Also, I thank you for posting Wolfe’s argument as well, because in spite of what I said I did not really agree with Brin on all points. I do, however, think Wolfe is being ridiculously idealistic in thinking that we will “return” to “a society in which everyone stood shoulder-to-shoulder because everyone lived by the same changeless rules” sometime within the next thousand years. Wouldn’t that require some kind of technological and populational collapse, followed by a period in which no change took place at all?

Wolfe ignores the fact that change isn’t necessarily human in origin, just as Brin ignores the fact that much of our so-called progess has had an immense cost that is still ignored by many.

And since you accused me of oversimplifying, I think I should make a few more things clear. In addition to my Communist-sounding Sauron comment being a joke, pretty much everything I wrote there was a summary of what I thought Brin’s basic points were. As such, it’s inherently simplified.

Ohh, okay, sorry I misunderstood that and took offense where I shouldn’t have. It seemed on the first read-through like you were equating my opinion with Brin’s argument, which I see now wasn’t your intent.

I just got back from seeing The Return of The King actually, and I thought it one of the best movies of the year. It’s #8 on my list, and #2 when you don’t include “independent” or animated films.