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virus: The influence of Robert Heinlein
« on: 2003-12-19 20:30:51 » |
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How many of you have read any of Robert Heinlein's books? They were
profoundly influential on more than a generation, forming the "space cadet"
wing of the libertarians. (Rand's books influenced the "Randroid" wing to
an even more profound degree.) To the extent you can categorize them,
transhumanist politics tend to be libertarian.
In working on a new article I needed a quote from _Starship
Troopers_. That book came out during my last year of high school. It may
have been the very first new hardback I bought. (From what I understand,
the movie of the same name captures almost none of the feeling of the book.)
The quote I needed has to do with population growth being at the root of
wars, an almost true statement. But in the process I found this section
where the amputee veteran Col. Dubois is teaching a high school class in
"History and Moral Philosophy."
He sighed. "Another year, another class -- and, for me, another failure.
One can
lead a child to knowledge but one cannot make him think." Suddenly he pointed
his stump at me. "You. What is the moral difference, if any, between the
soldier
and the civilian?"
"The difference," I answered carefully, "lies in the field of civic virtue. A
soldier accepts personal responsibility for the safety of the body politic of
which he is a member, defending it, if need be, with his life. The civilian
does
not."
"The exact words of the book," he said scornfully. "But do you understand
it? Do
you believe it?"
"Uh, I don't know, sir."
"Of course you don't! I doubt if any of you here would recognize `civic
virtue'
if it came up and barked in your face!" He glanced at his watch. "And that is
all, a final all. Perhaps we shall meet again under happier circumstances.
Dismissed."
***********
The story's protagonist is followed by his teacher throughout his military
experiences.
It occurs to me now that more than once I have put myself at risk while
defending the larger society, most recently from a dangerous corrupting
cult. It is amazing how much effect influential writers have on shaping
the character of their readers. (Or perhaps not. My father was military
and very late in life talked about some of the serious risks he had taken
in the course of defending the country--from which I am now an exile.)
Keith Henson
***********
"The moral difference between a soldier and a civilian lies in the field of
civic virtue. A soldier accepts personal responsibility for the safety of
the body politic of which he is a member, defending it, if need be, with
his life. The civilian does not."
***********
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