--- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "hugheshugo" > <richardhughes103@> wrote: > > > > True genius! [Douglas Adams quotes, not me] > > > And always nice to be reminded, I've a good mind to take > > a day off and read "life the universe and everything" for the > > millionth time, how many great ideas can you cram into one > > book? I'm sure he was onto something with the flying technique, > > I'm also sure 'Wowbagger the infinitely prolonged' is out there > > somewhere because; > > > > "In an infinite universe such as, for instance, the one in which we > > live, everything you could possibly imagine and a lot you would > > rather not exists somewhere" > > I always liked Zaphod Beeblebrox. Three arms, > two heads, and one enormous ego. He's the > president of the galaxy, and was also voted > the worst-dressed sentient being in the > universe. His credo is, "Anything for a weird > life." > > My favorite Zaphod adventure centers around > the Infinite Perspective Vortex. It was invented > on some planet by some guy who kept saying to > his wife, "If you could just see things from > my perspective, you'd understand." So he built > a machine that, when you step into it, shows you > everything in the universe, from the universe's > perspective, and your place in it. > > The only problem with the Infinite Perspective > Vortex is that when you put people into it, they > are so horrified by the immensity of the universe > and by how utterly insignificant and meaningless > they and their lives are *in* that universe that > they usually come out screaming and spend the > rest of their lives as jibbering madmen, unable > to even make a decent cup of tea. > > So at one point in the series some aliens throw > Zaphod Beeblebrox into the Infinite Perspective > Vortex. Aware of its horrifying effects, Zaphod's > first thoughts are of his stomach, and of a trip > to a discotheque. When he comes out of the machine, > instead of screaming he says, "Hey, I'm kind of > a groovy guy." > > My kinda groovy guy. > > Don't panic, and remember to always carry a towel. > > :-) >
I've always thought Arthur Dent was too close for comfort. The guy wanders about in his dressing gown drinking tea and not really understanding anything that goes on around him, then his perfect girl disappears in a misunderstanding about the nature of space and time. He has a series of wildly improbable adventures and ends up travelling in time, space and probability, lives in a cave on prehistoric earth and ends up learning to fly! Some of that hasn't actually happened to me yet, but I have just got up and this Earl grey is going down rather well... It's just gotta be me. PS I do hate to be pedantic but it was the 'Total Perspective Vortex' invented by Trin Tragula. I like the story too because it shows how impossible it is to function with a proper sense of perspective, which is kind of a comment on enlightenment because if you are aware of all things at all times how could you, for instance, get the washing up done?
