In2SciFi

” … the rotten tree-trunk, until the very moment when the storm-blast breaks it in two, has all the appearance of might it ever had.”

Isaac Asimov, Foundation, Bantam Dell, 2004, p36.

A quote for our times:

“It amounts to a diseased attitude - a conditioned reflex that shunts aside the independence of your minds whenever it is a question of opposing authority.”

Isaac Asimov, Foundation, Bantam Dell, 2004, p87.

” … in a plan such as ours, the actions of others are bent to our needs.”

Isaac Asimov, Foundation, Bantam Dell, 2004, p44.

“The sum of human knowing is beyond any one man; any thousand men.”

Isaac Asimov, Foundation, Bantam Dell, 2004, p37.

“Q. You do not consider your statement a disloyal one?
“A. No, sir. Scientific truth is beyond loyalty and disloyalty
“Q. You are sure that your statement represents scientific truth?
“A. I am.

…

“Q. Can you prove that the mathematics is valid?
“A. Only to another mathematician.
“Q. (with a smile) Your claim is then that your truth is of so esoteric a nature that it is beyond the understanding of a plain man. It seems to me that truth should be clearer than that, less mysterious, more open to the mind.
“A. It presents no difficulties to some minds. The physics of energy transfer, which we know as thermodynamics, has been clear and true through all the history of man …, yet there may be people present who would find it impossible to design a power engine. People of high intelligence, too. …”

Isaac Asimov, Foundation, Bantam Dell, 2004, p32.

“It was childish to feel disappointed, but childishness comes almost as naturally to a man as to a child, …”

Isaac Asimov, Foundation, Bantam Dell, 2004, p6.

If you’re a SciFi fan, you probably remember the quote from Asimov’s Foundation Novels. It’s worth remembering as we see so much violence around the world, some initiated by us.

As we so incompetent that we can’t see how all of the violence we’ve spawned hurts us? Is incompetence becoming endemic in the world where so much hate fills people with the need to express themselves in violence?

CHANGED: To post later

One of the things that impressed me was this short speech involving a martian and the main protagonist, Wilder, in the piece:

From the third episode, quoted from the DVD

Martian: There is no secret. Anyone with eyes can see the way to live

Wilder: How?

Martian: By watching life, observing nature, cooperating with it. Making common cause with the process of existence

Wilder: How?

Martian: By living life for itself don’t you see, deriving pleasure from the gift of pure being

Wilder: The gift of pure being

Martian: Life is its own answer, accept it and enjoy it day by day. Live as well as possible, expect no more.
Destroy nothing, humble nothing, look for fault in nothing, leave unsullied and untouched all that is beautiful. Hold that which lives in all reverence, for life is given by the sovereign of our universe, given to be savored, to be luxuriated in, to be … respected.

But that’s no secret, you’re intelligent, you know as well as I what must be done

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IMDB lists this mini-series with a rating of 6.8 of 10 with 600 votes. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080242/) I think that’s a pretty fair rating. While it is no where near as good as Ray Bradbury’s original stories, it does make an interesting story on its own. This particular quote though impressed me, stating as it does some clear guidelines which it would do us all good to think about.