[WikiEN-l] Reflections on the end of the spoiler wars

[Guy Chapman aka JzG]

On Fri, 16 Nov 2007 07:57:22 -0800 (PST), Ken Arromdee
<arromdee at rahul.net> wrote:

>> There's a god example: there was a spoiler tag in Catch-22.  Despite
>> the fact that the supposed spoiler is discussed in every independent
>> reference to the book.

>You just think that's clever because I used the idiom "catch-22", but it's
>a terrible example; I never read the book, don't know the ending, and would
>actually be helped by a spoiler warning on it.

You're missing the point.  An encyclopaedia aspires to an academic
tone, not that of an entertainment medium.  Even book review shows
no longer shy from discussing the "spoilers" in catch-22, and anyone
reading the article should expect to find the plot detailed.

If you don't want to know, don't read *anything* written about
Catch-22, because it's been around so long that virtually every
source of any merit will discuss the crucial plot details.

Or you could stop where the header says "plot" or "synopsis".

Incidentally, I do recommend Catch-22, it is some of the best satire
ever written.

Guy (JzG)
-- 
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:JzG