Excellent book. Probably one of the coolest sci fi novels I’ve read. I would still say that Cats Cradel had more of an impact on me and The Stars My Destination was more spectacular but this was a really good book. Its really the best description of utopia I’ve ever come accross.

The culture is a post scarcity society where everyone can do what they want. The way its presented hobbies are basically replace the role of work. Personally I’m not sure how I would handle the idea of the meaning of life. I think some part of what gives my life (and probably most peoples life) a lot of meaning is that the world is constantly advancing, I know that the world is going to be a different place in 20 years, not sure how but the fact that it will be motivates me in some way. I really dont know how much though, probably to a far lesser extent than the idea of my personal development. That I can spend my time doing things now that will make me better in the future. Why should I become better? so I can have better children, raise them better and make other peoples lives better. This would very much not exsist in the culture. People live for themsevles. Theres not that much point devoting your life to giving your children a better chance, they’ll be genofixed to have a better life anyway. I wonder if I’d be better suited to the empire, probably not.

So much evil in the world comes from people wanting a good life for there children. If this was guarenteed, moreover, if it was impossible to give your children a real advantage then what would society look like? I guess the genes that stopped people coping with life would be ineviatably bread out. People in the culture can still have children though. Its kindof fucked how much better society could be if we removed the power of wealth and power to help our own children. We really need those omnicient minds to run life for us. Thats a really cool idea too. Having machines all just be based on humans, not some crazy other. They are just big sentiant people with the same rights.

Also the sex changing (and sex) seems like a very cool part of it all. I guess sex would be one of the main things to do when you take away the need to survive, its basically what makes life interesting, possibly even more so than children. And who wouldnt want to be a woman for a while if they had the chance, the idea that everyone fathers and gives birth to one kid is cool. A very progressive view for 1988 (probably) considering how troubled society is by trans people right now.

The Azad empire is clearly based on the other way our society could go. If the wrong part of human nature wins out, which at any given point over the last hundrend years, maybe a little less so today but not much, has seemed like a very real possibility.

I was very much expecting it to be an enders game situation near the end, and it did turn out to have those vibed. THE GAME IS REAL LIFE. basically. I wonder if humanity could get as low as the empire and maintain it. Also I really don’t give us much hope for becoming the culture, we would never suceed control to minds even if it was in the best interests, well maybe we would but not anytime soon. Capitalism is so fucked. I want to do what I can to change it, or more realisticly, not take much part in it, all the good bits of society are the bits that arnt capitalism, everywhere you look.

Fuck I just want to live in the culture.

Also this is meant to be a book review, not a rant, 10/10 good book, go and read it.

I wonder what would happen if an alt right person read this book?