Some Tahirians wonder whether mankind is sane. Ruszek responds:
"('Maybe we aren't. By your standards, at least.')" (p. 284)
(The brackets remind readers that conversation is not through speech but through artificially produced screen symbols and sounds.)
Ruszek's qualification, "By your standards...," is an important one. Human beings themselves differ tremendously as to what constitutes sane behaviour.
He continues:
"'We are what we are, whatever it may be, and I'll stick to that.'" (ibid.)
(Like a time traveller in "Flight to Forever" saying that he likes his neuroses. See here.)
Again, human beings differ. Some stand by what they are. Fred Hoyle wrote in The Nature Of The Universe that he was "an unrepentant sinner." However, many - and this also is part of what we are - perceive a need for change within themselves. We are "sinners" (Christian) or motivated by "greed, hate and delusion" (Buddhist) or by "ignorance" (Vedantist). Many of our actions are "sinful" or, and I prefer this terminology, "wrong." What is to be done about this? We do not need a sermon or a lecture from me here. But, if I met the Tahirians or any other intelligent species, then I would hope to learn from them, not just to stand by what humanity already is!
(When major work is being done in the house, we vacate it for the day so there has not been much blogging today.)
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