Reasons

"Lodestar."

Van Rijn says that, as young people become more prudish, governments and companies become more brutish. Coya replies:

"'The second is part of the reason for the first.'" (p. 353)

Only part? That qualification acknowledges complexity. Poul Anderson shows us conflicting opinions in a changing society. Readers need not agree fully with either character. We know that societies change for complicated reasons and that protagonists disagree about the reasons. The author shows us that that is what is happening in this story and we can think about which side we would take if we were there. Which sides would van Rijn and Coya be on if they were alive now? We here and now are not yet out of the Chaos whereas the Solar Commonwealth and the Polesotechnic League are heading towards the Troubles.

A non-human being, the Ythrian, Hirharouk, comments:

"'In the end, God the Hunter strikes every being and everything which beings have made. Upon your way of life, I see His shadow. Let the new come to birth in peace.'" (p. 367)

Unfortunately, the new will not come to birth in peace but it will come to birth. History will continue. Let us hope that it will continue also for us.