(no subject)

[petermarcus]

Robert Heinlein was one of the first science fiction writers of the Golden Age(TM) to blend space opera with politics, philosophy, hard science, and outright fantasy. He was one of those guys who may not have been the most literary of writers, but his works are very readable and entertaining, while breaking social conventions of the time. Some of his novels involved radical views on sex and politics when science fiction was still primarily about space ships manned by all-male, flag-saluting crews of the US military.

Some of this got him in trouble. Charles Manson was said to be a fan of Stranger in a Strange Land, especially when in came to "neutralizing" anyone who didn't fit in with the protagonist's utopian philosophical ideal. In reality, Charles Manson could barely read his own name -- a Mansonite once wrote Heinlein a fan letter, and the legend mutated from there.

Politically, in his writings, Heinlein was a hard-core libertarian. "Don't bug me and I won't bug you" could have been his mantra. Critics have said he was overcompensating for a brief fling with communism early in life, and Heinlein himself had said not to assume anyone can understand him just from his fiction. Most modern analysts of his writing, however, believe he wrote himself into each novel. The old, grouchy, philosophical, libertarian, self-reliant dude? That was Heinlein.

Longevity has always been a characteristic of his heros. Heinlein loved telling the tale (perhaps a family legend) of an ancestor who died accidentally at 99 years old, wrestling a deer on a frozen lake behind his house. The ice cracked, and ancestor and deer died before their time.

One of his most popular characters is Lazarus Long, a 2000+ year-old man (science, you know), who has literally seen it all. One of Lazarus' quotes that has always resonated with me was this:

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

So, here's a poll. Of this list, which have you actually done? And, in the spirit of Heinlein, technicalities count.


[Poll #853291]

Comments

[miss-anansi.livejournal.com]

re: die gallantly

Which lifetime? ;)

re: pitching manure

Sad to have not had that experience. ;)

[petermarcus.livejournal.com]

re: die gallantly

Hence the sport. I was once part of a very out-matched paintball tournament once....


re: picthing manure

Heh, my Nebraska roots (so to speak...) showing. Once in your life, you (especially) should grow a seriously large vegetable garden. Like, something big enough to stroll through.

[corto.livejournal.com]

I became a rabid heiny fan boy when I was ... er... I think 20. I read Friday. Then SIASL... and then became insensed... reading him out completely... ordering copies of all the Juveniles he wrote as serials in science fiction magazines (starship trooper!). "Grumbles from the Grave" postumasly (sp?) published includes several gems... among them, the original ending to Podkayne of Mars.

Looking back... and loving the whole "future history" deal of the commercial exploits of space (man who sold the moon) I am of a mind to say that JOB, and The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress were a couple of my very favs. :)

ps. the "coffee table book" called "The Notebook of Lazerous Long" (or something like that) is an excellent gift... the quoteable quotes are fantastic (and you don't have to be a fan of the author or his books to totally dig the "notebook". A favourite from there;

"It does, in fact, look like an Orchid."

:)

[petermarcus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the quote is from Time Enough for Love, as part of the intermissions -- just a series of Lazarus Long quotes. They made the "Notebook" from the intermissions. Good stuff.

[teaser.livejournal.com]

Does flying a 747 flight simulator count as conn an aircraft? :) I've done that a few times. An ex-xolleagues husband used to work on the simulators and we'd go and fly them as a departmental outing once a year...lots of fun and really painful when they crash...all the files/loose bits go flying around the cockpit.

[petermarcus.livejournal.com]

Wow, that would be a lot of fun! I've flown Cessnas, and I'd be curious how different it would be to fly one of the Jumbos.

[bigzen.livejournal.com]

Being in the military I have been able to do things--allowed would be more like it, that many would not. My planning of invasions (plural) was not a world of warcraft thing.

I was surprised at the amount of people who checked the fight and planned an invasion.

Besides flying more than one simulator, I have flown the C141--but not landed it. I also got to conn a sail boat in the Delaware bay

[petermarcus.livejournal.com]

I'm a believer that sport is a substitute for war, though it hasn't approached the same intensity since the Romans. Some of the fight and die questions could apply, as per my technicality thing ;) Not necessarily a basketball pickup game, but a homecoming game or state finals or something similar. I've had paintball games that have changed my outlook enough that I wouldn't want to try the real thing.

As per invasions, I know a few ex-military who have, but I've also known people in the corporate world who have planned the hostile takeover of another company, right down to the supply lines of doughnuts and pizza :)

[jtylerblue.livejournal.com]

i liked "the moon is a harsh mistress"

i played basketball and was on team that was down 30 points with about 7 minutes left. i scored 16 points and had a few steals and assists in the last several minutes...but we still lost...by 5 points.

i thought that was a gallant death.