Why people recommend it
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is a dystopian novel set in a totalitarian society where women are stripped of their autonomy and forced into reproductive servitude. Chris Williamson discussed the novel on Modern Wisdom while exploring modern debates surrounding birth rates, noting concerns that some individuals voice about far-right groups outbreeding others and creating a society resembling the book. Williamson also referred to the title when discussing the accusations people face when addressing pronatalism, noting that critics frequently claim proponents are trying to force a dystopian reality. Simone Collins referenced the novel on the same episode while discussing protesters wearing iconic costumes from the television adaptation. Conversely, a one-star Goodreads review of a book by Freya India was read aloud by Williamson, comparing that work's perceived lack of nuance and conservative pearl-clutching to Atwood's narrative. Elsewhere, Doug Wilson brought up the book on Interesting Times to argue that past sodomy laws did not constitute a totalitarian hellhole akin to the novel, while Jeffrey Wasserstrom noted on the Lex Fridman Podcast that Atwood's work possesses a narrative clarity similar to George Orwell's 1984, cementing its status as a frequent cultural reference point for political oppression.
Who recommended it
- Chris Williamson Discussed
- Simone Collins Discussed
- Joe Rogan Discussed
- Doug Wilson Discussed
- Lex Fridman Discussed
- Jeffrey Wasserstrom Discussed
- Steven Rinella Discussed
- Ian Crossland Discussed
- Tim Pool Discussed
- Andrew Santino Discussed
Chris Williamson — 3 mentions
Discussed
“and then you have daughters and then you learn that the future is going to be one where like all the crazy far-right people had all the babies and they're going to outvote you and now your daughters live without Handmaid's Tale.”
Discussed
“And again, for every step that you take forward, there's 10 people saying you're trying to take rights away, force Handmaid's Tale, etc. etc. etc.”
Critiqued
“Handmaid's Tail. Beautiful. What starts off as disappointing through its lack of nuance and depth make contradictory points and statistics that feel cherrypicked in order to back up points the author is desperately trying to make. Quickly descends into conservative pearl clutching before ultimately concluding as a manifesto for girls getting back to family values and baby making that could”
Simone Collins — 2 mentions
Discussed
“Why are they wearing those Handmaid's Tale costumes? Because it is it's hot.”
Discussed
“The divorce deck. It's so stupid.”
Joe Rogan — 2 mentions
Discussed
“Have you ever you know the writer Margaret Margaret Atwood I've heard the name okay she has a book called The handmaid's Tale Yes this dystopian yeah my wife loves that show oh I haven't seen the show yeah uh I'm familiar with maybe what I'm gonna say I don't know if it's in the show or just in the”
Discussed
“Have you been watching this handmaid's tale? No. What is that? No have you know about this on Hulu? Man it a book written um I want to say 20 years ago”
Doug Wilson — 1 mention
Discussed
“That was not a totalitarian hellhole. That was not the Handmaid's Tale. It was a free and prosperous country that I was grateful to God to be growing up in.”
Lex Fridman — 1 mention
Discussed
“I think there's a clarity to Orwell's '1984', there's a clarity to Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale,' similarly the construction of the elements.”
Jeffrey Wasserstrom — 1 mention
Discussed
“there's a clarity to Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale," similarly the construction of the elements.”
Steven Rinella — 1 mention
Discussed
“you know the writer Margaret Margaret Atwood I've heard the name okay she has a book called The handmaid's Tale yes this dystopian”
Ian Crossland — 1 mention
Discussed
“what's that handmaid's tale”
Tim Pool — 1 mention
Discussed
“the thing all they ever reference are harry potter and the handmaid's tale both of which are movies or exist in visual media so it's like i know you didn't even read them”
Andrew Santino — 1 mention
Discussed
“have you been watching this handmaid's tale no what is that no have you know about this on Hulu man it a book written um I want to say 20 years ago”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 8
Discussed
“Um, have you guys uh read or seen Hand A Handmaid's Tale? I have. It's a good book. So, I've not I tried watching the show a little bit, but I didn't care. I didn't read it. But what I've heard a lot from feminists, and I'm not sure this accurately portrays the book, is that it's basically women are”
Discussed
“Wade is going to allow for women to be put in red dresses and caps— they're not advocating for the handmaids' tale!”
Discussed
“Yeah, as a brainstorm or a blue sky pitch; very Handmaid's Tale in some ways! Like what's that thing that went around?”
Discussed
“All of the other numbers that you see in the early voting data seem to favor him; it's just if they are breaking, you know, enough for Kamala Harris because, uh, vagina. And by the way, that's not all female voters; it's the female voters who go up to the voting voting booths dressed as handmaid's tale when they drove”
Speaker Timcast IRL LIVE ELECTION Results Trump v Kamala w/The Daily Wire 2024-11-06 Listen at 49:39
Discussed
“Part of what's so funny about The Handmaid's Tale is that the women all look very angry while wearing bonnets—it's just a comedic image! Just seeing an angry person in a bonnet is honestly pretty funny!”
Discussed
“Now, the other thing about Handmaid's Tale is remember once the inauguration of President Trump happened in 17, you would always see the women in red robes everywhere. Another effort that Kamala is trying to do is to scare people like if Trump is elected all these bad things are going to happen.”
Discussed
“Oh yes, yes, yes. The non-handmaid's tale, that's right.”
Speaker Stuff They Don't Want You To Know CLASSIC: Who Killed Artemus Ogletree? 2024-08-13 Listen at 5:05
Discussed
“As a Canadian, I feel a sense of ownership of that book because Margaret Atwood is a great Canadian author. We all read it in school, so I'm quite familiar with it.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (6: passing, ad reads, own books)
Passing
“I wouldn't be surprised to see some kind of handmaid's tail thing”
Passing
“I mean she probably thinks if she watched the handmaid's tale she's thinking well what's the problem”
Passing
“yeah handmaid's tale like they use that against Amy Coney Barrett too because of her Catholicism”
Passing
“I saw them dressing up like a handmaid's tale yeah that's what they do when they go and challenge I saw them doing that right”
Passing
“The thing all they ever reference are harry potter and the handmaid's tale Both of which are movies or exist in visual media so it's like i know you didn't even read them”
Passing
“Jordan Peterson survived the mob why did the mob come after him because all he said was I'm not against trans people but I don't want the government to be able to dictate my speech relative to what pronouns I use when referring to them”