NP - Childhood's End

[Ian Livingston]

Humanists must recoil at End. Forced? Evolution is evolution. You can call
it force because it is irresistible, I suppose. Inevitable. The Overlords
are observers only, remember, whose only use of force is in preventing the
kids in the playpen from self-destructing before they can grow up into
something incomprehensible to their parents, something possibly divine.

On Wed, Sep 9, 2015 at 5:38 PM, Mark Thibodeau <jerkyleboeuf at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Having read it and found it incredibly chilling on first read (as did
> Kubrick, by the way... he did NOT see it as optimistic, and told Clarke as
> much), I have to wonder what all y'all P-Listers "enjoyed" about it? I
> mean, the finale, set on (SPOILER) a planet covered in unisynchronously
> mind-melded sleepwalkers, just swaying in place, waiting... what was
> "enjoyable" about that? Especially considering said evolution was forced
> upon them (us)?
>
> Just curious. I do consider it a sf must-read, but I also think it's
> probably not right for anyone under 18. It could seriously warp one's sense
> of self and the worth of one's fellow man, if taken seriously (the way some
> people take Ayn Rand, for instance). And considering Clarke's own sexual
> peccadildos...
>
> J
>
> On Wed, Sep 9, 2015 at 8:30 PM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm not sure it needs anything more than our standard ongoing political
>> catastrophe. But that's a quibble.
>>
>>
>> On Wednesday, September 9, 2015, Ian Livingston <igrlivingston at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I personally love that little book and have recommended it steadily to
>>> all and sundry for decades. Aside from the science, it is a powerful
>>> statement on the evolution of ideas. I steadily wish someone like the
>>> Wachowskis would pick up the story and go to town with it. It deserves big
>>> treatment and it always seemed to me perfect fare for a serious filmmaker.
>>> I'll watch for comment on this production. If Karellin is boshed, the whole
>>> thing collapses. It also needs its foundation in imminent geopolitical
>>> catastrophe, but that part's easy.
>>>
>>> On Wed, Sep 9, 2015 at 4:52 PM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I like old school sci-fi. I was given an anthology sci-fi short stories
>>>> arranged chronologically, starting in the 19th Century, War with the
>>>> Robots. It was amazingly prescient.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.amazon.com/War-With-Robots-Isaac-Asimov/dp/0517065045
>>>> "28 of the best short stories by the greatest names in 20th Century
>>>> science fiction, including Isaac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke, Lester Del Rey,
>>>> Poul Anderson, Philip K Dick, John Brunner and Harry Harrison."
>>>>
>>>> My favorite was "A Logic Named Joe" by Murray Leinster.
>>>>
>>>> The overall scenario of Childhood's End involves some far-reaching
>>>> speculation which isn't implausible, IMHO. If the mini-series changes the
>>>> basic premises, it is doomed.  The logic equation of the novel can't be
>>>> altered for improvement.
>>>>
>>>> Laura, Maybe it was you that recommended it here...
>>>>
>>>> David Morris
>>>>
>>>> On Wednesday, September 9, 2015, <kelber at mindspring.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> One of my a favorite sci-fi novels when I was a kid. I recently gave
>>>>> it to my son to read, and he enjoyed it, but felt it was a little
>>>>> old-school.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've seen the trailer for the upcoming SyFy adaptation, and it looks
>>>>> pretty bad. But I'll watch it anyway. I think it comes out in December.
>>>>>
>>>>> HAs anyone watched The Whispers? The first season just ended. It was
>>>>> poorly written and acted, but it did have some Childhood's End-like
>>>>> elements in it.
>>>>>
>>>>> Laura
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>
>>>>> From: David Morris
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent: Sep 9, 2015 5:52 PM
>>>>>
>>>>> To: P-list
>>>>>
>>>>> Subject: NP - Childhood's End
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I read this Arthur C. Clark novel on the advice of someone (I forget),
>>>>> and really liked it.  Now it seems SyFy is about to broadcast its 3-Episode
>>>>> mini-series.
>>>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood%27s_End
>>>>>
>>>>> Syfy's Childhood's End HQ | Trailer 2015
>>>>> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=13&v=i3e7aMCIxjY>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>
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