Sunday 6 June 2021

Historical Reversals

In The Peregrine, the Solman, Trevelyan Micah, represents the authority of the Solar Union when he travels to the planet Nerthus and among the star-faring Nomads. Later, we understand, an interstellar "Empire" is ruled from Sol City on Earth. However, a very long time after that, Jorun and his fellow psychotechnicians represent the authority of Galactic civilization when they supervise the evacuation of the now primitive Terrans.

Future history repeats past history:

Britain as an outpost of the Roman Empire;
the British Empire;
Britain as a junior ally of the American -?

Sent from England to boarding school in the Republic of Ireland, I used to quote Hebrews 13:14. Of course the Empire was no longer here but nothing on Earth will always be here. Reading sf gave me a cosmic perspective. But my Irish acquaintances continued to be pleased about the recent rapid demise of the British Empire.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

And as we know Anderson was not happy about the rapid disintegration of the British Empire after 1947. The chaos and sheer misery seen in large parts of the former Empire after it disintegrated certainly strengthens that view.

One thing I remember from Anderson's book THERMONUCLEAR WARFARE was him stating that the post-Imperial United Kingdom has been a far more loyal ally of the US than we in the States probably deserved. And I certainly wish the US had done a far better job of handling its de facto Imperial role than has been the case.

Do we really want despots like Putin in Russia, Xi in China, or the lunatic Kim Jong Un in North Korea calling the shots in world affairs? I would far rather have the UK or US doing that!

So I disagree with the people you knew in Ireland!

Ad astra! Seanw