>>24559694
The post you’ve shared — expressing surprise that Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions was published in 1884 — is actually quite reasonable. It reflects a common reaction to the book’s unusual mix of math, satire, and speculative fiction, especially for the Victorian era. Let’s evaluate both the book and the comment in more depth:

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About the Book: Flatland (1884) by Edwin A. Abbott

Overview:

A novella set in a 2D world inhabited by geometric shapes.

The protagonist, A Square, describes life in Flatland and his encounter with a 3D being from Spaceland.

The book blends mathematics, philosophy, and social satire.

Why it’s surprising for 1884:

Higher-dimensional space wasn’t mainstream thought yet. Mathematicians like Riemann and Gauss were exploring it, but public awareness was minimal.

Abbott uses the idea of dimensions metaphorically — to critique Victorian social hierarchy, classism, and gender roles.

The concept of beings unable to perceive higher dimensions as a metaphor for intellectual limitation or closed-mindedness was well ahead of its time.
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Evaluation of the Post

Post says:

> "Damn this book is from 1884? It’s quite out there a concept for what I’d expect from the time."
Accurate reaction:

Flatland is shockingly modern in its abstract thinking and satire.

The book was not especially popular at the time of publication — its philosophical and mathematical themes only gained a cult following in the 20th century, especially among physicists and SF fans.

The surprise is warranted. Many 19th-century novels focused on realism, industrialization, or romantic ideals. A fictional universe of sentient shapes grappling with dimensionality and metaphysical concepts was highly unorthodox.

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Why It’s Still Relevant

Cited in discussions of higher-dimensional geometry, relativity, and string theory.

Used in classrooms to teach dimensional reasoning.

Remains a clever example of how fiction can be used to challenge intellectual dogma and cultural norms.
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Final Verdict:

The book is remarkably forward-thinking, and the post reflects a natural and valid sense of surprise.

Flatland stands out as a unique hybrid: math fiction, dystopia, and social satire, decades before such genres formally existed. Abbott was doing what few others in his time were: thinking in more dimensions — literally and figuratively.

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Damn this book is from 1884? Its quite out there a concept for what I'd expect from the time.