Episode 22 - Encased in Ancient Rind

TBD - To Be Determined

Theme: Does more life bring greater wisdom?

Episode Connections
Authors, stories. Neil Gaiman, Sandman series. Phillip K. Dick. Samuel R. Delaney & Marilyn Hacker, Quark series. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings. Stephen R. Donaldson, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. Jerome Bixby, “Old Testament.” Clifford Simak, “Desertion.” J.G. Ballard, “Voices of Time.” Jason Key. R.A. Lafferty, Not to Mention Camels. Jonathan Strahan, The Best of R.A. Lafferty.
Films. The Day After Tomorrow.
TV episodes, series. None this time.
Ideas. Post-apocalyptic sci fi. Repetition of geological eras from ancient times. Evolution & adaptation. Apocalypse … hold the zombies. Complacency and despair in the face of cataclysmic change. Human minds sometimes acclimate to adapt. Free speech, knowledge, and oppression. Social & intellectual regression. The story features an absence of technological innovation in the face of change. Does wisdom come with time and longevity? Ents, elves, & other long-lived races from literature. Investing in Pokemon plush toys. Natural v. unnatural longevity in fiction. Reflection only brings wisdom with perspective. Atmospheric pollution. The canonization of stories.
Whoa - Hmmm - WTF. Bill says he began in a state of WTF, but that fades to Hmmm on further reading. Lafferty hits you between the ears. “Ancient Rind” is strategically weird. Dan followed a similar path.

Previous episode: Alice Glaser, “The Tunnel Ahead,” Kurt Vonnegut, “2BR02B”
Next episode: Fritz Lieber, “A Pail of Air”

Music Credit: "Ouroboros" Kevin MacLeod (Incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Link: Creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/