games and notes it's about the quest for truth. Some of the main points of the book include:

It's at the dark end of entertainment.

The audience needs to identify with the main character.

The author uses quotes from Aristotle and other Greek and Roman philosophers.

Peeta is Katniss' redeemer.

Why she chose Peeta over Gale.

Music influences emotions.

The effect of music and stories on young people.

Socrates: Simple music is the best.

The audience perception of Peeta and Katniss.

The joy of watching others suffer (for some people, at least.)

Biblical precedent.

Dehumanization.

Nazis used this as an excuse to get rid of Jews.

Darwinian competition.

Is altruism real?

Creating interspecies chimera. (There is stuff in her about things like this that have already been done in reality.)

The only good thing is moral goodness.

Katniss rarely smiles and is often hostile.

Gender refers to changeable roles.

Sexual stereotyping.

Care ethics.

Why her killing of Cato was ethical.

Looking good is not necessarily the same thing as being good.

Meeting evil with evil.

The just war tradition.

Game theory.

Snow's political philosophy.

Living in accord with reason.

Seneca (the Roman): 'Seek understanding first, before anything else.'

Education is a form of social control.

There's lots more. Definitely a book worth getting.

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