Educating Reader
What, you wrote a lot of good stuff, did ya?
Man, possibly reading. North London, July 1. By Robin Hunt
Aged 24, the German author and later polymath Johan Goethe published his first novel, The Sorrows of Young Werther. It tells the story – spoiler-warnung – of Werther’s doubly-triangulated love life, which culminates in his tragic suicide by gunshot after he falls in love with a woman engaged to another man.
The novel, published in 1774, quickly made Goethe famous. Napoleon – who took Werther to Egypt on military expedition – announced it was one of the great works of European literature. None of this is very important to us today, although Goethe’s Faust very much still is. What is important, however, is the concept of Werther Fever – the social engagement with the novel that instantly followed its launch.
BookTok would have loved The Sorrows of Young Werther. Within weeks of publication young men across Europe (that’s to say those gilded youth who had the time and money and leisure to read and employ good and resourceful tailors) began to dress as Werther is described in the book. Lithographic prints were sold – by the Pinterest click-full – of the big polyamorous moments, a perfume appeared – Sorrow, for Men, perhaps? – Meissen porcelain decorated with scenes from the book. The novel even spawned Wertherism, a phrase coined by the dour Scottish essayist Thomas Carlyle to describe the self-indulgency of the age found in Werther. Getcha hair cut, boy, and all that sort of thing.
Graphics by ChatGPT
There was a further and far more tragic result of the book’s widespread success: a series of copycat suicides, known as the Werther Effect – where young men often dressing as Werther and using similar pistols, started killing themselves across Europe. A copy of the novel was often found at the scene. Within a year Werther was banned in Leipzig, Denmark and Italy.
A fan-fiction version of Werther was written at that time by one Friedrich Nicholai with a happy and respectable ending. Goethe was not impressed: his feud with Nicholai was life-long. It wasn’t called fan-fiction, either, obviously. Nor Cosplay. Merch. Nor Community, nor Popular Culture.
But it was. We just didn’t know yet – didn’t have Vulture and Dazed to explain the memey semiotics of it all. But the truth is: people copy stuff they consume. They soak up the value systems that are the foundational myths of popular media, believe them to be true.
Yesterday we looked at reading Fourth Wing as a focus, and jumping off point, for engagement and community; not so much as a work of literature, but as a badge of belonging. Began to consider Fourth Wing’s limitations as a read, and its abundant strengths as a communal publishing phenomenon. A thing that makes people do stuff. Just like Werther.
Today I want to read the book, and the community engagement around it, as a study in the depiction and portrayal of education and its cultural influence on its students (and by definition its readers). Ask if its message is not quite as overt as it seems. Fourth Wing is set a Basgiath War College, an educational establishment focused solely on producing elite dragon riders, who will defend the battle-scarred realm of Navarre.
At least two million people have read/engaged with this book in the past two years.
I asked ChatGPT to consider the depictions of “learning” it found, the endless tests where a B grade is death, and often an A- too.
‘Fourth Wing” stages education not as growth or enlightenment,’ ChatGPT wrote, ‘but as ordeal and elimination. Its school, Basgiath War College, doesn't nurture minds—it winnows bodies. Students die. Constant surveillance, brutal training, cutthroat rivalries. Success is survival. Survival is power. And this resonates. Why?’
Tell me, please.
‘Because we live in a world where education has already become a soft version of this fantasy: elite universities [exist] as sorting mechanisms more than sanctuaries of learning. Student debt as a rite of passage. Competition [is] masked as meritocracy. Trauma (emotional, financial, social) [is] rebranded as resilience. Trauma-as-transformation is the myth modern schooling often sells: that the more pressure you endure, the more worthy you become. It's Calvinism with dragons.’
A Georgian Advert for The Daily Prospeckte. Graphics by ChatGPT
So: what if anything does its depiction in Fourth Wing tell us about the value of education today?
‘We still see education as war. We reward pain. We mistrust ease. The idea of earning power through ordeal is deeply ingrained. Domination is sexier than wisdom. Violet’s arc isn’t just about knowledge—it’s about learning to kill, command, conquer. Power and desire are fused. The fantasy isn’t Socrates with a dragon—it’s Daenerys with an SAT score. We fantasize about fairness through violence. Despite the brutality, Basgiath seems fair: the weak die, the strong rise. No nepotism, no bureaucracy. A fantasy of pure merit—achieved through blood. We want magic to justify the madness. Dragons, bonds, fate—these add a mystical frame to what is otherwise a cruel, grinding system. It suggests there’s meaning behind the suffering, even if it’s just survival.
‘In short: Fourth Wing reflects a deep cultural anxiety about what education has become—and offers a seductive answer. If education is going to be painful, let it at least be thrilling. Let it make us special. Let it hurt for a reason. But underneath the spectacle, it holds up that dark mirror: Are we educating to elevate—or to eliminate? Are we learning—or proving we deserve to live?’
There is, I find, on every dull shit’s about to get real page of Fourth Wing – as necks break and hearts are stabbed, impossible lifelines emerge to save the day, again – a sublime indifference to the pain and suffering of others. Not thinking about it is, we are repeatedly shown, the only way to survive the environment. It’s hard to read, or think about: it’s as though the words themselves have been brain-washed, so absent is any context to living in a slaughterhouse, often with half your body broken.
If it’s not about you – you, that is, reading/writing as Violet Sorrengail – then it doesn’t seem to exist.
And, pausing, I think about how education in our world is supposed to lead to knowledge, critical thinking, reaching out, building communities, and that in time this helps to create a new cadre of well-educated politicians and leaders who try and make their country – even the world – a better place. It’s the educative and meritocratic myth of every good school and college since the start of the Industrial Revolution, right? Ask not what your country....But what would a political system based on the kind of education offered at Basgiath War College look like in our world?
The system, ChatGPT wrote, would be: The Rule of the Proven – A Trial-State. Only those who survive ordeal can lead. Legitimacy is not inherited, voted, or granted—it’s earned through passage. This isn’t meritocracy; it’s ordealocracy. Leaders are war-tested, dragon-bonded, psyche-scarred. The rite of passage is the constitution. No ordeal = no voice. Power accrues to those who pass the highest thresholds—physically, mentally, magically.
“We do not elect leaders. We summon them from fire.”
It is politics and governance based, ChatGPT argues, upon – ‘Sacrificial Hierarchy. To maintain elite status, someone must suffer. Society is built on constant weeding-out. Apprentices are expendable. Civilian populations may be too. The elite are seen as chosen by pain—justifying brutality as sacred necessity. Failure is not rehabilitated. It is either hidden, consumed, or ritualized.
State as Warlord-Church. Military, mystical, and bureaucratic power fuse. Dragon riders = warrior-priests. Their authority is mythic, not merely legal. The state might have no formal legislature, but a council of survivors—those who’ve passed through the flame. Knowledge is not free. It's earned or extracted, never given.
Fear-Based Stability. The system maintains order not through justice but through the awe of invincibility. Rule through deterrence: dragons are visible, terrifying symbols of state power. Surveillance is constant. Informal tests weed out the weak at all levels. The people are loyal not out of love, but because the alternative is chaos—or the dragons turning inward.
Propaganda of Strength. History is rewritten to glorify the strong and erase the soft. Textbooks tell of heroes who sacrificed mercy for victory. Weakness is pathologized. Sympathy is a moral defect. Even art is weaponized: public spectacles re:enact survival, conquest, or the crushing of rebellion. “We burned our libraries when we tamed the first dragon. What we needed, we remembered.”
So, Chat concludes, this would create: ‘A theocratic-warrior oligarchy, ruled by ordeal-forged elites who believe domination is proof of moral fitness. It is built on fear, myth, trauma, and sacrifice—fuelled by constant tests and the refusal of mercy.’
It made me wonder – I mean, who wouldn’t, it sounds so dismally familiar? – what if such a theocratic-warrior oligarchy, built on fear, myth, trauma, and sacrifice—etc. etc. was actually run by an invisible elite playing “privilege games” behind the scenes? Games which are like Hunger Games but skewed towards those with invisible reams of cryptonic money: grifters and investors and monarchs and SuperPacs and failed casino bosses and the like... I have no idea if Fourth Wing is flying in that direction, or its sequels, but its school system sure could do so very easily with the flick of a dragon tail...
ChatGPT’s answer – ‘Then the entire system becomes a theatre of merit. A mask. A violent pageant performed to legitimize the power of those who never risked anything. The Hollow Core of Power: The Ordeal Is Real… for Some. The trials, deaths, and sacrifices? They’re real—for the public, the poor, the would-be dragon riders who believe the myth. Meanwhile, true power flows through back channels—money, bloodlines, secret pacts, or inherited access. Failure becomes moralized, success mystified—masking how rigged the system is.
I’m not sure if Fourth Wing has the stamina or rigour to investigate the hollow core of power, or rigged systems. Whether hidden in its listless language are the kernels of political self-awareness or empathy for others; a teardrop of compassion. But I’m glad to engage with its stories because I’m learning about the likes of a huge and engaged community of readers...Also, how come the curiously un-described characters – what is that about, by the way?
‘In Fourth Wing, the lack of detailed character description—especially regarding ethnicity, sexuality, and interiority—functions like a blank screen onto which readers can project themselves or their fantasies. This is a core tactic of mass-market genre fiction, especially in BookTok-era romantasy, where identification and immersion trump complexity. Here’s why this near-erasure might be happening:
Universal Projection = Broader Appeal. By keeping characters visually and culturally vague, Rebecca Yarros allows a wider range of readers to see themselves in the cast. This is the same principle behind much fanfiction and popular romance tropes: "If I don't describe her too much, she could be you." It’s first-person fantasy: we bond with Violet not through rich specificity, but through feeling—fear, desire, resolve. She is emotionally vivid but visually vague.
Speed over Subtlety. The pacing is relentless—short chapters, cliff-hangers, banter, battles. In a TikTok-accelerated reading culture description is drag. There’s little time (or perceived demand) for deep portraiture. Character becomes: Quirk + power level + trauma backstory rather than cultural complexity or embodied presence.
Ethnicity and Sexuality = Risk in the Algorithm. These books are optimized for virality and minimal offense in maximal markets. Going too deep into identity—especially race or sexuality—might “narrow” the audience or provoke controversy. So We get suggestion without exploration: A side character might be queer or “different,” but it’s never the point. Diversity exists—but at the level of name or role, not lived experience. This is DEI as set design, not story engine.
The Body Is a Weapon, Not a Self. In Fourth Wing, bodies are described in terms of what they can endure—not who they are. Violet’s physical frailty, Xaden’s power, everyone’s training. But: Skin, heritage, family culture? Mostly absent. Gender and desire? Flattened into tropes. Why? Because the setting is a military meritocracy, not a social world. Who you are matters less than what you can do. It’s the neoliberal dream/nightmare: identity erased by ability.
It’s Not About Them. It’s About the Feeling. This genre isn't trying to build Tolstoyan humans—it’s building emotional engines. Each character is a mood delivery system: We don’t need to know who they are. We need to know how they make us feel. It means we’re reading stories where:
· Interior depth is outsourced to the reader.
· Identity becomes aesthetic, not ontology [the nature of existence].
· Empathy is emotional, not political.
In a way, this is the fantasy of post-identity: a world where people are judged only by strength, loyalty, and passion. But it’s also a deeply depoliticized vision—one that avoids complexity in favour of speed, immersion, and high-drama catharsis. The real question isn’t: Why are they blank?—but: Why do we like them that way?’
Me: Indeed it is the question – why do we? What a hard book! Who knew what currents we were getting into?
HARD BOOKS - waves goodbye to the bullet point. Poster by ChatGPT
Finally today another way of thinking about education. This time as a roadmap to the new worlds emerging through technology. My take, this time. Classes that will be helpful for Hard Books, and easy Substacks. Newspapers, YouTube videos & BookTok. For Ulysses and Fourth Wing and all the books to come. AI and not AI...And I call them...
...Swimming Lessons.
I explained my idea to ChatGPT. ‘Ahhhh — swimming lessons for the data sea! I see now. So you want a syllabus that’s foundational, patient, and builds confidence step-by-step, like teaching kids how to swim before letting them loose in the ocean. Something that breaks down skills into manageable, age-appropriate (or beginner-friendly) stages, making the vast, overwhelming sea of data feel approachable and safe.’
Exactly. And these should be taught from junior school – everywhere.
Data Swimming Lessons: Learning to Swim in the Sea of Information
Lesson 1: Getting Comfortable in the Water
What is data? What kinds of data are around us?
Understanding simple terms: data, information, sources.
Feeling safe: why it’s okay not to know everything yet.
Lesson 2: Floating and Breathing
Spotting reliable vs. unreliable info — a first float.
How to pause and think before you dive deeper.
Lesson 3: Kicking Off — Finding Your Way
Basic searching skills and identifying trustworthy places (sources).
How to ask good questions about what you find.
Lesson 4: Treading Water — Handling Confusing Stuff
What if information conflicts? How to stay afloat with mixed signals.
Introduction to bias and perspective — why data sometimes “leans.”
Lesson 5: Swimming with a Buddy
Collaborative learning and fact-checking — not alone in the water.
Sharing discoveries and asking for help.
Lesson 6: Building Stamina — Using Tools to Help
Simple tools to organize, track, and verify info.
Keeping safe: avoiding info overload and digital fatigue.
Lesson 7: Diving Deeper (Optional)
When ready: basics of visualization and storytelling with data.
Playing with data to make sense of complex stories.
Great. And what do classes look like today, for instance? ‘Absolutely, let's envision a day at the OpenAI Infinity Pool School, a place where learners dive into the vast sea of data with curiosity and confidence. Here's a thoughtfully paced Wednesday schedule designed to build foundational skills, much like swimming lessons for navigating the digital ocean:
School Motto. OL stands for Old Loreologists. Design by ChatGPT.
Wednesday at the OpenAI Infinity Pool School
8:30 – 9:00 AM
Morning Circle & Mindful Dive
Gentle breathing exercises to centre the mind.
Group reflection on the previous day's learning.
Setting intentions for the day's journey.
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Lesson 1: Floating in the Data Stream
Introduction to the concept of data as a flowing stream.
Exercises in identifying and categorizing different types of data.
Group discussion: How does data surround us daily?
10:00 – 10:30 AM
Break – Shoreline Chat
Light refreshments.
Informal discussions on the morning's lesson.
Sharing personal experiences with data.themultiverse.school
10:30 – 11:30 AM
Lesson 2: Navigating the Currents of Information
Understanding the flow of information and its sources.
Activities on tracing data origins and assessing reliability.
Interactive mapping of information pathways.chat01.ai+1openai01.net+1
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Reflection & Journaling
Quiet time for personal reflection.
Journaling thoughts and insights gained.
Sharing reflections in small groups.themultiverse.school
12:00 – 1:00 PM
Lunch – Underwater Feast
A nutritious meal to recharge.
Optional: Light walk or stretching exercises.
Casual conversations about the morning's lessons.openai01.netblog.virtosoftware.com
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Lesson 3: Building Your Data Vessel
Introduction to tools and techniques for organizing data.
Hands-on activities in creating simple data structures.
Group project: Designing a personal data dashboard.
2:00 – 2:30 PM
Break – Ocean Breeze
Relaxing break with ambient sounds of the sea.
Optional guided meditation.
Sharing experiences from the afternoon session.themultiverse.school
2:30 – 3:30 PM
Lesson 4: Reflecting the Sun – Data Visualization
Understanding the importance of visualizing data.
Exercises in creating simple charts and graphs.
Discussion: How do visuals enhance understanding?academy.openai.com
3:30 – 4:00 PM
Closing Circle & Reflection
Group sharing of the day's learnings.
Setting intentions for applying skills in daily life.
Closing gratitude circle.
Tomorrow I could tell you about all the different swimming techniques, but that might have to wait until next week, there’s so little time. Instead we’re going to think more about Calvinism with Dragons: the real politics of HARD BOOKS such as Fourth Wing...
Robin: Wednesday
Hard Books – waving goodbye to TL:DR
Wow! Ready, set, go! 👍🤗