-Poul Anderson, The Stars Are Also Fire, 15, p. 196.
Verbal response is not an ape impulse - although ape chattering and cooperation are the two bases of language.
In this passage, Venator sounds like the two main villains in CS Lewis' That Hideous Strength, Frost and Wither, who regularly communicate with superior intelligences that are not technological but already existent on Earth, the "macrobes." Frost at least regards all human responses, behavior and psychology as merely chemical reactions in the body. He goes so far as to deny that consciousness exists and to hate anyone who says that it does. (Lewis presents a reductio ad absurdum of such psychology.)
In order to communicate with the macrobes, human beings must destroy all human responses in themselves. A trainee must learn to feel no distaste, disgust or disapproval for anything and must therefore perform obscene or objectionable acts like trampling on a crucifix. Initiates should either have no social interactions or, at best, dislike each other so that they do not mistake feelings towards each other for the shared focus on the macrobes. Would Venator go this far to suppress his ape impulses?
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Of course we both realize the bit about "ape impulse" was simply one of the ways used by Anderson to contrast or highlight the differences between humans and sophotects.
Very disturbing (which of course was Lewis' intent) the situation you summarized from THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH. It reminded me of George Orwell's 1984.
Sean
Sean,
The "macrobes," of course, are demons pure and simple but decked out in scientific-sounding jargon.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I agree! I was thinking of how the Party elite in 1984 dislike and distrust each other--reminding me of how the members of N.I.C.E. have to trample upon and defile everything good and sacred the way you described.
Sean
Sean,
Only the handful of full initiates in the Inner Circle of the N.I.C.E. Most employees are completely misled as to the nature of the organization.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
That makes sense. Also, it's been a long time since I last read THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH.
I'm reminded of how, in OPERATION CHAOS, the lower clergy in the Johannine Church did not know it was set up and controlled by the Adversary. It would only be the fully initiated adepts who would know of this diabolism.
Sean
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