According to the proprietor of the inter-cosmic Old Phoenix Inn, many timelines exist at the same time. Thus, the Time Patrol and Old Phoenix series present contradictory cosmologies.
However, could the variable timeline guarded by the Time Patrol itself be one of the many universes that have fleeting access to the Old Phoenix? Thus, could Manson Everard of the Patrol also find his way to the inter-cosmic Inn?
As things stand, the timecycles of the Time Patrol, the time corridors of the Wardens and Rangers, the self-propelling time travelers of the Eyrie and of Jack Havig's rival group and the many doors to the Old Phoenix exist in the alternative realms of Poul Anderson's imagination as expressed in different volumes of his complete works. However, we are free to speculate about connections between various ultimates like:
the Danellians;
the "gods" of the further future in "Flight To Forever";
the literal gods of Anderson's heroic and historical fantasies;
the Elder Races that exist, or are believed to exist, in various timelines;
the cosmic energy accessed by the Black Nebulans and the Chereionites;
cosmic AI in the further future of Anderson's Genesis;
the transtemporally communicating interstellar civilization of Starfarers;
the mysterious licensing authority of the Old Phoenix.
Ideally, each fictional universe could be continued indefinitely while, at the same time, additional volumes or subtle inter-textual cross-references could be used to construct an immense hyper-cosmic unity. Anderson's canon is vast and makes us wish for more.
(Tomorrow: coach from North West to South East of England, depart 6.00 am, return evening, anti-racist march through London (No Nazi parties in the European Parliament!), no time for blogging, plenty of time for creative thinking on the Motorway, fried breakfast and coffee in the Services.)
6 comments:
Hi, Paul!
Does the UK have significant numbers of devotees of Adolf Hitler? If so, that is distressing! The US also has some Neo Nazis, altho they tend to be merely nuts and crazies. My view is that the best way to handle such pathological cases is to ignore them. Why give them the attention which marches of the kind you plan to take part in gives them?
Sean
Sean,
Unfortunately, Nick Griffin, Leader of the whites only British National Party, is a Member of The European Parliament for NW England so, far from ignoring him, I must campaign against him right now because there is an election soon.
Our experience is that such organizations, gaining ground during economic crises, grow if unopposed but can be beaten back if strongly opposed. They are currently a bigger threat in several other European countries where there is less concerted opposition to them. After all, ignoring Hitler would not have been a good idea in 1930's Germany.
Paul.
Hi, Paul!
I agree, troubled times are far too often also when extremist parties can take root and grow. In the US, however, Neo National Socialists "come across" as so vicious and irrational that most Americans, fortunately, don't take them seriously.
And I was thinking not of Hitler in the early 1930's, when he had indeed risen to be a serious contender for power, but as he was in the early 1920's, leading only a small and weak party. But, yes, the turmoils of that time was when Hitler and his supporters were able to GROW.
As for the so called European Parliament, why take it seriously? It has little real authority, the bureaucrats in Brussels being the ones who actually have whatever power the EU has. Letting the nuts and crazies win seats there might be a good way of isolating them from having any real power.
In fact, I would favor the UK leaving the EU. Which is what UKIP argues for. My view is that the EU has become a disaster for Great Britain and Europe.
Sean
Sean,
No argument about the European Parliament! But, if a guy like Griffin holds elected office, then he gets invited onto TV discussion programs where he then says things that incite violence from members of that vicious minority. We need him out of office. I don't take a lot of notice of who else sits in the European Parliament.
Paul.
We now know that the time to smash Nazi organizations (I mean politically, not physically) is when they are still small and have not yet started to grow. (Hitler said that.)
When Nazis are completely isolated and discredited, then all they need is a friendly eye to keep them out of trouble. In the US, the "friendly eye" could be from the FBI, Jewish organizations, anti-racist campaign groups etc.
Hi, Paul!
You make a good point, that useless and futile as the so called Euro Parliament is, it's still better if people like Nick Griffin don't win seats there. Better to have respectable and reasonably decent persons from either left or right win.
And, yes, the way to beat dangerous and fanatical organizations is when they are still small and weak. The only caveat I have is we can't know at the very start if this or that party will actually amount to much. I'm sure many Germans of the early 1920's hoped the National Socialists would fade away when times stabilized. Unfortunately, they overlooked both the abilities and determination of Hitler and how the Depression which started in 1929 again enabled his party to grwo.
Your comments about "isolation" seems to be the case here in the US. Nasty little groups of neo Nazis needing only to be watched by the police and Jewish groups, etc.
Sean
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