I hate to say it, but I'm just not going to be able to write the story review I promised you *tonight*. After receiving a pretty bad bit of news, I just don't have the heart or the energy. I only post this because I have been bad about blog posts as it is, and I feel I owe you an explanation.
But fear not! I am determined to get this post written, so even if it doesn't get done tonight, it will be sometime this weekend.
I'm doing laundry tomorrow, so I'll have plenty of time....
Until then,
L
Friday, February 25, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Other Side
I wanted to take a moment to talk about something that I feel is very important and also, sadly, severely lacking in society today. It's something that I as a writer have drawn upon heavily to create the scenes and sentences that impact people the most; it is something that is required to fully understand and appreciate the world around us, the people in our lives -- it can be applied to anything if you think about it enough. I wish people would more often.
That thing is awe.
Awe is a lot like beauty. It can't really be defined because not everyone experiences it the same way or as a result of the same influences. So instead of discussing the what's and why's of awe, here is a simple exercise.
Music is something that I, personally, barely understand. If you asked me to write a song, I could spend ten years and never accomplish anything hardly unique. Music is a language that all of humanity speaks, but just as in the written word, not everyone is cut out to be a writer. I've listened to a lot of music in my life, and the vast majority of it has been without lyrics. I grew up listening almost exclusively to movie scores, mostly because they were the best ways to get me to really dig deep and harvest the proper emotions I needed to write a specific scene.
A few years ago I watched the movie Gattaca, which focuses on the theory of Genetic Discrimination. It's a beautiful movie, and I fervently suggest you watch it. But I can also say that I enjoy the sound track to this movie better than the actual film itself.
There is one song, in particular, that I want you to listen to: The Other Side.
Now here's the important part: do not listen to this song just by itself. If you do that, you may simply enjoy it, or at the worst find it repetitive. Take this song and place yourself in close proximity with something bigger than yourself. Stand at the base of a sky scraper and stare up the side. Watch a storm rolling in through your neighborhood. Think about your own heart, your own mind, and then connect yourself to the idea that there are more than six billion other people in the world with their own individual mental space, thinking different thoughts, observing and breathing and being something completely unique and different from yourself. Find a dark spot and gaze at the stars and just imagine how small you really are, and how the light you are looking at, a tiny pinprick in an infinitely vast blackness, is actually centuries old, the result of a chemical reaction that may have taken place before society started. You have to actually go do it, because reading these insignificant descriptions will not likely inspire you with true awe.
Awe is so very important, to writers, to engineers, to scientists, to artists, to politicians, to all of humanity, and it is something I think that we take for granted...but perhaps that is because it is such a private thing. What moves one soul may not move another. And that, in itself, is awesome.
That thing is awe.
Awe is a lot like beauty. It can't really be defined because not everyone experiences it the same way or as a result of the same influences. So instead of discussing the what's and why's of awe, here is a simple exercise.
Music is something that I, personally, barely understand. If you asked me to write a song, I could spend ten years and never accomplish anything hardly unique. Music is a language that all of humanity speaks, but just as in the written word, not everyone is cut out to be a writer. I've listened to a lot of music in my life, and the vast majority of it has been without lyrics. I grew up listening almost exclusively to movie scores, mostly because they were the best ways to get me to really dig deep and harvest the proper emotions I needed to write a specific scene.
A few years ago I watched the movie Gattaca, which focuses on the theory of Genetic Discrimination. It's a beautiful movie, and I fervently suggest you watch it. But I can also say that I enjoy the sound track to this movie better than the actual film itself.
There is one song, in particular, that I want you to listen to: The Other Side.
Now here's the important part: do not listen to this song just by itself. If you do that, you may simply enjoy it, or at the worst find it repetitive. Take this song and place yourself in close proximity with something bigger than yourself. Stand at the base of a sky scraper and stare up the side. Watch a storm rolling in through your neighborhood. Think about your own heart, your own mind, and then connect yourself to the idea that there are more than six billion other people in the world with their own individual mental space, thinking different thoughts, observing and breathing and being something completely unique and different from yourself. Find a dark spot and gaze at the stars and just imagine how small you really are, and how the light you are looking at, a tiny pinprick in an infinitely vast blackness, is actually centuries old, the result of a chemical reaction that may have taken place before society started. You have to actually go do it, because reading these insignificant descriptions will not likely inspire you with true awe.
Awe is so very important, to writers, to engineers, to scientists, to artists, to politicians, to all of humanity, and it is something I think that we take for granted...but perhaps that is because it is such a private thing. What moves one soul may not move another. And that, in itself, is awesome.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Learn from the Future that has Passed
First of all, apologies that it's been so long. Life got a little crazy. But this post will be followed by another story review on Friday, so here's hoping we can stave off the real world for a bit longer.
You may be wondering what one earth I mean by the title. Well, it all centers around this.
It may seem to be a really neat mechanism, at first glance: a body suit that enhances your muscle power by reading the signals that come through your skin. But there are just a few key names here that one must not miss.
First of all, notice the name of the body suit: "HAL." If that's not screaming alarms at you, then you should review your classics. In 2001: A Space Odyssey, there is a super-intelligent computer program named HAL that controls almost every aspect of the space station that three men are working and living on. At one point, HAL encounters a glitch, which for his advanced type of computer, was supposed to be impossible. HAL does not respond well to this at all. He might have let it pass untold of had not the men of the ship discovered it. With the threat of his status being destroyed by the glitch and the impending doom of shut-down for maintenance, HAL goes crazy and begins killing the men off. He succeeds with two, and is eventually turned off by the third, desperate astronaut (Dave), spouting nonsense and just generally creepy 'HAL-isms' till the very end. In fact the most famous part about 2001: A Space Odyssey (other than the screaming black column) is HAL's calm, disconcerting way of speaking.
"Open the pod bay door, HAL."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave...."
SPOOKY.
Item number two of general concern. This Japanese company could have left their unfortunate naming system at HAL (which now that I think of it, can you imagine if the HAL in the movie could control your body with this suit?) but instead the biggest, most scary thing of all is the actual name of the company itself!
Cyberdyne.
If it sounds familiar, let it sink in a bit. Uhuh. That's it. OH YEAH. How does this charming face help?
Cyberdyne Systems Corporation is the fictional company in the Terminator movie series that was responsible for creating Skynet, the super program that became sentient and nearly wiped out all human life, saving the remnants as slaves until John Conner came along and destroyed them.
Now tell me that this company isn't picking these names on purpose. Perhaps they know full well what the robots represented are, and what they did in the fictional future. Perhaps they think it's funny. Well, to be honest, it is a little...but really, it's also kind of creepy. Japan is putting out some amazing technology -- they even have their own android receptionists now (one of the most noted is named Saya, and she works for...just guess...Cyberdyne).
So perhaps it's all in good fun. But if this company names their next robot invention Cutie, I'm building a bomb shelter.
They say you have to remember the past so as not to repeat it. But what if we forget the future? Well, we're doomed then, too.
Learn from the mistakes we haven't made yet!
Well, that's all from me. Don't forget to feed the Grumbies, and you'll be hearing from me at the end of the week!
L
P.S. Please note that this article is all in good fun, and not at all attempting to portray a negative light upon the Cyberdyne company in Japan.
You may be wondering what one earth I mean by the title. Well, it all centers around this.
It may seem to be a really neat mechanism, at first glance: a body suit that enhances your muscle power by reading the signals that come through your skin. But there are just a few key names here that one must not miss.
First of all, notice the name of the body suit: "HAL." If that's not screaming alarms at you, then you should review your classics. In 2001: A Space Odyssey, there is a super-intelligent computer program named HAL that controls almost every aspect of the space station that three men are working and living on. At one point, HAL encounters a glitch, which for his advanced type of computer, was supposed to be impossible. HAL does not respond well to this at all. He might have let it pass untold of had not the men of the ship discovered it. With the threat of his status being destroyed by the glitch and the impending doom of shut-down for maintenance, HAL goes crazy and begins killing the men off. He succeeds with two, and is eventually turned off by the third, desperate astronaut (Dave), spouting nonsense and just generally creepy 'HAL-isms' till the very end. In fact the most famous part about 2001: A Space Odyssey (other than the screaming black column) is HAL's calm, disconcerting way of speaking.
"Open the pod bay door, HAL."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave...."
SPOOKY.
Item number two of general concern. This Japanese company could have left their unfortunate naming system at HAL (which now that I think of it, can you imagine if the HAL in the movie could control your body with this suit?) but instead the biggest, most scary thing of all is the actual name of the company itself!
Cyberdyne.
If it sounds familiar, let it sink in a bit. Uhuh. That's it. OH YEAH. How does this charming face help?
Cyberdyne Systems Corporation is the fictional company in the Terminator movie series that was responsible for creating Skynet, the super program that became sentient and nearly wiped out all human life, saving the remnants as slaves until John Conner came along and destroyed them.
Now tell me that this company isn't picking these names on purpose. Perhaps they know full well what the robots represented are, and what they did in the fictional future. Perhaps they think it's funny. Well, to be honest, it is a little...but really, it's also kind of creepy. Japan is putting out some amazing technology -- they even have their own android receptionists now (one of the most noted is named Saya, and she works for...just guess...Cyberdyne).
So perhaps it's all in good fun. But if this company names their next robot invention Cutie, I'm building a bomb shelter.
They say you have to remember the past so as not to repeat it. But what if we forget the future? Well, we're doomed then, too.
Learn from the mistakes we haven't made yet!
Well, that's all from me. Don't forget to feed the Grumbies, and you'll be hearing from me at the end of the week!
L
P.S. Please note that this article is all in good fun, and not at all attempting to portray a negative light upon the Cyberdyne company in Japan.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
"The Piper's Son"
It's cold outside. Very cold. The kind that makes you all stiff and slow -- so bear with me if my words follow suit.
Today we're finally getting into the real stuff. I'll be starting in the Oxford anthology (everyone turn your books to page 127...) with a story called "The Piper's Son" by Lewis Padgett.
I really don't know quite how I'm going to be formatting these discussions -- with time I'm sure I'll get better at it, but to being with I may be relying a little much on discussion of plot and character. So if you're averse to spoilers, I'm letting you know now!
This story was written in 1945 as a collaboration between Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore, husband and wife who created the pseudonym by combining the maiden names of their mothers. The list of their works, combined efforts and individually written pieces, is impressively long. Their first story was published in 1934 (can you imagine?), and they continued writing into the early '80s. Science fiction is impressive on its own, but when you consider that much of the truly amazing works were written almost eighty years ago, it seems almost crazy. And perhaps that's how the ideas of many science fiction writers have appeared over the years!
"The Piper's Son" is a story about psychics, or as they are called within the realm of the crafted society, 'Baldies.' They are called this for the obvious physical reason that they have no hair at all -- this is part of the mutation that makes them psychic. The story as to how Baldies came into being is only hinted at, but masterfully so, describing an event called 'the Blowup' which was some sort of radioactive catastrophe. Those who weren't killed in the disaster or changed into monsters, and those who lived in and around the area after it, eventually produced a mutated group of human beings with the abilities to read others' minds.
But "The Piper's Son" is less about the reason why the Baldies came into existence and more about how they cope in a society prone to distrust them. The world is a dangerous place for super-humans -- that much is made clear. But, to the credit of the rest of humanity, it is also implied that the fear of Baldies is the cause of encounters with individuals who attempt to take their powers to an extreme, such as the domination of the 'normal' beings.
We follow the character Ed Burkhalter, a Baldie living his life peacefully in Modoc Publishing Town. Most of the story resides in his mind as he considers the life he has and his role as a freak. His own wisdom and frank speech is very interesting -- a different angle than the frequently used tragic monster story. He knows his powers, and he knows how to use them properly in the context of an uneasy society. Ed describes it this way: "A man with abnormal muscle development wouldn't go around knocking people down. Not unless he wanted to be mobbed. Baldies were always sneakingly conscious of a hidden peril, lynch law. And wise Baldies didn't even imply that they had an...extra sense." It is also made very clear through the course of the story that even humans without the extra sense can tell when their minds are being listened in on. Hence the danger of attack, for if they didn't know when they were being spied on, then the Baldies would have the undeniable advantage.
The society itself is also very interesting -- an odd mix that is hard to place and makes me wonder about the events that led to its creation. Throughout the story there are references to hidden fears and terrible events (the 'dusting off' of whole cities). The setting is America, but when? They have impressive technology, and yet continue to carry daggers at their belts and issue challenges for duels. Throughout the story are references to something called a 'Green Man' which even now I'm not entirely sure what it is. There are hints, and this is where we come to the problem of the story.
And it is a most sinister one at that. Ed has a son, Al, who at the tender age of eight years old is struggling through a period where he will be determined as either a healthy Baldie, or a paranoidal one (Baldies that don't wear wigs, invade minds without permission, and deep down believe in the superiority of their race). The boy spends most of his time in the story living in a shared fantasy with the other Baldie children of the community, in which they follow the adventures of what is referred to as a 'Green Man.' Though there are fantastic elements in the imagination story, such as gnomes, the Green Man in this version does not appear to be related to the fae creature, a man of the wood represented mostly in architecture around England. Despite the obvious fantasy feel to the dream, the 'bad guys' still wield death rays and other such objects that relate the times.
But what does this fantasy tale really mean? When I first read the story, I didn't understand until the very end; but now that I know the story and characters, reading back I can see obviously what is being said:
"...the Green Man, a figure of marvellous muscular development, handsome as a god, and hairless from head to foot, glistening pale green...And the hairy gnomes watched malignantly, jealously, from their crannies in the glass crags."
Ahah! The Green Man is the representation of a Baldie, a hero, and his enemies the disgusting and contemptible gnomes are humanity as they lie weak in comparison. This is obviously not a normal, childish daydream. In fact, the adults are already suspicious and concerned, for their children show signs of a most alarming sort: not getting along with their peers in school, isolation, unfavorable thoughts of their own parents, taking off their wigs...etc. It turns out, eventually, that the Green Man story is a conditioning procedure, thrown out towards the vulnerable minds by one of the paranoidal, angry Baldies of the community. And he is dealt with.
Survival is important to all creatures, and it will push us to become things we do not recognize in ourselves. Ed Burkhalter, a man who has never dueled in his life, who wishes to have nothing to do with it for the risk it causes to himself, turns into a colder, more frightening thing in the protection of his family:
"Burkhalter took out his dagger. Other slivers of steel glittered for a little while--
And were quenched."
There is no doubt that, though Ed has a good attitude about his lot in life, there is a little sadness, a small amount of bitterness that comes from being different. No one likes to be different -- the ideal of being unique is a false one, a trick to get people to fit in. Ever heard the phrase "You're unique, just like everyone else?" Well, to an extent it is true. Even in our differences, we can be the same. And there is a terrible need to belong somewhere. Which leads me to my favorite quote in the whole book.
"I wish to God I wasn't different. We didn't ask to be telepaths. Maybe its all very wonderful in the long run, but I'm one person, and I've got my own microcosm. People who deal in long-term sociology are apt to forget that. They can figure out the answers, but it's every individual man -- or Baldy -- who's got to fight his own personal battle while he's alive. And it isn't as clearcut as a battle. It's worse: it's the necessity of watching yourself every second, of fitting yourself into a world that doesn't want you."
Beautiful -- here's a little hint of that tragic monster thread. But it had to come up some time, I suppose. However, this could, in a way, apply to other categories of people. In a way, it's a human condition as well.
Overall, "The Piper's Son" is a fascinating read, very pleasant and easy to get through. You'll like it!
*Whew!* Well, that's all I've got for now. I'm thinking that I'll be starting out with a story review at least once a week, most likely on Fridays. Hopefully between those I can come on here and just share a few thoughts or something I found interesting in the course of the week. We'll just have to see!
So long, and don't forget the Grumbies!
L
Today we're finally getting into the real stuff. I'll be starting in the Oxford anthology (everyone turn your books to page 127...) with a story called "The Piper's Son" by Lewis Padgett.
I really don't know quite how I'm going to be formatting these discussions -- with time I'm sure I'll get better at it, but to being with I may be relying a little much on discussion of plot and character. So if you're averse to spoilers, I'm letting you know now!
This story was written in 1945 as a collaboration between Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore, husband and wife who created the pseudonym by combining the maiden names of their mothers. The list of their works, combined efforts and individually written pieces, is impressively long. Their first story was published in 1934 (can you imagine?), and they continued writing into the early '80s. Science fiction is impressive on its own, but when you consider that much of the truly amazing works were written almost eighty years ago, it seems almost crazy. And perhaps that's how the ideas of many science fiction writers have appeared over the years!
"The Piper's Son" is a story about psychics, or as they are called within the realm of the crafted society, 'Baldies.' They are called this for the obvious physical reason that they have no hair at all -- this is part of the mutation that makes them psychic. The story as to how Baldies came into being is only hinted at, but masterfully so, describing an event called 'the Blowup' which was some sort of radioactive catastrophe. Those who weren't killed in the disaster or changed into monsters, and those who lived in and around the area after it, eventually produced a mutated group of human beings with the abilities to read others' minds.
But "The Piper's Son" is less about the reason why the Baldies came into existence and more about how they cope in a society prone to distrust them. The world is a dangerous place for super-humans -- that much is made clear. But, to the credit of the rest of humanity, it is also implied that the fear of Baldies is the cause of encounters with individuals who attempt to take their powers to an extreme, such as the domination of the 'normal' beings.
We follow the character Ed Burkhalter, a Baldie living his life peacefully in Modoc Publishing Town. Most of the story resides in his mind as he considers the life he has and his role as a freak. His own wisdom and frank speech is very interesting -- a different angle than the frequently used tragic monster story. He knows his powers, and he knows how to use them properly in the context of an uneasy society. Ed describes it this way: "A man with abnormal muscle development wouldn't go around knocking people down. Not unless he wanted to be mobbed. Baldies were always sneakingly conscious of a hidden peril, lynch law. And wise Baldies didn't even imply that they had an...extra sense." It is also made very clear through the course of the story that even humans without the extra sense can tell when their minds are being listened in on. Hence the danger of attack, for if they didn't know when they were being spied on, then the Baldies would have the undeniable advantage.
The society itself is also very interesting -- an odd mix that is hard to place and makes me wonder about the events that led to its creation. Throughout the story there are references to hidden fears and terrible events (the 'dusting off' of whole cities). The setting is America, but when? They have impressive technology, and yet continue to carry daggers at their belts and issue challenges for duels. Throughout the story are references to something called a 'Green Man' which even now I'm not entirely sure what it is. There are hints, and this is where we come to the problem of the story.
And it is a most sinister one at that. Ed has a son, Al, who at the tender age of eight years old is struggling through a period where he will be determined as either a healthy Baldie, or a paranoidal one (Baldies that don't wear wigs, invade minds without permission, and deep down believe in the superiority of their race). The boy spends most of his time in the story living in a shared fantasy with the other Baldie children of the community, in which they follow the adventures of what is referred to as a 'Green Man.' Though there are fantastic elements in the imagination story, such as gnomes, the Green Man in this version does not appear to be related to the fae creature, a man of the wood represented mostly in architecture around England. Despite the obvious fantasy feel to the dream, the 'bad guys' still wield death rays and other such objects that relate the times.
But what does this fantasy tale really mean? When I first read the story, I didn't understand until the very end; but now that I know the story and characters, reading back I can see obviously what is being said:
"...the Green Man, a figure of marvellous muscular development, handsome as a god, and hairless from head to foot, glistening pale green...And the hairy gnomes watched malignantly, jealously, from their crannies in the glass crags."
Ahah! The Green Man is the representation of a Baldie, a hero, and his enemies the disgusting and contemptible gnomes are humanity as they lie weak in comparison. This is obviously not a normal, childish daydream. In fact, the adults are already suspicious and concerned, for their children show signs of a most alarming sort: not getting along with their peers in school, isolation, unfavorable thoughts of their own parents, taking off their wigs...etc. It turns out, eventually, that the Green Man story is a conditioning procedure, thrown out towards the vulnerable minds by one of the paranoidal, angry Baldies of the community. And he is dealt with.
Survival is important to all creatures, and it will push us to become things we do not recognize in ourselves. Ed Burkhalter, a man who has never dueled in his life, who wishes to have nothing to do with it for the risk it causes to himself, turns into a colder, more frightening thing in the protection of his family:
"Burkhalter took out his dagger. Other slivers of steel glittered for a little while--
And were quenched."
There is no doubt that, though Ed has a good attitude about his lot in life, there is a little sadness, a small amount of bitterness that comes from being different. No one likes to be different -- the ideal of being unique is a false one, a trick to get people to fit in. Ever heard the phrase "You're unique, just like everyone else?" Well, to an extent it is true. Even in our differences, we can be the same. And there is a terrible need to belong somewhere. Which leads me to my favorite quote in the whole book.
"I wish to God I wasn't different. We didn't ask to be telepaths. Maybe its all very wonderful in the long run, but I'm one person, and I've got my own microcosm. People who deal in long-term sociology are apt to forget that. They can figure out the answers, but it's every individual man -- or Baldy -- who's got to fight his own personal battle while he's alive. And it isn't as clearcut as a battle. It's worse: it's the necessity of watching yourself every second, of fitting yourself into a world that doesn't want you."
Beautiful -- here's a little hint of that tragic monster thread. But it had to come up some time, I suppose. However, this could, in a way, apply to other categories of people. In a way, it's a human condition as well.
Overall, "The Piper's Son" is a fascinating read, very pleasant and easy to get through. You'll like it!
*Whew!* Well, that's all I've got for now. I'm thinking that I'll be starting out with a story review at least once a week, most likely on Fridays. Hopefully between those I can come on here and just share a few thoughts or something I found interesting in the course of the week. We'll just have to see!
So long, and don't forget the Grumbies!
L
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)