Sf writers should be able to comment on humanity through alien perspectives. For an Asimov example, see The Galactic Federation. I will quote three examples, one from CS Lewis and two from Poul Anderson.
"'It is not as in a city of the Darkened World where they say that each must live for all. In His city all things are made for each.'"
-CS Lewis, Perelandra IN Lewis, The Cosmic Trilogy (London, 1990), pp. 145-348 AT 17, p. 343.
"To explain the concept 'nation' is stiffly upwind...It is as if a single group could permanently cry Oherran against the entire rest of society, bring death and devastation wherever it chose, and claimed this as an exclusive right."
-Poul Anderson, "The Problem of Pain" IN Anderson, The Van Rijn Method (Riverdale, NY, 2009), pp. 103-134 AT INTRODUCTION, p. 104.
"Be not afraid of the strangers with single bodies...pity that race, who are not beasts but can think, and thus know that they will never know oneness."
-Poul Anderson, The Rebel Worlds IN Anderson, Young Flandry (Riverdale, NY, 2010), pp. 367-520 AT p. 520.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
A more accurate summarizing of what a human state is, as given by a Ythrian, can be found in Chapter V of THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND, Liaw, Wyvan of the High Khruath speaking: "The legitimacy [of a gov't] derives, ultimately, no matter by what formula, from tradition. The authority derives, no matter by what formula, from armed force. Government is that institution which is legitimized in the use of physical coercion on the people. Have I read your human philosophers and history aright, President Vickery?"
And I disagree with the tri-bodied Didonian. Practically all humans would not WANT the kind of "oneness" had by the Didonians! I sure would not!
Sean
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