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Better or worse than a society where your income is determined by where you fall on the "artificial selection" hierarchy? Think GATTACA but the author is pro discrimination. More of Sci-fi Wifi thread.
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Sep 25, 2022 17:02
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| # ¿ May 16, 2024 11:17 |
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Personally I always viewed Starship Troopers as sort of an informal "devil's advocate" trilogy along with Beyond this Horizon and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Looking at the publishing dates on wikipedia I was way off on this, but it is an interesting way to be wrong. Beyond this Horizon is a 1948 book depicting a post WWIII society built around "artificially selected" people and the code duello. You know how Gattaca is about how the ability of rich people to ensure their kids are better on a genetic level is bad? This has the opposite perspective. Wikipedia attributes the quote, "an armed society is a polite society," to this book. And the context that dueling is good for eliminating the weak and foolish. After the main plot is over a stunning discovery is made, proof of reincarnation. Starship Troopers is a 1959 book depicting a society where "service guarantees citizenship" through the eyes of somebody who has decided to serve in the mobile infantry. Strapping on power armor and crawling around bug tunnels is what the main character is all about. Mention is made of how the war is really decided by the Nova Bomb. A new discovery that can destroy planets, casting doubt on what the non-warcrime future of mobile infantry is. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is a 1966 book depicting a lunar society that hasn't moved past its history as a penal colony. Day to day life is very libertarian, in all the senses that means online. The code duello is on its way out. The main plot is about overthrowing the governor/warden with the assistance of the colony's sentient computer. This computer is central to the revolution, and to the resulting government. After the main plot is over the computer loses their sentience, casting doubt on the future of the lunar nation.
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Feb 11, 2023 23:27
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