Venator reflects:
"Reaching for the stars, Faustian man had well-nigh ruined his planet and obliterated his species." (p. 332)
Reaching for the stars? My alternative take on recent and current history would be that, competing for profits and power, economic and political elites might well ruin our planet and obliterate the species.
How has the recent thrust of industrial/technological civilization comprised "reaching for the stars"? Running a space program has never been the main aim of industry or of economic activity although some American sf might give that impression. I remember that, at an sf Con, someone, probably influenced by Star Trek, proudly proclaimed, "We're going to the stars!" - as if it was a foregone conclusion and only a matter of time.
I am for a space program but see no point in pretending that our civilization has been "reaching for the stars" while it polluted the planet.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And it's my view that only if free market incentives for controlling or reducing pollution were offered, that would be the best way to handle pollution.
And I only wish the STAR TREK fan was correct, and that a truly DETERMINED effort, by both the private sector and states, was being made to get off this rock! Elon Musk seems to be the closest we have to a real world D.D. Harriman and Anson Guthrie. And I hope so much Musk succeeds in getting to Mars!
Sean
Sean,
That still leaves the fact that Venator misrepresents recent history.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I agree, Venator overstated or exaggerated his case.
Sean
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