Random Quotes

Currently reading: "Friday" by Robert Heinlein

So far a very enjoyable read. Science Fiction/Adventure about Friday, an artificial person (or AP), courier for a clandestine organization, making her way through a future - I want to say post-apocalyptic, but that's not quite it. It's just a very broken - version of our world. She explores her connection to our world and her potential humanity and struggles through how natural people view her 'species' as she navigates a tumultuous and volatile political system(s) and environment.

Probably a very bad synopsis as I've not yet finished the book, but as far as I can tell, this book deals with human prejudices viewed through the eyes of the victims of such prejudice. In this case, it is an artificial being (impossible to differentiate visually from natural human beings) in the form of a human adult female. More specifically, it seems to deal with the fear of the unknown and especially the unknown potential that we all have as individuals and as humans, whether it be good or bad.

I've never read Heinlein and was always planning on picking him up at some point. But, a couple of weeks ago, a co-worker brought in this book so I decided to give it a shot. Not disappointed in it in the least as it's been a very enjoyable, quick read. Fast-paced story, but never seems to dumb it down - as I've read some (a lot of) science fiction that seemed very amateurish by comparison (I won't name names). In the case of Friday, there is enough complexity in the book that shows that it is a well thought out work, but it doesn't reach too high so as to lose it's reader. If it's a piece of Pop Science Fiction, I'm not sure, but if it is, then it's definitely a good example of it. I'm interested in pursuing more Heinlein after putting this one down.

Anyway, more to the point of this post.

In the last couple of chapters, I've run across a couple of quotes that I found intriguing. Whether it be because of it's current relevance, or because of an interesting concept, or even if it's some relevance that I've attributed to it for whatever personal reason or bias I may have. You be the judge, but I feel like they need to be recorded in some form, even for my own personal posterity.

While reading my last few books, I've missed out on the opportunity to do this mostly because I hadn't thought of it before, but, after further thought, I feel compelled to do this as I run across these types of interesting quotes going forward. I may elaborate on why I chose them or not, but I will try to record these things here as I come by them and, at some point, I may try to collect them in one place... but that's another story. Either way, it will probably eventually be an interesting exercise. It may also be a window into my philosophy of life and my view on the world (one would hope). Ultimately, it may be a testament to how whacked or crazy I really am at any given moment. We'll see how it goes.

So, here are a couple selections from "Friday"

"...your greatest weakness is lack of awareness of your true strength."

"Sick cultures show a complex of symptoms [...] but a dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than a riot. [...] This symptom is especially serious in that an individual displaying it never thinks of it as a sign of ill health but as proof of his/her strength."