You should read "for us, the living" by Robert A. Heinlein. I just finished it, it's good. Not that good of a story, but very interesting social commentary.
(in fact, you should read everything by Heinlein, but "For us, the living" has a big section on genetics and love, and also on religion and influence on society, and I think you would find it stimulating)
I want to read that! I read so much Heinlein when I was a teenager, it'll be nice to pick it up again. I tend to strongly favor books that were written in the past few years, but I suppose social commentary doesn't have quite as much of a tendency to obsolescence as the other aspects of science fiction.
styles of arcs?matt_arnoldAugust 20 2004, 13:54:53 UTC
This is one of those moments that I pass over a statement in total agreement, not needing to comment; and then something catches my attention. Why the word "style" and the word "arc"? Can you identify non-biological styles? And is an arc kind of like a paradigm? A choice of words can drop the hint that there's a whole new point of view behind the vocabulary, like when you came up with "schema bendae."
Re: styles of arcs?treebonesAugust 21 2004, 13:37:29 UTC
Hrm. Let me start with the noun.
I chose arc, because arc incorporates a sense of both motion and direction into the concept of a trend, and also, obliquely, implies that outside forces have an impact on that motion and direction. All of these flavor the way I perceive and think about social dynamics.
Biological-style was chosen because your topic is based on what I suspect are very closely biologically-driven social tendencies. Debatably, enough steps back, there's going to be a biological-style arc underpinning almost anything. But some of them are enough steps removed, in my perception, to have other types of patterning which is more clear on the surface. Social commentary based on politics or technological implications, for example.
I'm lightly fuzzy-headed today, so if that isn't clear, feel free to ask more questions.
Oh, is there going to be a MOFO this Monday? I'd like to talk to folks about the swordfighting space for PenguiCon, and I'm going to be out of town for the con comm meeting.
Re: styles of arcs?matt_arnoldAugust 22 2004, 08:48:50 UTC
That actually does make sense when I think about it.
For a moment yesterday I wondered if I was acting like that crowd in Life of Brian who keep reading deep meaning into everything Brian says. "The shoe is a sign, that we shall do likewise!" "Taking off the shoe is a sign that we shall think not on the things of the body, but of the face, and head!" "Fuck off!" "How shall we fuck off, O Lord?"
There will be MOFO every week. Next week the answer shall be yes also. "No" shall the answer NOT be, neither shalt the answer be "maybe." Moreover, "yes" shall be the answer the week after that, yea verily, unto the end of the age.
Re: styles of arcs?treebonesAugust 22 2004, 09:07:24 UTC
Heh. For what it is worth, much of the time, I am striving to be very, very precise with my word choices. If I go off the beaten path in terms of expressions, there is probably a reason. So feel free to check in with me any time my words are intriguingly odd.
Sometimes I'm just taking my vocab out for a job, but that's the exception.
As for MOFO, thank you for your guidance in the Way of Enlightenment, O wise one. (:
"For us, the living" - Robert A. HeinleinthatguychuckAugust 21 2004, 06:43:06 UTC
Anne,
May I borrow this book? It sounds interesting and I'd like to read it someday. If you're in town today I'm in Ann Arbor and will be getting off work around 3:00. (Or taking a lunch break sometime before then.)
Hopefully see you soon, even if no book is involved!
Tom Purdom is probably the one author who seems to best understand. His stories Romance in Lunar G, Romance in Extended Time and Romance with Phobic Variations Fossil Games describe the future of relationships in a way that was relentlessly realistic about the origin of emotions, and simultaneously embracing and affirming of them.
Re: These sound very good.matt_arnoldAugust 22 2004, 08:56:35 UTC
I only have two Romance stories in electronic formats. These are about a future version of Giacamo Casanova, who I used to assume was just an unthinking cad. But after I read Purdom's writing about him I decided I need to read the memoirs of Casanova because he comes across as a philosopher of greatly overlooked signifigance.
As for Fossil Games, it goes on themes of devotion to ideology mostly, but it touches on the inability to think objectively about love interests. One ideologist is like me, and the other is like a lot of folks I know, but neither of them are "the right side" if there is any such thing in Purdom's view. I should loan you the anthology it's in which I just bought three days ago. I'll bring it to the MOFO gathering tomorrow.
Re: These sound very good.matt_arnoldAugust 22 2004, 09:54:30 UTC
This week MOFO is back at Denny's on Telegraph in Southfield, south of 12 Mile Road and north of 696. Exit 696 at the exit marked Northwestern Highway / Telegraph. Then take the northbound Telegraph exit off of that.
(in fact, you should read everything by Heinlein, but "For us, the living" has a big section on genetics and love, and also on religion and influence on society, and I think you would find it stimulating)
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Or, maybe I'm reading too much between the lines.
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I chose arc, because arc incorporates a sense of both motion and direction into the concept of a trend, and also, obliquely, implies that outside forces have an impact on that motion and direction. All of these flavor the way I perceive and think about social dynamics.
Biological-style was chosen because your topic is based on what I suspect are very closely biologically-driven social tendencies. Debatably, enough steps back, there's going to be a biological-style arc underpinning almost anything. But some of them are enough steps removed, in my perception, to have other types of patterning which is more clear on the surface. Social commentary based on politics or technological implications, for example.
I'm lightly fuzzy-headed today, so if that isn't clear, feel free to ask more questions.
Oh, is there going to be a MOFO this Monday? I'd like to talk to folks about the swordfighting space for PenguiCon, and I'm going to be out of town for the con comm meeting.
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For a moment yesterday I wondered if I was acting like that crowd in Life of Brian who keep reading deep meaning into everything Brian says. "The shoe is a sign, that we shall do likewise!" "Taking off the shoe is a sign that we shall think not on the things of the body, but of the face, and head!" "Fuck off!" "How shall we fuck off, O Lord?"
There will be MOFO every week. Next week the answer shall be yes also. "No" shall the answer NOT be, neither shalt the answer be "maybe." Moreover, "yes" shall be the answer the week after that, yea verily, unto the end of the age.
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Sometimes I'm just taking my vocab out for a job, but that's the exception.
As for MOFO, thank you for your guidance in the Way of Enlightenment, O wise one. (:
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May I borrow this book? It sounds interesting and I'd like to read it someday. If you're in town today I'm in Ann Arbor and will be getting off work around 3:00. (Or taking a lunch break sometime before then.)
Hopefully see you soon, even if no book is involved!
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As for Fossil Games, it goes on themes of devotion to ideology mostly, but it touches on the inability to think objectively about love interests. One ideologist is like me, and the other is like a lot of folks I know, but neither of them are "the right side" if there is any such thing in Purdom's view. I should loan you the anthology it's in which I just bought three days ago. I'll bring it to the MOFO gathering tomorrow.
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Um. I remember it's in Southfield. Where?
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