The real Lord of the Flies: what happened when six boys were shipwrecked for 15 months | Society books | The Guardian

submitted by Sw0rdofDam0cles from theguardian.com

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[–]Alan_Crowe 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

The year after William Golding published Lord of the Flies, the science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein published Tunnel in the sky. Heinlein's alternative take on ship-wrecked children had them behave well.

Which fiction author was right about human nature? The article make me think Heinlein was right.

[–]magnora7 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yes but look at which book sold better and is more famous. For some reason being further from the truth makes for better-selling fiction? I guess "good" drama is partially about maximizing trauma, including portraying humanity as evil

[–]madcow-5 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I feel like if there were girls with them, it would have turned into lord of the flies out of social competition. Not saying guys don't fight amongst each other for other reasons, but like a sports team, you give them a common goal and no real incentive to compete with one another socially, they usually cooperate.