Lovecraft was basically translating his alienation with capitalism into short stories. Unfortunately, being a reactionary for most his life, he punched down instead of up, and his fears were pointed at minorities and women and air conditioners instead of the pervasive system itself.
“If you can do something beneficial, do it.”
My god, truly a genius, if every General read Sun Tzu there’d be no war because they’d realize all battles have already been determined in advanced.
(Yeah I don’t get it either)
“Think about the heritage the flag represents, not the hatred you say it represents”
That heritage being a slaving nation run by and for slave-owning slave-raping slavers? Or did they mean grits and banjo music?
The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin is the only fantasy story I’ve read that handles this trope correctly.
(Being written by a woman of color probably helps a lot).