Latest from Dan Simmons
short story last april and now writes even more indepth explanation
and background in another article that I must have missed a few months
ago, but it got linked from Cold fury today, where their mellow is definitely
harshed today
There's too much information in Mr. simmons' article to try and excerpt
much, but one quote does seem to point out what is happening in the world
today:
Forgetfulness overcomes every successful civilization," writes Lee Harris. That forgetfulness is this: in each era, just when trade and peace and reason and moderation seem most likely to prevail, the opportunity for the zealots to succeed through ruthlessness is at its greatest.
"The result is an unsettling paradox: the more the spirit of commerce triumphs, the closer mankind comes to dispensing with war, the nearer we approach the end of history, the greater are the rewards to those who decide to return to the path of war, and the easier it will be for them to conquer. There is nothing that can be done to change this fact; it is built into the structure of our world."
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