Hanno the immortal thanks "...the ruling intellects of the world..." (p. 490) when they grant his request for an interstellar spaceship. The Administrator responds:
"'Thank society. You think in terms of kings, but personal power is obsolete.'" (p. 496)
Hanno thinks without saying:
"True, I suppose. As obsolete as the personal soul." (ibid.)
It does not have to be like this. I think that technology makes what Anderson imagines in this chapter possible:
the obsolescence of personal power, whether in kings or their successors;
a fully self-managing, thus completely free, civilization;
the "ruling (?) intellects" merely articulating social decisions, thus no longer "ruling" although the ancient Phoenician, Hanno, still thinks in those terms.
Such a civilization will realize the full potential of each individual "soul." The free development of each will be the condition for the free development of all.
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