Hi folks. I am trying again, though my mail seems to get bounced.
It's amazing how these articles of mine provoke sudden tsunamis of mail... a couple of hundred in a day, then nothing for a year, then another big wave. This round, to my amazement, the hate mail from SW fanatics is just 5%. 90% have been supportive... though often with an intelligent quibble or question. My kind of people! I'm trying my best to answer the most recent flood of emails. Agh! WHat follows is a semi-'standard" response I've been sending. Thrive folks. ================ Re: STAR WARS ARGUMENTS YET AGAIN - Most of what follows is cribbed from previous answers, I'm afraid. The core idea that people have been interested in is the possibility of a neat way for GL to get out of the bummer he's painted himself into, both in plot and in morality . Do I claim my idea would get him off the hook? Well, it couldn't hurt compared to the present illogic! Premise: The empire is evil. But so is Yoda. He does not do one morally decent thing in any of the scenes where I've observed him. He lies and schemes and abuses his power. His treatment of Anekin and Luke is beyond belief. Quijon hinted at a need for 'balance". Perhaps He & Obiwan conspire against BOTH Emperor and Yoda. It's the only thing that can explain why Vader never notices Leia's Force on the Death Star, or recognizes C3PO, or especially why Obiwan would hide Luke from Vader in Vader's own home town. Only to do this Anekin must hide himself inside the DV persona. A mole who comes out to control actions like letting his daughter get away from the Death Star and letting his son get off a clean shot. Oh, did you notice the 'fight' between DV & Obiwan onboard the Death Star doesn't spill blood? Obiwan just vanishes. So? A little Jedi razzle? Dazzle? Look at the effect! The staged fight draws away all the guards, letting the kids escape! Where did Obiwan go? Let's armwave some explanations! ;-) well... it's fun to think about... and it will never happen. GL has other fish to fry. And yes, my own kids get action figures and wave light sabers. At their level, the films are harmless. They preach courage and suspicion of strangers who wear hooded cloaks. My worries are about the deeper message kids miss... but that GL openly avows that he is preaching. (So it's not 'just a movie!") Alas though, it's worse. My accusations on the moral plane are borne out in a NY Times interview when he openly disparaged democracy and praised dictatorship. It's there in the open. He hates a civilization that's been very very good to him. Enough about that sad disappointment. On to better science fiction! ;-) With best wishes for a happy, successful 21st Century! David Brin www.davidbrin.com (stay tuned for good sf!) _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
