"'Please understand that this community doesn't disdain cybernation and machines. Without them - without income guarantee, the low price of most necessities, cheap and versatile power tools, everything technology makes possible - I doubt we could have made a go of this.'" (p. 10)
Urania of the Theontological Spirits cult addresses her guest and our viewpoint character, Skip, but she really lectures the reader with a list of aspects of their contemporary society. The author is cutting corners in laying out the background details for this novel. The monastery that supports our meditation group is maintained entirely by voluntary donations from members of the lay sangha (Buddhist community). Without that, the monks would have to be working clergy. "Income guarantee" would go a long way toward supporting a diversity of life styles.
Something else happens between Urania and Skip:
"They kissed. The sun rose blindingly over a tall peak. A lark whistled." (ibid.)
That much is pathetic fallacy. The following sentence tells us something about the Theontological community:
"A few persons in sight voiced friendly cheers." (ibid.)
Sun, a lark and friendship. All is well, so far.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
They darn well better not reject modern technology! Most of the human race would die quickly in miserable ways if our tech stopped working all at once. Think of Stirling's DIES THE FIRE, where exactly that happened.
Ad astra! Sean
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