Monday, June 26, 2017
Foreigner
I've been working my way through a science fiction series where, prior to recently, I've only read occasional books, which led me to say so, when did THAT happen? and what are these people talking about? I finally figured okay, make the effort, read the whole damn thing.
In reading the series -- I'm up to about 12 or 13, and I think there are about 20, overall, -- I find that the author, after the first eight or so, has some rules of thumb -
- when nothings going on, find a clan with a bone to pick with the most powerful leader, and start some kind of clash
- if REALLY nothings going on, muse about the origins of the conflict. Feel free to back two hundred years.
- every third book or so, rehash the last two, and then give a bit of a preview of the next book. Throw a little extra material in the middle to pad it.
Really, this is getting a little old.
In reading the series -- I'm up to about 12 or 13, and I think there are about 20, overall, -- I find that the author, after the first eight or so, has some rules of thumb -
- when nothings going on, find a clan with a bone to pick with the most powerful leader, and start some kind of clash
- if REALLY nothings going on, muse about the origins of the conflict. Feel free to back two hundred years.
- every third book or so, rehash the last two, and then give a bit of a preview of the next book. Throw a little extra material in the middle to pad it.
Really, this is getting a little old.
Friday, June 02, 2017
Flaming
I spend a fair amount of tme texting with a guy who is an avowed conservative. Doesn't see anything wrong with Trump, thinks people should just 'back off and let him do his thing'. This person used to describe himself as a Tea Party person; he doesn't, any more, but the basics are all still there. NATO? What's it good for, anyway? Pissing off other countries? About time. Removing the right to abortion? You don't like it, move to a state where it's legal. Not earning enough to make such a move possible? Your problem, not society's.
I talk to him in the hopes that I can understand a little of what motivates such a person, and in an attempt to find common points of agreement. Well...
I read a flame by a liberal person on Facebook of a conservative (who, actually, may not have deserved it, based on subsequent comments) regarding the reality of climate change. Seeing these two people, Iwonder if it might not -- probably is not -- possible for people of diametrically opposed viewpoints to come to an agreement on key issues. At least not without really, really good negotiating skills, or alcohol, or both. Even then, the points of agreement are lilkely to be superficial. In my case, he's still going to be strongly 'pull yourself up, don't ask for society's help'. And I'm not. How can we possibly comunicate? I believe it's possible, but I think it takes skills far in excess of what I have.
That's a sobering concept, and a saddening one.
I talk to him in the hopes that I can understand a little of what motivates such a person, and in an attempt to find common points of agreement. Well...
I read a flame by a liberal person on Facebook of a conservative (who, actually, may not have deserved it, based on subsequent comments) regarding the reality of climate change. Seeing these two people, Iwonder if it might not -- probably is not -- possible for people of diametrically opposed viewpoints to come to an agreement on key issues. At least not without really, really good negotiating skills, or alcohol, or both. Even then, the points of agreement are lilkely to be superficial. In my case, he's still going to be strongly 'pull yourself up, don't ask for society's help'. And I'm not. How can we possibly comunicate? I believe it's possible, but I think it takes skills far in excess of what I have.
That's a sobering concept, and a saddening one.
Thursday, June 01, 2017
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)