"'My father was one of the intellectual routineer class which was displaced by the Second Industrial Revolution, though he never joined the Humanists. He didn't like living off citizen's allowance and odd jobs - called it a handout.'" (p. 152)
In good future historical style, we recognize these references and issues from previous instalments even though the series has progressed to new characters in a later period.
Citizen's allowance, which should not be called an "allowance," would not be a handout! It would be a later generation's rightful inheritance from the labour of previous generations. An aristocrat does not regard his inherited income, property or status as a "handout." Technology can level everyone up into the aristocracy - although we will not call it that.
The speaker also reflects that:
"He had crossed millions of kilometers and seen strange landscapes, but had he ever looked into the soul of a man - even his own?" (p. 153)
These are the two complementary themes of Poul Anderson's Psychotechnic History: the external universe and the inner man.
6 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And I think you are passing over too easily the despair and frustration untold millions will feel if mass technological unemployment becomes an actuality and all most people can do is live off citizen's allowance (or "credit"). No, my belief remains Anderson was more realistic.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
And there is still a difference between people who are suddenly thrown out of work and people who never have had to work for a living but this doesn't mean that they just sit and do nothing. They expect at least to socialize and to engage in recreational activities of various kinds.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And I don't believe, even for people born in a post scarcity era, that that will be enough. My belief is that, without a serious sense of necessary purpose, MANY will come to feel frustration, ennui, despair.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
But there are necessary purposes. They don't have to be earning a living.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And I still believe many, ultimately, would prefer it that way.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Many would prefer to have to work to earn a living? But they would grow up not having to. Different societies create different expectations.
Paul.
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