Sometimes when I’m pissed off about people who are ruining the world, I remember that Kim Stanley Robinson hates Elon Musk and thinks he’s a fucking dumbass, and there’s nothing Elon can do about that
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I'm still very haunted in general about the story of Elon erasing all of the Twitter data up to 2014, the more and more I think about it, and I'm sure that's only the least of his transgressions
I cannot fully explain why learning KSR hates Musk fills me with such glee, and yet, you just made my day. (My dad was REALLY into KSR's Mars books in the '90s.)
I wish Ian Banks were alive for many reasons, but one of them would be his reaction to Musk naming ships after the ones in his books while also fundamentally misunderstanding every single point those books are making.
I think he would react the same way that all the other right wing choads react to the fact that the creators of the things they like hate them and everything they stand for - an inability to comprehend the situation at all. E.g. paul ryan & RATM and ted cruz & literally anyone.
In that case, I'd hope for a book featuring a stand in subject to an utterly devastating character evisceration, on the level of the Emperor of the Azad empire.
Banks died in 2013. SpaceX had put a few dozen vehicles into orbit or test flights by then. But Musk didn't start using Culture names until 2015, when Banks was safely dead, because the infinitesimal chance that he'd get the chance to punch Musk once solidly in the face was enough to deter him.
While we're not on the subject, how are you? My POTS symptoms are really bad with the hurricane, so I was worried you might be feeling similar. The socks are helping though
Yeah, last night when the storm started passing over us I had a bit of a migraine, but I caught it early and it was the mildest I've had in literally months. Doing pretty good over all
I'm worried about that too... But I made a point of getting some Powerade yesterday, had one with breakfast. I als have pickle juice, which fortunately I like drinking in small amounts. Can't do rennie or SCA events without running into the pickle juice trick!
Looking at the radar you've probably got a good few hours of the pressure continuing to drop. It won't start going up again until the center of the system gets north of you most likely.
There are many reasons I wish Banks was still alive, but somewhere on the list is definitely "He would have fucking hated Elon and he would have said so"
Ha, perfect. I just started to read KSR’s book High Sierra (while camping in the Sierras) which is fascinating and now I will picture his hatred of Musk while reading the rest. ;)
If you look at his list of favorite books, it’s all biographies of “great” men and one or two speculative fiction books he completely misunderstands. This is a good example of why we need STEAM, not just STEM.
I'm a self-taught Software Engineer. I majored in Classical Greek, Religious Studies and minored in Women's Studies. Truly, best decisions of my life & more helpful than any Comp Sci course I could've taken.
Great point, Mara. My mom (a former teacher) and I were discussing books kids read in elementary school and it turns out a lot of them are about dogs dying? No wonder kids don't read.
I had to read "Where the Red Fern Grows" THREE FUCKING TIMES! Once in 5th grade, once in 8th and a third time in 11th AND DID YOU KNOW THERE WAS A TV MOVIE?! WE WATCHED THAT TOO!
Wanda: To call you stupid would be an insult to stupid people. I've known sheep who could outwit you. I've worn dresses with higher IQs, but you think you're an intellectual, don't you, ape?
Otto: Apes don't read philosophy.
Wanda: Yes they do, Otto, they just don't understand it.
Deep into The Years of Rice and Salt. It's been very sustaining during a prolonged covid-to-chest-infection session, and if he is the type to appreciate that, please share my gratitude!
So not having read the Mars books I can't comment. But Bezos is a huge fan of The Expanse & completely misses that he is literally the villain of the first 4 books.
And like Bill Gates entire plan for Global Dimming is taken straight out of Ministry of the Future, (why I read it) & he likewise completely missed the point of that book.
And Zuckerberg wants to recreate Snow Crash again missing the point of that book...
I did enjoy Ministry of the Future so I am inclined to check out more. Even if I am more of a horror fan. (I'm actually a huge scifi nerd but I tend to stick to TV & videogames for scifi.)
And sometimes when I want to practice hopefulness, I remind myself that Neal Stephenson is by all accounts still healthy and working, and he'll have a chance to redeem himself for making even the most glancing implication that a Musk-like person could benefit humanity in any way, much less save it.
The fact that endless billions of dollars can buy everything except genuine laughter, affection, and love is what has kept my spirits up while watching him send everything into the toilet.
Exactly. I try to balance the anger at one person having such outsized access to capital (both fiscal and social) with remembering that he is clearly lonely and miserable 24/7, which is honestly the correct consequence for being such a shitty person.
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Now I know to avoid any award winning books featuring dogs.
Otto: Apes don't read philosophy.
Wanda: Yes they do, Otto, they just don't understand it.
The London Underground is not a political movement.
I know Bill Gates loves The Ministry of the Future but also completely missed the point of the book.
So it absolutely tracks.
And Zuckerberg wants to recreate Snow Crash again missing the point of that book...
I am sensing a pattern here.