Aficionado Part II - part of a stand-alone excerpt from EXISTENCE

 Continuing my "shut up and just play your guitar" moment...

(But no, I won't shut up! I'll append to the end of this story an all-out rant about Star Wars, just for those of you who like such things.  

(But sure. LET'S DO THIS! Some actual fun sci fi!)

AFICIONADO - part II

(See Part I here.)

By David Brin

A stand-alone chapter from EXISTENCE  (2012)

          The world still shook and harsh straps tugged his battered body when Hacker awoke. Only now the swaying, rocking motion seemed almost restful, taking him back to childhood, when his family used to "escape civilization" on their trimaran wingsail yacht, steering its stiff, upright airfoil straight through gusts that would topple most other wind-driven vessels.

          "Idiots!" Hacker's father used to grumble, each time he veered the agile craft to avoiding colliding with some day-tripper who didn't grasp the concept of right-of-way. "The only ones out here used to be people like us, who were raised for this sort of thing. Now the robofacs make so much stuff, even fancy boats, and everybody's got so much free time. Nine billion damn tourists crowding everywhere. It's impossible to find any solitude!"
          "The price of prosperity, dear," his mother would reply, more soft-heartedly. "At least everybody's getting enough to eat now. And there's no more talk of revolution."
          "But look at the result! This mad craze for hobbies! Everybody’s got to be an expert at something. The best at something! I tell you it was better when people had to work hard to survive."
          "Except for people like us?"
          "Exactly," Father had answered, ignoring his wife's arch tone. "Look how far we have to go nowadays, just to have someplace all to ourselves."
          The old man's faith in rugged self-reliance extended to the name he insisted on giving their son. And Hacker inherited — along with about a billion New Dollars — the same quest. To do whatever it took to find someplace all his own.
          As blurry vision returned, he saw that the space pod lay tilted more than halfway over to its side. It's not supposed to do that, he thought. It should float upright.
          A glance to the left explained everything. Ocean surrounded the capsule, but part of the charred heat shield was snagged on a reef of coral branches and spikes that stretched far to the distance, filled with bright fish and undulating subsea vegetation. Nearby, he saw the parasail chute that had softened final impact. Only now, caught by ocean currents, it rhythmically tugged at Hacker's little refuge. With each surge, the bubble canopy plunged closer to a craggy coral outcrop. Soon it struck hard. He did not hear the resulting loud bang, but it made the implant in his jaw throb. Hacker winced, reflexively.
          Fumbling, he released the straps and fell over, cringing in pain. That awful re-entry would leave him bruised for weeks. And yet...
          And yet, I'll have the best story to tell. No one will be able to match it!
          The thought made him feel so good, Hacker decided maybe he wouldn't take everything, when he sued whoever was responsible for the capsule malfunction. Providing the pickup boats came soon, that is.
          The bubble nose struck coral again, rattling his bones. A glance told him a hard truth. Materials designed to withstand launch and re-entry stresses might not resist sharp impacts. An ominous crack began to spread.
          Standard advice was to stay put and wait for pickup, but this place would be a coffin soon.
          I better get out of here.
          Hacker flipped his helmet shut and grabbed the emergency exit lever. A reef should mean an island's nearby. Maybe mainland. I'll hoof it ashore, borrow someone's phone, and start dishing out hell.

---

          Only there was no island. Nothing lay in sight but more horrible reef.
          Hacker floundered in a choppy undertow. The skin-suit was strong, and his helmet had been made of Gillstuff — semi-permeable to draw oxygen from seawater. The technology prevented drowning as currents kept yanking him down. But repeated hits by coral outcrops would turn him into hamburger meat soon.
          Once, a wave carried him high enough to look around. Ocean, and more ocean. The reef must be a drowned atoll. No boats. No land. No phone.
          Sucked below again, he glimpsed the space capsule, caught in a hammer-and-vice wedge and getting smashed to bits. I'm next, he thought, trying to swim for open water, but with each surge he was drawn closer to the same deadly site. Panic clogged his senses as he thrashed and kicked the water, fighting it like some overpowering enemy. Nothing worked, though. Hacker could not even hear his own terrified moans, though the jaw implant kept throbbing with clicks, pulses and weird vibrations, as if the sea had noticed his plight and now watched with detached interest.
          Here it comes, he thought, turning away, knowing the next wave cycloid would smash him against those obdurate, rocky spikes.
          Suddenly, he felt a sharp poke in the backside. Too early! Another jab, then another, struck the small of his back, feeling nothing like coral. His jaw ached with strange noise as someone or something started pushing him away from the coral anvil. In both panic and astonishment, Hacker whirled to glimpse a sleek, bottle-nosed creature interposed between him and the deadly reef, regarding him curiously, them moving to jab him again with a narrow beak.
          This time, he heard his own moan of relief. A dolphin! He reached out for salvation... and after a brief hesitation, the creature let Hacker wrap his arms all around. Then it kicked hard with powerful tail flukes, carrying him away from certain oblivion.

---

          Once in open water, he tried to keep up by swimming alongside his rescuer. But the cetacean grew impatient and resumed pushing Hacker along with its nose. Like hauling an invalid. Which he was, of course, in this environment.
          Soon, two more dolphins converged from the left, then another pair from the right. They vocalized a lot, combining sonar clicks with loud squeals that resonated through the crystal waters. Of course Hacker had seen dolphins on countless nature shows, and even played tag with some once, on a diving trip. But soon he started noticing some strange traits shared by this group. For instance, these animals took turns making complex sounds, while glancing at each other or pointing with their beaks... almost as if they were holding conversations. He could swear they were gesturing toward him and sharing amused comments at his expense.
          Of course it must be an illusion. Everyone knew that scientists had determined Truncatus dolphin intelligence. They were indeed very bright animals — about chimpanzee equivalent — but had no true, human-level speech of their own.
          And yet, watching a mother lead her infant toward the lair of a big octopus, he heard the baby's quizzical squeaks alternate with slow repetitions from the parent. Hacker felt sure a particular syncopated popping meant octopus.
          Occasionally, one of them would point its bulbous brow toward Hacker, and suddenly the implant in his jaw pulse-clicked like mad. It almost sounded like the code he had learned in order to communicate with the space capsule after his inner ears were clamped to protect them during flight. Hacker concentrated on those vibrations in his jaw, for lack of anything else to listen to.
          His suspicions roused further when mealtime came. Out of the east there arrived a big dolphin who apparently had a fishing net snared around him! The sight provoked an unusual sentiment in Hacker — pity, combined with guilt over what human negligence had done to the poor animal. He slid a knife from his thigh sheath and moved toward the victim, aiming to cut it free.
          Another dolphin blocked Hacker. "I'm just trying to help!" He complained, then stopped, staring as other members of the group grabbed the net along one edge. They pulled backward as the "victim" rolled round and round, apparently unharmed. The net unwrapped smoothly till twenty meters flapped free. Ten members of the pod then held it open while others circled behind a nearby school of mullet.
          Beaters! Hacker recognized the hunting technique. They'll drive fish into the net! But how —
          He watched, awed as the dolphins expertly cornered and snared their meal, divvied up the catch, then tidied up by rolling the net back around the original volunteer, who sped off to the east. Well I'm a blue-nosed gopher, he mused. Then one of his rescuers approached Hacker with a fish clutched in its jaws. It made offering motions, but then yanked back when he reached for it.
          The jaw implant repeated a rhythm over and over. It's trying to teach me, he realized.
          "Is that the pulse code for fish?" He asked, knowing water would carry his voice, but never expecting the creature to grasp spoken English.
          To his amazement, the dolphin shook its head. No.
          "Uh." He continued. "Does it mean food? Eat? Welcome stranger?"
          An approving blat greeted his final guess, and the Tursiops flicked the mullet toward Hacker, who felt suddenly ravenous. He tore the fish apart, stuffing bits through his helmet's chowlock.     

    Welcome stranger? He pondered. That's mighty abstract for a dumb beast to say. Though I'll admit, it's friendly.

read the conclusion of "Aficionado" ...here.

See the exciting video trailer of EXISTENCE. 

== Only now... ==

Here's that rant lagniappe about... (shudder)... Star Wars... specifically "The Mandalorian."

In Vivid Tomorrows I talk to those who care about plot, character, and logic in self-consistent and morally not-depressing science fiction universes. And by all those standards – except visual pyrotechnics – alas, the Star Wars universe (which started so well in the first couple of flicks!*) comes out dismally opposite to Star Trek, all the way down to basics like belief in people and the ‘allegory of the ship.” . . . But sure, okay, I keep seeing raves that “the Mandalorian is great! No, really David. All your gripes about the insipid stoopidity of Star Wars (except the 1st two flicks) have been solved!” 

Okay then, I watched an episode or two and tuned in and watched this site’s entire extended run down of the history of Mandalor and all the cults and betrayals and sword fetishes and revenges and revenges for revenges, crossing 1000 years up to “today.” And I have to admit…

…that I had no idea it could possibly be this bad. Oh, sure I take it as given that Disney hired good set and costume designers and background musicians and (above all) effects wizards to make each individual scene pop! But in a macro plot rundown you don’t have all those distractions from the pure fact of an utter maelstrom of truly vile characters, being relentlessly dumb and wreaking vast, vast harm upon dullard populations of trillions of sapient beings and their families and children, all for the same moronic reasons, over and over and over again. Populations who NEVER wise up or engender a better generation that learns one damn thing. 

What is the one redeeming trait that I can see coming out of the cannabis fog that clearly fills the Writers’ Room for this series, or any SW spinoff? At least the glorified mass murderer Yoda (the most-evil character in the history of all human mythology) doesn’t seem to be around anymore. 

If any characters in that cosmos ever woke up, they’d know the real villain wrecking the galaxy and the hopes of 100 quadrillion denizens… 

… and that villain is whoever it is who’s shining a Lobotomy Ray across the entire galaxy. 

Here’s that plot recap…

…and you can compare it to the 20 minute quick scan of Star Trek by the same guys. 

And no, they don’t get everything right. Want the real comparison? Then get VIVID TOMORROWS: Science Fiction and Hollywood! 

But perhaps I’m wrong! Can YOU name a plot arc in Wars in which anyone does anything actually smart that helps? Certainly not poor, good-but-dim Luke. (I did once catch the way cool riding-monster-who-fight-each-other episode. Went into a lobotomy trance and enjoyed it! Is THAT the trick to enjoying Star Wars? Drugs?)

---
* PS ... ROGUE ONE was also a great flick! Clue to why... no Jedi! And an actual plot with a trajectory of sacrifice and hope!

Isaac Asimov, Karl Marx & the Hari Seldon Paradox

Let's try looking back at the Foundation universe... which some of you have read... considering Isaac Asimov's sci fi classic in light of his acknowledged influences - Edward Gibbon, Adam Smith and Karl Marx... which I would venture almost none of you have read.  Indeed, I am less well-read in those three than I ought to be, though I am very well-read in Asimov!  And hence, let me attempt to do my main job... 

...to be interesting. To offer perspectives you may find nowhere else.

== Isaac Asimov knew them all! ==

Fans of Asimov’s Foundation series often cite Isaac being inspired by Gibbon’s classic, The Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire, and of course that is apt…

... though in Foundation’s Triumph I point out that Asimov’s future Galactic Empire based on Planet Trantor has many traits that are more Chinese than Roman. Especially the way it is run by an all-powerful caste of eunuchs. (The robots obedient to Daneel Olivaw, who are sterile and loyal, but relentlessly manipulative, behind the scenes.)

But another inspiration deeply affected Asimov. Anyone doing historical musings in the first half of the 20th Century – and well into the second half – was deeply affected by the historiographic  incantations and predictions of Karl Marx. Indeed, he was so widely read and so influential that notions of inevitable effects of technology on class struggle profoundly influenced Ayn Rand, for example!

Indeed, Rand's fervid hatred of communism (from her upbringing in Soviet Russia) was that of an acolyte-heretic, spitefully rejecting but staying very close to the teacher. Her entire eschatology was Marxist to its core, only omitting the master's final phases! Cribbing liberally till near the end, Rand chose to freeze her own scenario at the moment of utter domination by capitalist lords, wrote-off any proletarian revolutionary response, and called that outcome good. (See my decryption of Ayn Rand.) 

In Asimov’s case, the reflex was not to create a quasi-religious scripture, but rather to envision the crude Marxian methods being developed into a vastly intricate and fact-grounded science. A science called psychohistory. 

Of course, Isaac had a scientist's habit of questioning all models, even his own! And this led, decade after decade, to Isaac arguing with his former self! Discovering flaws and innovating possible solutions, a process that I describe in greater detail here… in a grand, galactic thought experiment that I completed (I think), bringing everything full circle in Foundation’s Triumph.

== Applying this to today ==

So what does any of this have to do with the politics of here and now? Both the confident prediction-incantations of Marx and the whole notion of psychohistory appear… well… kinda quaint to modern minds. Allowing us to shrug-off and even forget how compelling both were to both the masses and all wings of intelligentsia, a couple of generations back.

Well, there’s no room here for detail. Though there's plenty to discuss! (See "Class War and the Lessons of History.") ... Like how old Karl and his followers mapped out as ‘inevitable’ a series of events in oppression of an increasingly skilled working class whose resentment of owner-oppression could only follow one, ordained path.

Alas, having transformed himself over time (as Freud did) from brilliant researcher into a tendentious guru surrounded by acolytes, Marx came to believe incantations could overcome inconvenient human nature. It never seemed to occur to him that hundreds of thousands would actually read his books!  And find them convincing. Convincing enough to decide to alter the apparently ordained path! Changing course through incremental, rather than sudden, reform.

Above all, Karl Marx never imagined that scions of wealth – Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his circle - would be persuaded to buy off the workers, by leveling the field and inviting them to share in a strong Middle Class, whose children would then (as recommended by Adam Smith) be able to compete fairly with scions of the rich. 

It was a stunning (if way-incomplete) act of intelligence and resilience that changed America's path and thus the world's.

Among many mistakes, neglecting to consider that possibility was Old Karl's (and Lenin's etc.) biggest. Assuming that humanity is stupid and predictable is almost as dumb a glaring error as assuming that we’re smart! 

Anyway, the Rooseveltean Experiment worked, far better than even its believers and enactors expected. For decades the US labor movement was hugely effective at counterbalancing the lords of wealth. Disparities hit levels lower than any great nation across history. And marginalized groups - races and genders - overcame resistance to enter the bargain. For a while, Marx seemed consigned to the dustbin...

Only now his tomes are again flying off the shelves, at almost every university on the planet. Why?

== He's baaaaack! ==

Why? Because our insipid world aristocracy is largely made up of buffoons and doomsday 'preppers' and inheritance brats whose addiction to flatterers has left them unable to read, let alone argue over the historical lessons of class taught by 6000 years of history. Or especially by the innovations of the Greatest Generation.

Show me one of today's oligarchs with the brains of that smart crook, Joseph Kennedy, who supported FDR for one reason:

"I'd rather be taxed half my wealth so the poor and workers are calm and happy than lose it all to revolution."

Any aristocrat who actually, actually thinks the R word is not on the table, amid his caste's all out war against not just labor but increasingly fed-up nerd professions, is truly too smug, too dumb and incurious ever to know or care what the word 'tumbrel' means, until he is riding in one. But it's a cart that can find its way even into deep, Patagonian prepper fortresses.

== So, is it a cycle? ==

A some of you know, I have a deep and abiding dislike toward yammers about so-called "cycles of history" like the insipid, recent Fourth Turning fetish that's so beloved on the lobotomized U.S. right. (That's okay, the mad left, while much smaller, has its own insipidities.)

What ... all cycles, Brin? Even one that is… predictable? Well, I will quickly grant that there are strong attractor states, the worst and strongest being feudal or monarchal pyramids of privilege, ownership and power that dominated 99% of human societies for at least 6000 years. A natural - if toxic - outgrowth from mammalian male reproductive strategies that have only ever been stymied in a few Enlightenment Experiments. Like ours.

And yes, as the younger (smarter) Karl Marx pointed out, capitalism can either follow the recommendations of Adam Smith and remain flat-fair-transparent-competitive-creative, or else... it will follow the far more familiar path of parasitism by cheaters... and decay back into a form of feudalism, yet again.

One of you (Paradoctor) put this ironic contradiction cogently, in light of the Rooseveltean Miracle that kept capitalism flat-fair, for a while... 

“When the capitalist class takes seriously Marx's predictions of mass immiseration and political unrest, then they enact mixed-economy reforms to ensure the stability of the middle class, as insurance. The reforms work; while inconvenient to their exercise of lordly whim, they protect the owner families from revolution and Marx's predictions are falsified."

Paradoctor brought it back around to Isaac Asimov's grand thought experiment. 

“This is an instance of Seldon's Paradox: that accurate psychohistorical predictions, once made known, set into effect psychohistorical forces that falsify the prediction. 

"But the Paradox has more work to do. When Marx's predictions fail, then the capitalist class stops taking those predictions seriously. Therefore they stop supporting opportunity-uplifting semi-socialism and a flattened-fair social order, turning back to cheating to benefit their own inheritance brats. The reforms unravel, resulting in mass immiseration and political unrest, as Marx predicted."

In other words, what we are seeing now... a massive, worldwide oligarchic putsch to discredit the very same Rooseveltean social compact that saved their caste and allowed them to become rich... but that led to them surrounding themselves with sycophants who murmur flatteringnotions of inherent superiority and dreams of harems. Would-be lords, never allowing themselves to realize that yacht has sailed. 

“So to the capitalist class, Marx is as true a prophet as he is a false prophet. Likewise for the Seldonian psychohistorian: when first stated, the prediction sets into motion forces that deny it; yet when the prediction is denied, the forces against it abate, and it comes true. Therefore to the society, the psychohistorical prediction is as confirmed as it is denied.”

What we're seeing, alas, is final proof that Adam Smith was right, as were the U.S. Founders who rebelled against dullard inheritance feudalism... as were subsequent reformers who had to ratchet forward those incomplete reforms, one grindingly too-slow step at a time.

We can and should(!) argue over the details! And the Seldon/Marx paradox will likely be with us for a long time... and even longer under AI-eunuch lords? 

But the central conundrum remains: that rule by narrow aristocracies was always deeply stoopid across all of human history, a litany of bad governance, delusions and horrors that was only finally broken by the Enlightenment Attractor Alternative. An alternative that perhaps - across the galaxy - only humanity ever stumbled into... which may rank as a top explanation for the Fermi Paradox

The conundrum has a basic answer.  Our path out of the age-old macho, feudal trap was (primitively) shown by the social contract generated by the Greatest Generation and the equalizing/elevating power of the GI Bill and civil rights and the drive to argue new reforms openly and fairly.

And hence, when you see would-be lords dissing that process, you must recognize the old, reflexively unsapient enemy of all our ancestors, all descendants, all sagacity... and all hope.

Science Fiction roundup - and predictive milestones! And the worst timing for a movie release ever!

Let's start with a pair of eerily almost-exact predictions. First here's a prophetic image from my graphic novel, Tinkerers. (published circa 2008.) The slogan was: "New for 2024: The Apple/Honda iCar!" Check the rumors about an announcement next year.

  

And another. Some of you already saw my op-ed in Newsweek. “Soon, Humanity Won't Be Alone in the Universe,” about ChatGPT and other 'empathy bots" appearing exactly on-schedule. 

Putting myself on the line farther ahead... this pod-compendium of coming events is both slick and cool - tho the host is Russian (Kaspersky) - from more commensal days. The kicker? Their Earth 2050 simulation is one of the coolest. Anyway, here's me blathering about how by 2050 we may all be solving problems in collaboration with AI - dealing with the 'P Shortage' and getting rich from the wealth of asteroids. A four parter!

 How I wish we had the Predictions Registry. Above all, because it would undermine the credibility of blowhards who are wrong a lot!  But also because... well, you know...

Okay let's do a science fiction roundup!  And below that... an anniversary...

== Roundup of some recommended SF reading ==

Visionary Histories, a collection of twenty nonfictional "histories of the future" by David J. Staley, explores a range of topics: the future of artificial intelligence, of democracy, of capitalism, of education, of labor and leisure, as well as the future social and economic consequences of COVID-19 and other pandemics. (Published by ASU's Center for Science and the Imagination.)

A selection of some of the bold new SFF books of the past year (or so), by bright young authors include: 

Sea of Tranquility, by Emily St. John Mandel; 

Children of Memory, by Adrian Tchaikovsky; 

Upgrade, by Blake Crouch; 

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy, by Becky Chambers; 

A Desolation Called Peace, by Arkady Martine;

Goliath, by Tochi Onyebuchi, and

Babel, by R.F. Kuang.

Excellent and thought provoking stories by the skilled and inquisitive Kay Kenyon, in Dystopia: Seven Dark and Hopeful Tales. And of course, a good time to revisit her excellent novels .

Hard SF author Wil McCarthy started his series about trillionaires dominating space with Rich Man's Sky. Now he shows a game show being used to manage the colonization of Mars, in Poor Man's Sky, wherein average folk start getting some of their own. A novel  about ordinary people asserting their power and dignity amidst the intrigues of an extraterrestrial oligarchy.  With murders and riots and cool space hardware.

The Terraformers, a new novel by Annalee Newitz, a vivid tale of the challenges of terraforming and colonizing a recently discovered exoplanet, while uncovering unexpected complications and mysteries. Sample the first chapters on the Tor.com site.

Rising young author Torion Oey has a new novel - Not James - in which  a doppelgänger of King James is pursued by guards, magicians, and thieves, all in search for the man who calls himself “Not James.”

Astronomer Andrew Fraknoi’s latest science-fiction story, "Auction Prospectus" takes the unusual form of an auction prospectus, explores the idea of "lurkers" -- possible alien probes that might be hidden out of our sight among the smaller bodies of our solar system. Reminiscent of themes explored in my novel Existence.

This roundup - 12 Memorable Times Science Fiction Books Sent in the Clones!  - mentions Kiln People, along with others such as Altered Carbon, The Quantum Thief, Never Let Me Go, and Six Wakes - which explore possible cloning scenarios.

Pasadena, California will soon have a bookstore named after the remarkable Octavia Butler: Octavia's Bookshelf. And Octavia's Kindred now released as a TV series. How I miss her. An honorary Killer B! And it's getting lonely out here.

==Brin News ==

Two classic takes on our near future: 

I have recently re-released two of my novels that were out of print: Existence and Kiln People, both with gorgeous new cover artwork by Patrick Farley! See a stirring 3 minute video trailer!

== And an ill-timed anniversary... ==

"A nameless drifter dons a postman's uniform and a bag of mail as he begins a quest to inspire hope to the survivors living in post-apocalyptic America." Just a month or so ago, the 25th anniversary of The Postman film... which Kevin Costner brought out opposite James Cameron's Titanic, in one of the most epic scheduling decisions, ever! I say more about the experience and the film in links below. But let me add just one thing here up top. 

I deem Costner's movie to be visually and musically among the most beautiful works of cinema of all time. 

And it was faithful to the heart messages of my novel. 

Brains... we could discuss. The first half was savvy and well-written! And the 2nd half had some brilliant moments. ("THAT is a man.") 

On my website, I've posted a more extensive reaction to the movie - and comparison with the book.

Anyways, Costner gave me something to say to folks in airports! I am not at all ashamed to be associated with a flawed but utterly gorgeous and big-hearted epic. If only he ever bought me a beer. Or five. Maybe ten.... I'd've been happy with one. With ten, we'd'a beat Titanic. Alas.

Swerving from mighta-beens. Here's a recent podcast interview I did - about Artemis and deep space, robotics and the future - for Media Death Cult.

== SF Predicts ==

We started with predictions, so let's finish that way.

Other prophets?

From Phys.org: How science fiction predicted recent high-tech developments in chemistry, from newly developed materials to vat-grown meat.

From the latest CES Show: futuristic products envisioned by science fiction, including a flying car, a hydrofoil boat, bendable table screens, AI-driven baby stroller, eyeglasses that translate speech - and much more.

And finally... Slate's Future Tense offers a roundup of twelve Sci-Fi stories from 2022 that best illuminated the problems of climate change and the future.

Defending Freedom... logically? Based on what works?

I'll get to logical vs. pragmatic defenses of freedom - and a trap most of its defenders fall into - in a minute. But first -

 - few seem to discuss a vast Competence Gap between West and East that's revealed by the Ukraine war. Oh, certainly it's seen in the quality of battlefield weapons systems, so far. But what of the expected cyber attacks? 

Remember those dark forecasts of shivering in the dark at a mere wave of Putin's hand? Release the Krackers! (Kremlin hackers.) Why aren't we cowering in darkness, triggered by those purported RussFed genius RFers? 

Perhaps because our own folks allowed those putinist-preeners to rave about their abilities while our protector caste simply prepared, quietly, as grownups do.

Is it any wonder that the Putin-loving MAGAsphere is raging against the FBI for just doing their jobs, by sniffing out traitors? As they rave against our Intel folks who out-maneuver their Potemkin-Kremlin counterparts? And at the U.S. military officer corps whose feats of 'procurement' now appear to have been (generally) well and competently (if expensively) done, after all?

Nightly, Tucker & co. rage against all of those skilled professionals, the quarter of a million dedicated men and women who won the Cold War and the War on Terror dismissing them as "snobs," while confederate senators and KGB shills yowl against "High IQ stupid people," expanding the hate to the 30 million or so in ALL fact-using professions, including science. Above all, science.

They call fellows like Mark Milley "procurement politicians," as if the now-visible results don't make that a badge of honor... while the same idiots ignore Milley's other badges, visible in all photos: paratrooper, ranger, combat infantryman, action decorations and his home unit the 101st band of brothers. And that's what you and I are allowed to see, while a quarter million others simply do their jobs in quietly competent obscurity.

In fact, you are reading this now because of them. So thank you, oh "highIQ" protectors! Though you never ask for thanks and you do what adults do. When you have a job to do.

You do it well...

== The fundamental basis of freedom-of-speech is not what you think ==

Okay. Democracy squeaked a save. The USA midterm elections last November rejected any red-wave of lunatic Trumpists, for the most part, this despite Democratic and moderate leaders ignoring the power of polemical judo. While the Dominion Inc. lawsuit seems about to finally deliver justice upon the treason-liars at Fox News.

Double okay, this cartoon from xkcd.com (one of the best!) sums up the first order truth about freedom-of-speech.

Alas, there is a second order matter to keep in mind – that I illustrated in Earth (1990). That humans tend to drift toward echo chambers where their comfy prejudices can get reinforced, and these echo chambers can become Nuremberg Rallies where the truth is subordinated and reifenstahled into unchallenged incantations. 

And yes, although one political wing does this most-dangerously, waging hate war vs every fact profession and dancing with actual nazis… the extrema of the other side can be fiercely riefenstahled, too.

And there is a third level. The level that freedom-of-speech is actually for.  Yes, it is important to remember that some of the rights we deem to be fundamental and unquestionable are not viewed that way by others!

Right now, around the globe, tyrannical enemies of the Enlightenment Experiment use a standard response to neutralize lectures about human rights and freedoms:

“Who are YOU western types to finger-wag that we must use your approach? 

"You are flawed, too! 

"Moreover, our way – a pyramid of authority leading up to unquestioned leadership by a few – is shown by history to be far more natural, having been the norm across 99% of human history. Your so-called ‘fundamental rights’ are anything but fundamental!

“Anyway, who are you to keep imposing your uniform values on us? We have our own ways that should be respected!”

Do you see the trap? We preach diversity of viewpoints… and are thusly oppressing the viewpoint that there should NOT be diversity of expression. 

“What you westerners disdain as ‘conformity’ and homogenization and oppression is what we call Unity and Cohesion. It’s our culture and our way and legacy that’s a lot older than your fractious Western madness!” 

That is a counter thrust used by every despot on the planet.  That we are the hypocrites, because we sermonize tolerance while being intolerant of the intolerant.

== Indeed, there are some levels where they have a point ==

Take the woke fetishistic fixation on pronouns, attacking any inadvertent use of gender in writing or in speech. 

Has anyone pointed out that this massively aggressive campaign is only possible in English, which is already by far the least-gendered of all major languages. 

To which my own kids reply:

 “So? Then we’re almost there and let’s complete the job!” 

(My answer:

 “Hey, look at my sci fi going back to 1980; I have been doing exactly this! Experimenting (before you were born) with language methods to lessen prejudicial assumptions. Only without the sanctimony or bullying.”) 

Again: 

In any language other than English, this goal of utter genderlessness would be recognized instantly as an insanely impractical project.

The crux:  Doesn't this campaign amount to shouting jingoistically that "English is best!" These linguistic ‘reforms’ are actually anglo-chauvinistic, pushing the perspective that these (mostly American) activists grew up with. 

Likewise the more general campaigns to extend rights and inclusion to ever smaller groups of the marginalized - while laudable and worthy of support - can only be viewed as a passion that is deeply rooted in the Great American Project. 

Look, I say that as a fellow passionate believer in that project! Naturally, since I was raised by it.

 I just believe we should be AWARE of our own ironies!

== Then how can we defend freedom from that argument? ==

And so we see that enemies of freedom-of-speech - the proved liar Foxites - are again demanding Voter ID? 

Here's a potential judo move. Reach across the aisle and give it to them! (Opposing voter ID makes us look like the would-be cheaters.) 

Only ‘judo’ the issue! 

In return, demand massive compliance assistance to help poor voters etc *get* ID that’d help their lives in many ways. (e.g. via AOC's postal bank accounts.) Seize their ‘issue.’ See it laid out here.

Related to this... actually pause and talk to the Hispanic and minority voters who are bleeding from the moderate-liberal coalition over immigration. 

You'll be shocked when you hear their perspective... and maybe even revise a 'standard' liberal position. 

Revision, upon opening yourself to new information? It is what sapient beings do.

== Mistakes on the Union side of this civil war phase ==

Here's a vital question for all liberals:

What shattered the old, Rooseveltean compact between the Democratic Party and the working classes? 

Sure the DP knowingly threw the Olde South over to the GOP by pursuing civil rights and it was a good choice. The Vietnam war and hippe-stuff helped drive a major cultural wedge. But the last straw was the stoopidest thing liberals ever did…

…integration via forced school bussing. An absolutely spectacular supernova of idiocy that locked in Reaganism without doing poor kids the slightest scintilla of good.

We may be seeing something similar now. While many of you are breathing sighs of relief over the recent mid-terms that were nowhere near as bad as feared, they might instead have been a blue wave, but for the loss of so many Hispanic voters, who went red enough to turn swing state Florida into DeSantis-land and the Rio Grande Valley purple, rendering Beto and Stacey politically extinct.  Especially with Hispanic male voters.  

What drove so many of them away? Immigration. They want it controlled and legal and cautious. Their reasons are strong and pragmatic and self-interested. And if you are unable to fathom it, then you are NOT an empathic listener but one of the elite snobs who wag your fingers at working stiffs, telling them what they should think.

Have I poked at my own allies enough to qualify for a Maher? I have criticized Bill Maher plenty for his greatest mistake... not making clear - in every rant - the difference between Strategic Goals and tactics.  It is the latter that he almost always complains about.

And no general whose ego is bound to a particular battlefield tactic is one who actually cares about winning.

And finally...

== Using bible references to support the Enlightenment? ==

Have you declared it hopeless to reach out to our red brothers and sisters? To those fellow Americans who are right now afroth with bizarre, anti-modernity fury? 

You won’t even try? 

Well, shame on you for giving up on your fellow citizens!  Look up the phrase “All Heaven rejoices when…”  Each decent person weaned from Fox spreads ripples. 

Pragmatically, we can only end this phase of the U.S. civil war if we peel another million or two borderline sane Fox watchers away from that mad coalition. At which point the rest will collapse out of pure demographics. 

Toward that end, I have elsewhere offered riffs to use with self-identified Libertarians… and those who style themselves fans of science… and hypocrites who actually believe that Republicans favor competitive free enterprise and low deficits! 

What may seem the hardest-core sub group may be fairly easy! Here in this speech I offer something even more unique. Ways to use biblical references to communicate to those who insist that the Bible trumps science. 

Seriously. Even if you never use any of these techniques to lure a thumper toward the light, you will find these unusual perspectives interesting!