Posted by Willem on March 13, 1998 at 11:36:37:
In Reply to: Re: To Live Forever -- Cloning and the Hero posted by Rodger Whitlock on March 12, 1998 at 16:12:25:
: : Other early idea's from Vance that are coming true nowadays?
: I've read with interest other replies to this message, but I think no one's observed one of the sermons embedded in _To_Live_Forever_. Namely this: while it's all very well to talk about people earning extraordinary privileges through their own efforts, these privileges should not -- indeed cannot -- be at the expense of someone else's fundamental needs. TLF makes this explicit when the cloned Amaranths are released and the little black wagons start rounding up citizens galore for expungement in order to free up the necessary economic resources.
: IOW, the greedy need to put limits on their greed. If they don't they will lose what they have through revolution.
RODGER,
That a possible assesment, but I donot agree based on what laid out as rules: only those taking part in the system could be picked up. Anybody not taking part called the glark (well in th Dutch translation don't know english original) would live out his or her natural lifespan.
The conclusion that someone has to suffer for the wealth of another being is not a universal thruth, although the suffering happens to be the case in many societies. Something worthwile to remember when we buy toys from China or sporting shoes from Indonesia or even tapistry from a planet far away. (I am not saying we should not buy these, but I mean that giving consideration on how things are produced is needed to make choices) getting of subject a bit, but as Vance gives a lot room for justice is his books you could argue it belongs here as well.
what your view Rodger?
Willem