Friday 8 February 2019

How The Wealthy Live

Poul Anderson, Shield, XI, XII.

The Abrams' residence in Centralia Condominium on Long Island has:

an exterior and reception area described here;

a glideway;

an escalator;

a guest suite more luxurious than an expensive hotel room;

"...an imperial-sized library." (XI, p. 92);

a gym;

a study;

servants.

A minority lives well. Technology, properly used, will ensure that everyone does. Sf can describe utopias as well as dystopias. Shield, with its descriptions of the Craters, "low-level" society, the Protectorate, Military Security, continued international conflict and a new Caesarism, counts as a dystopia.

5 comments:

S.M. Stirling said...

Even hunter-gatherer societies have fairly severe inequalities. And a lot of what the rich have are "positional goods" -- lots of space and privacy, for example -- which can only be had if most people -don't- have them.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Mr. Stirling!

And I get so tired of the fuss some people make about "inequality." As far as I'm concerned my belief is there always will be "inequality" simply because people are DIFFERENT from each other in luck, character, abilities, talents, etc. That alone INEVITABLY means there will be "inequality." Any arbitrary attempts to "level out" inequality can only end in tyranny and despotism.

I advocate leaving people alone if any wealth they have was not obtained by violent and criminal means, such as by drug trafficking.

Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

All,
In the monastery, senior monks have more space, like bigger rooms, but have learned to use it for others.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Such as using the extra space for things like offices or meeting rooms?

Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,
Yes. If you have more space and privacy, you can write talks/sermons, meet individuals for private guidance etc.
Paul.