I have paid zero attention to the Bezos/Branson space race, mostly because, these days, my vision of space travel and space life is influenced by of the post apocalyptic/dystopian fare I've consumed throughout my life. Bezos's thanking the little people who work for him, buy from his Amazon, and read his newspaper reinforces my belief t…
I have paid zero attention to the Bezos/Branson space race, mostly because, these days, my vision of space travel and space life is influenced by of the post apocalyptic/dystopian fare I've consumed throughout my life. Bezos's thanking the little people who work for him, buy from his Amazon, and read his newspaper reinforces my belief that the class and caste systems that plague us on earth will surely follow us into the heavens. That's no way to live.
"...It’s also a giant first step towards our vision to have millions of WEALTHY people living and working in space.” There, fixed it for ya.
This vision reminds me of one of my dystopian future movies, "Elysium" (2013) where the descendants of Amazon workers grovel in the squalor left of Earth, while the very wealthy live on a huge space station that they can only dream of.
I just finished An Unkindess of Ghosts, by Rivers Solomon, a study of structural racism on space ship launched generations in the past. It's an excellent piece of speculative fiction written by a very young, Black, writer. Well worth the read.
I get a kick out of how quickly the “hold” orders at my public library go up on any title mentioned in this forum. Thanks for the title to add to my list.
Another excellent work of fiction is the Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler. Ms. Butler wrote her book in 1993 about a dystopian near future that looks a lot like the times we're living through now. Climate change has dried the west, tribal loyalties have people murdering those who don't hold the same beliefs, and migrant populations are on the move while borders and cities are being protected by armed security forces. The local, state and federal governments are in total disarray while private international corporate interests are buying towns and putting people into economic slavery. A warning, it is intense and I have to sometimes just close the book, walk away and catch my breath. I wonder as I read the Parable of the Sower is this where we're headed?
I saw this comment an hour after you posted. When I checked the Albuquerque Public Library online, there were already 22 holds on this title. There may be some other impetus for the interest in a 1993 title, but I think there are quite a few of us in Albuquerque who are part of this forum.
I was reading the Guardian today and came across a reference to a 1972 study done at MIT. The study investigates "five
major trends of global concern-accelerating industrialization,
rapid population growth, widespread malnutrition, depletion
of nonrenewable resources, and a deteriorating environment." The study's conclusion regarding those topics seems to be accurate since mankind chose to continue on a nonsustainable path. You can download a PDF of the entire study in book form. It is worth a read
Until women and women of color who write speculative fiction/science fiction are treated as equals to their male counterparts, color and sex must absolutely be mentioned. Study up on the discrimination in that genre and you will understand what I'm talking about. And, while we're at it, Rivers Solomon is non binary. So chew on that.
I'm sorry to be snarky about this but since part of the issue in today's world is about how, to some, one's color diminishes their value as a human being, it is absolutely necessary to recognize personal aspects of a writer/artist/creator/inventor. There is no Kumbaya until BIPOC, everywhere on this planet, are recognized equally...just look at the female astronaut finally given a trip to space or the WWII era code-breaking black women finally recognized for their stellar achievements. Color blind you say? Right now, as far as many are concerned, color blindness means the only color exalted is white.
One particular segment of the movie (code-breaking black women) that really got to me was how she had to walk or run so far just to use a bathroom! Likely not unusual at all! One more putdown among so many.
my immediate thought when kevin costner smashed the 'colored bathroom' sign was, 'oh great, now what bathroom can she use?' were we supposed to think that now that the sign is destroyed, she could use any bathroom on the entire post? an empty symbolic act, or did it play out another way?
Daria, the first thing I want to say is that there is no need to apologize for being snarky, as you put it. You, of course, are welcome to your opinion and I am not convinced you were being snarky:) And honestly if you sit back a moment and think about it, though what you wrote might in fact be accurate as to how one must proceed to change the passage of the past for the better of the future, it nonetheless, does not change the accuracy of my opinion: that racism in all forms continues to exist as long as we all feel the need to mention that our skins might have different colors and other attributes.
John, I've given your comment some thought. First let me say that you have a right to your opinion - but opinions cannot be accurate, only valid. Let's deal specifically with the Americas. For centuries, from the Artic Circle to Tierra del Fuego BIPOC persons have been compromised by white Europeans. We brought disease and slavery to the indigenous peoples. We took their land and their natural resources. We brought Africans out of Africa to work and be traded like animals. Do we ignore the fact that the work of Black civil rights, politicians, academics, artists, scientists and writers and deem them colorless when the fact that they ARE black (or BIPOC) drive their existence? If you are white your assertion that "colorblindness" is the panacea for all racial ills is very much part of the issue. Tell that to Douglass, Carver, MLK, Baldwin, Butler and any number of Blacks who have brought their life's blood and effort into the mainstream. If you are white, as am I, neither of us has the right to dictate colorblindness as the solution to BIPOC acceptance into the mainstream. You are suggesting that BIPOC wipe away their identities to assuage the white culture's guilt in diminishing them as leaving, breathing human beings. Their color is important. It's their identity.
Or maybe race (and other "convenient" categories) will continue to be used as an excuse for exploitation of some humans by other humans until all the colors and tones of skin, hair, eyes, etc. become simple human variations to enjoy and celebrate. Color is a gift that can illuminate. Blindness to it is quite impossible unless literally blind. Let's transform our social structures so that such exploitation becomes unthinkable and nearly impossible. These changes are part of the many ways in which we humans need to evolve. Having been on this planet a loooooong time, I do not expect to see these changes, but can plant seeds, visionary seeds, hopeful seeds, courageous seeds, seeds of cooperation and creativity. There are lots of us planetary gardeners out there. May we begin to prepare the soil for our transformation.
There's also the "Blade Runner" perspective, in which the wealthy space dwellers still need an exploited proletarian work force to do the same jobs they were stuck with on earth. "A new life awaits you in the off-world colonies, a chance to begin again in a golden land of opportunity and adventure."
This is exactly along the lines of what I was also thinking - the Rick get to live in (supposed) safety and luxury in space while the rest of us are left to struggle and survive here on a planet wracked by increasingly erratic natural events sparked by global warming that was created in large part by the same (type of) people who have now (presumably) escaped this increasingly inhospitable planet. And I am not a reader of dystopian literature.
I was thinking the opposite. Earth becomes to expensive. The lower and middle classes live and work in space. I’m reminded of the message in the movie “AD Astra”.
OR the movie I cant seem to forget: WALL-E. Where earth has become the landfill of humans & humans (unable to function physically) live on space stations. The caretaker of the garbage is a robot! Sounds like an animated verson of your movie, Rob.
When the composer wrote that song in the late 60s, he had no inklng that humans had the capability to cause destruction to the planet earth and society within 100 years. Maybe his lyrics were actually a sign of hope that the dystopian future was so much further away.
Thanks Lynell - forgot the words - love the music! Doubt very much this planet will make it to 2525, tho. And as far as space being a dumping ground? As Skip says Bezos is a jerk - apparently from all the evidence currently, being a jerk is even easier when you have lots of currency!!!
I have paid zero attention to the Bezos/Branson space race, mostly because, these days, my vision of space travel and space life is influenced by of the post apocalyptic/dystopian fare I've consumed throughout my life. Bezos's thanking the little people who work for him, buy from his Amazon, and read his newspaper reinforces my belief that the class and caste systems that plague us on earth will surely follow us into the heavens. That's no way to live.
"...It’s also a giant first step towards our vision to have millions of WEALTHY people living and working in space.” There, fixed it for ya.
This vision reminds me of one of my dystopian future movies, "Elysium" (2013) where the descendants of Amazon workers grovel in the squalor left of Earth, while the very wealthy live on a huge space station that they can only dream of.
I just finished An Unkindess of Ghosts, by Rivers Solomon, a study of structural racism on space ship launched generations in the past. It's an excellent piece of speculative fiction written by a very young, Black, writer. Well worth the read.
I get a kick out of how quickly the “hold” orders at my public library go up on any title mentioned in this forum. Thanks for the title to add to my list.
Danielle, now that is interesting!
Thanks, Daria. I'll be looking for this one -- to read and to pass on.
Another excellent work of fiction is the Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler. Ms. Butler wrote her book in 1993 about a dystopian near future that looks a lot like the times we're living through now. Climate change has dried the west, tribal loyalties have people murdering those who don't hold the same beliefs, and migrant populations are on the move while borders and cities are being protected by armed security forces. The local, state and federal governments are in total disarray while private international corporate interests are buying towns and putting people into economic slavery. A warning, it is intense and I have to sometimes just close the book, walk away and catch my breath. I wonder as I read the Parable of the Sower is this where we're headed?
I saw this comment an hour after you posted. When I checked the Albuquerque Public Library online, there were already 22 holds on this title. There may be some other impetus for the interest in a 1993 title, but I think there are quite a few of us in Albuquerque who are part of this forum.
I was reading the Guardian today and came across a reference to a 1972 study done at MIT. The study investigates "five
major trends of global concern-accelerating industrialization,
rapid population growth, widespread malnutrition, depletion
of nonrenewable resources, and a deteriorating environment." The study's conclusion regarding those topics seems to be accurate since mankind chose to continue on a nonsustainable path. You can download a PDF of the entire study in book form. It is worth a read
https://donellameadows.org/wp-content/userfiles/Limits-to-Growth-digital-scan-version.pdf
Until the world is blind to the color and tone of someone’s skin, then racism continues to exist.
Until women and women of color who write speculative fiction/science fiction are treated as equals to their male counterparts, color and sex must absolutely be mentioned. Study up on the discrimination in that genre and you will understand what I'm talking about. And, while we're at it, Rivers Solomon is non binary. So chew on that.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivers_Solomon
I'm sorry to be snarky about this but since part of the issue in today's world is about how, to some, one's color diminishes their value as a human being, it is absolutely necessary to recognize personal aspects of a writer/artist/creator/inventor. There is no Kumbaya until BIPOC, everywhere on this planet, are recognized equally...just look at the female astronaut finally given a trip to space or the WWII era code-breaking black women finally recognized for their stellar achievements. Color blind you say? Right now, as far as many are concerned, color blindness means the only color exalted is white.
One particular segment of the movie (code-breaking black women) that really got to me was how she had to walk or run so far just to use a bathroom! Likely not unusual at all! One more putdown among so many.
my immediate thought when kevin costner smashed the 'colored bathroom' sign was, 'oh great, now what bathroom can she use?' were we supposed to think that now that the sign is destroyed, she could use any bathroom on the entire post? an empty symbolic act, or did it play out another way?
Hidden Figures almost instantly became one of my all time favorite movies! Loved it.
Daria, the first thing I want to say is that there is no need to apologize for being snarky, as you put it. You, of course, are welcome to your opinion and I am not convinced you were being snarky:) And honestly if you sit back a moment and think about it, though what you wrote might in fact be accurate as to how one must proceed to change the passage of the past for the better of the future, it nonetheless, does not change the accuracy of my opinion: that racism in all forms continues to exist as long as we all feel the need to mention that our skins might have different colors and other attributes.
John, I've given your comment some thought. First let me say that you have a right to your opinion - but opinions cannot be accurate, only valid. Let's deal specifically with the Americas. For centuries, from the Artic Circle to Tierra del Fuego BIPOC persons have been compromised by white Europeans. We brought disease and slavery to the indigenous peoples. We took their land and their natural resources. We brought Africans out of Africa to work and be traded like animals. Do we ignore the fact that the work of Black civil rights, politicians, academics, artists, scientists and writers and deem them colorless when the fact that they ARE black (or BIPOC) drive their existence? If you are white your assertion that "colorblindness" is the panacea for all racial ills is very much part of the issue. Tell that to Douglass, Carver, MLK, Baldwin, Butler and any number of Blacks who have brought their life's blood and effort into the mainstream. If you are white, as am I, neither of us has the right to dictate colorblindness as the solution to BIPOC acceptance into the mainstream. You are suggesting that BIPOC wipe away their identities to assuage the white culture's guilt in diminishing them as leaving, breathing human beings. Their color is important. It's their identity.
Or maybe race (and other "convenient" categories) will continue to be used as an excuse for exploitation of some humans by other humans until all the colors and tones of skin, hair, eyes, etc. become simple human variations to enjoy and celebrate. Color is a gift that can illuminate. Blindness to it is quite impossible unless literally blind. Let's transform our social structures so that such exploitation becomes unthinkable and nearly impossible. These changes are part of the many ways in which we humans need to evolve. Having been on this planet a loooooong time, I do not expect to see these changes, but can plant seeds, visionary seeds, hopeful seeds, courageous seeds, seeds of cooperation and creativity. There are lots of us planetary gardeners out there. May we begin to prepare the soil for our transformation.
There's also the "Blade Runner" perspective, in which the wealthy space dwellers still need an exploited proletarian work force to do the same jobs they were stuck with on earth. "A new life awaits you in the off-world colonies, a chance to begin again in a golden land of opportunity and adventure."
This is exactly along the lines of what I was also thinking - the Rick get to live in (supposed) safety and luxury in space while the rest of us are left to struggle and survive here on a planet wracked by increasingly erratic natural events sparked by global warming that was created in large part by the same (type of) people who have now (presumably) escaped this increasingly inhospitable planet. And I am not a reader of dystopian literature.
That would be rich, not “Rick”! Omg. My kingdom for an edit button!
For brief (VERY) moment, wondered what a rick was!! Mind is a bit slow some days - not enough coffee?
I was thinking the opposite. Earth becomes to expensive. The lower and middle classes live and work in space. I’m reminded of the message in the movie “AD Astra”.
I see those jobs, though, as mostly in service to uber-wealthy "star dwellers."
Exactly
OR the movie I cant seem to forget: WALL-E. Where earth has become the landfill of humans & humans (unable to function physically) live on space stations. The caretaker of the garbage is a robot! Sounds like an animated verson of your movie, Rob.
"Idiocracy" 2006 gets my vote.
Good one, Bob. Thanks for fixin’ it.
Morning, Daria!! Not to worry! According to Bezos, we've found a new dumping ground...space! Or did we?
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=in+the+year+2525+song+lyrics&view=detail&mid=1A7B65066A43F1219E9F1A7B65066A43F1219E9F&FORM=VIRE0&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3din%2bthe%2byear%2b2525%2bsong%2blyrics%26FORM%3dSBRS02%26sid%3d25E869BB6BD1677B304E79CE6A2C66F5%26format%3dsnrjson%26jsoncbid%3d0
Bezos is a jerk
Actually, I'm thinking his 'spaceship' design maybe something more Freudian.
Just like the Amazon "logo".
Ain't that the truth!
To put it mildly!
When the composer wrote that song in the late 60s, he had no inklng that humans had the capability to cause destruction to the planet earth and society within 100 years. Maybe his lyrics were actually a sign of hope that the dystopian future was so much further away.
Thanks Lynell - forgot the words - love the music! Doubt very much this planet will make it to 2525, tho. And as far as space being a dumping ground? As Skip says Bezos is a jerk - apparently from all the evidence currently, being a jerk is even easier when you have lots of currency!!!
Well, good morning to you Lynell! Thanks for the blast from the past!
Ugh, Bezos thanking not Bezos's 😑
I cannot agree with you more.
Somehow, when I heard Jeff make that statement, I thought I heard sarcasm and disdain.
That's difficult to feel the same.