Klonor
13-03-2005, 01:12
This discussion is about the Isaac Asimov novel Pebble in the Sky.
My question: Who is right, the Earthmen or the Outsiders?
By "who is right" I mean which of the two is justified in their intense hatred and bigotry. I know bigotry is never right, but it is sometimes justified (the two are not mutually exclusive). So, Earthmen or Outsiders?
Pebble in the Sky synopsis:
The future. The distant future. The future so distant that humanity has spread across the galaxy and it has been forgotten that Earth is the original human homeworld. In fact, Earth is a radioactive wasteland that can barely support a few million people (20 million to be exact) and is regarded as the bastard planet of the Galaxy.
Earth is run by the Society of the Ancients, a religous cult (No word besides 'cult' applies here) which believes that Earth is humanities homeworld (Which they are right about) and the rightful ruler of the Galaxy. Along with this comes the belief that Earthmen (even the women are regarded as Earthmen) are superior to the other people of the Galaxy and that it is their destiny to rule it all. Unfortunately, the rest of the Galaxy isn't that willing to be ruled by what is the futures equivelant of a third world country.
The Galactic Empire, a galaxy spanning nation which includes every planet in the known Universe (That'd be some 200 million planets totaling some quadrillion people), rules Earth and is stuck between a rock and a hard place (if that expression means what I think it does, nobody has ever actually explained it to me). Earth has rebelled three times in the past 200 years and has been squashed (horribly) each time. Each rebellion is followed by purges and killings and huge upsets. However, the GE is a generally benevolent nation (The word "Empire" gives it an unearned evil sound) and has as yet resisted from just blowing up the entire planet (which it could easily do and not miss it at all) and being rid of a constant nuiscance. Unfortunately, the people of Earth don't really see the benevolence (there isn't much, but there is some) and resent the Empire for their domination of what they believe to be the rightful King of the Universe.
So, the two sides hate each other. The Earthmen hate the Outsiders (their name for non-Earthers) for their domination and the Outsiders hate the Earthmen for their beliefs of superiority and obvious hatred/physical rebellion. Actually, only the Outsiders who actually know of Earth hate it (Let's face it, Earth is just so insignificant that it's not even that well known). This isn't like modern day racism and bigotry, where some people are racist and some some peoply aren't, this is Galaxy wide. Except for an extreme minority (Those being people who are knowledgeable of the others, Outsiders who know of Earths past and Earthmen who have been educated in the Galactic view) the hatred is universal.
Which side is justified in their hatred? The Earthmen have been subjugated and conquered, restricted from emigrating to other planets where there isn't radioactivity and prevented from transferring new topsoil from other planets to replace the toxic soil. Yet the Outsiders have put much effort into bringing Earth up to the standards of the rest of the Galaxy and have received nothing except blind hatred and violence in return. Complicated, isn't it?
My question: Who is right, the Earthmen or the Outsiders?
By "who is right" I mean which of the two is justified in their intense hatred and bigotry. I know bigotry is never right, but it is sometimes justified (the two are not mutually exclusive). So, Earthmen or Outsiders?
Pebble in the Sky synopsis:
The future. The distant future. The future so distant that humanity has spread across the galaxy and it has been forgotten that Earth is the original human homeworld. In fact, Earth is a radioactive wasteland that can barely support a few million people (20 million to be exact) and is regarded as the bastard planet of the Galaxy.
Earth is run by the Society of the Ancients, a religous cult (No word besides 'cult' applies here) which believes that Earth is humanities homeworld (Which they are right about) and the rightful ruler of the Galaxy. Along with this comes the belief that Earthmen (even the women are regarded as Earthmen) are superior to the other people of the Galaxy and that it is their destiny to rule it all. Unfortunately, the rest of the Galaxy isn't that willing to be ruled by what is the futures equivelant of a third world country.
The Galactic Empire, a galaxy spanning nation which includes every planet in the known Universe (That'd be some 200 million planets totaling some quadrillion people), rules Earth and is stuck between a rock and a hard place (if that expression means what I think it does, nobody has ever actually explained it to me). Earth has rebelled three times in the past 200 years and has been squashed (horribly) each time. Each rebellion is followed by purges and killings and huge upsets. However, the GE is a generally benevolent nation (The word "Empire" gives it an unearned evil sound) and has as yet resisted from just blowing up the entire planet (which it could easily do and not miss it at all) and being rid of a constant nuiscance. Unfortunately, the people of Earth don't really see the benevolence (there isn't much, but there is some) and resent the Empire for their domination of what they believe to be the rightful King of the Universe.
So, the two sides hate each other. The Earthmen hate the Outsiders (their name for non-Earthers) for their domination and the Outsiders hate the Earthmen for their beliefs of superiority and obvious hatred/physical rebellion. Actually, only the Outsiders who actually know of Earth hate it (Let's face it, Earth is just so insignificant that it's not even that well known). This isn't like modern day racism and bigotry, where some people are racist and some some peoply aren't, this is Galaxy wide. Except for an extreme minority (Those being people who are knowledgeable of the others, Outsiders who know of Earths past and Earthmen who have been educated in the Galactic view) the hatred is universal.
Which side is justified in their hatred? The Earthmen have been subjugated and conquered, restricted from emigrating to other planets where there isn't radioactivity and prevented from transferring new topsoil from other planets to replace the toxic soil. Yet the Outsiders have put much effort into bringing Earth up to the standards of the rest of the Galaxy and have received nothing except blind hatred and violence in return. Complicated, isn't it?