From: g@crcomp.net   
      
   James Nicoll wrote:   
   > Space Skimmer by David Gerrold   
   >   
   > Who killed the empire? More importantly, what does it take to get   
   > men to process their emotions?   
   >   
   > https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/more   
      
       The book also led me to contemplate a question about   
       social organization: what are empires for? What good   
       do they do? Who do they do it for?   
      
   Human herd instinct culminates in empires. The instinct's implicit   
   irrationalism is similar to drunken behavior. Both defy rationalization.   
       This is where WAR AND PEACE comes in handy. Tolstoy more or less   
   advises against overthinking [1] cultural currents. Instead, it's   
   imperative to accept and adapt to an ambiguous social reality as it   
   evolves from moment to moment. CITADEL by Budrys says it this way:   
      
       "Ud Klavan," he said, "you are quite right. We are a race of   
       maniacs. And that is why Earthmen rule the galaxy. For our   
       treaties are not binding, and our promises are worthless. Our   
       government does not represent our people. It represents our   
       people as they once were. The delay in the democratic process   
       is such that the treaty signed today fulfills the promise of   
       yesterday-but today the Body Politic has formed a new opinion,   
       is following a new logic which is completely at variance with   
       that of yesterday. An Earthman's promise-expressed in words or   
       deeds-is good only at the instant he makes it. A second later,   
       new factors have entered into the total circumstances, and a   
       new chain of logic has formed in his head-to be altered again,   
       a few seconds later."   
      
   Note.   
      
   [1] Something in my manner may move proximate people to mention   
       "overthink" on occasion as they converse with me.   
      
   --   
   Don.......My cat's  )\._.,--....,'``.                     veritas    _|_   
   telltale tall tail /,   _.. \   _\  (`._ ,.               liberabit   |   
   tells tall tales.. `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'              vos         |   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)