• Banno
    23.1k
    A touchstone to determine the actual worth of an "intellectual" - find out how he feels about astrology.
    - Robert A. Heinlein

    So, folks, let's find your worth.
  • Baden
    15.6k


    I take it you're a Capricorn?

    I may as well tell you now by the way, this will never make it to the 100. You can quote me on that.
  • Akanthinos
    1k
    Funnily enough, "Intellectual" was originally a term of derision with some not-so-subtil anti-semitic overtones.

    "In the late 19th century, amidst the Dreyfus affair (1894–1906), an identity crisis of anti-semitic nationalism for the French Third Republic (1870–1940), the reactionary anti–Dreyfusards (Maurice Barrès, Ferdinand Brunetière, et al.) used the terms intellectual and the intellectuals to deride the liberal Dreyfusards (Émile Zola, Octave Mirbeau, Anatole France, et al.) as political dilettantes from the realms of French culture, art, and science, who had become involved in politics, by publicly advocating for the exoneration and liberation of Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish French artillery captain falsely accused of betraying France to Germany." -Wiki
  • andrewk
    2.1k
    I have read and loved many Heinlein books. Sometimes he could be enigmatic. This is one of those occasions. I have no idea what he is trying to convey with his question, and being a fan, I'd like to know.

    Do you have an idea, or is it just an excuse to talk about astrology - which could be fun too.
  • Banno
    23.1k
    I take it you're a Capricorn?Baden
    The sun was in Aquarius when I was born.
  • Banno
    23.1k
    It's origin goes back at least to the 1500's.
  • Banno
    23.1k
    this will never make it to the 100Baden

    There. Quoted.
  • Baden
    15.6k


    Something fishy about that answer.
  • Baden
    15.6k
    Et moi. Maybe it all makes sense.

    t5q6cexzofu6qcej.jpg
  • Banno
    23.1k
    Do you have an idea, or is it just an excuse to talk about astrology - which could be fun too.andrewk

    He was pretty disparaging of astrology. I suspect he would have treated an intellectual who came ti its defences with disdain.
  • Banno
    23.1k
    Too wishy-washy? Too watered down?
  • Baden
    15.6k


    I'd suggest jumping in the deep end. If there was one.
  • Banno
    23.1k
    Is that your star-sign, of the sign the sun was in when you were born?

    Curiously, there are now 13 constellations in the Zodiac, including s constellation Ophiuchus, the serpent-bearer, which the Sun enters on Nov 30, 2017, and leaves onDec 18, 2017.

    Any Ophiuchians amongst us?
  • Baden
    15.6k


    q8iorpkees8gwiri.jpg

    This is my sun sign apparently. Definitely something in this. Tell me more.
  • Akanthinos
    1k
    So, folks, Let's find your worth.Banno

    My parents were obsessed with the Dice of Destiny horoscope b.s. Would make us play it every 3 months.
  • Baden
    15.6k
    My today's horoscope:

    "Although you generally like to think of yourself as being rational and scientific, today you might surprise yourself. You could suddenly find yourself picking up intuitively on the thoughts and feelings of others, particularly those closest to you. You might find yourself answering their questions before they even ask them. Don't freak. This is just as scientific as anything else. We just don't have the why of it yet. Accept it and go with the flow."

    Jesus, it just gets creepier by the minute.
  • Akanthinos
    1k


    As far as I know, not in the Francophone world.
    Which is the only one that matter. :-*
  • Akanthinos
    1k
    Jesus, it just keeps creepier by the minute.Baden

    Which is scientific, don't worry. We just don't know why or how.

    If the boogeyman that lives under your bed and threatens to skin you alive every night is invisible to your parents, don't worry. It's all scientific. We know we don't know why or how, so you should know too. And this should bring you comfort as he disembowels your parents in front of you.
  • Sir2u
    3.2k
    A touchstone to determine the actual worth of an "intellectual" - find out how he feels about astrology.

    For a writer that spent a lot of his time writing about people going to the stars, I guess that astrology would seem kind of stupid.
    I used to read his and Asimov's books when I was a kid. I doubt that he had much faith in people that had strong feelings about finding their future by the position of the stars instead of trying to get to them.
  • Akanthinos
    1k
    I used to read his and Asimov's books when I was a kid.Sir2u

    Asimov is miles ahead of Heinlein. >:o
  • Banno
    23.1k
    Now that is a topic that might get us to 100 pages.
  • Banno
    23.1k
    I'm not a balanced individual.
  • Banno
    23.1k
    Asimov's Foundation series was almost unreadable. A ridiculous premise and feeble, sexless characters.
  • Akanthinos
    1k
    A ridiculous premise and feeble, sexless characters.Banno

    Well, that's your fault for not starting with Prelude to Foundation. Asimov hooked him up with a girl directly in the 1st book.

    And the last two books almost had too much sex, to be honest. Joy was very clearly included after someone mentioned to Asimov how few women were in his serie.
  • Sir2u
    3.2k
    Asimov is miles ahead of Heinlein. >:oAkanthinos

    I never said he was not, just that I read them both when I was a kid. But that is your opinion so you stick to it.

    And the correct measurement would be light years.
  • Sir2u
    3.2k
    Well, that's your fault for not starting with Prelude to Foundation.Akanthinos

    Unless I am very much in error, the prelude was written many years after the Foundation series. So Banno nor anyone else could have started with it.
  • Akanthinos
    1k


    Yup. Prelude was published in 1988. His earliest Foundation stuff dates back to 1951. And Banno could have read it in the correct order if only he was not so old and decrepit. I was born in the 80s, and had no choice but to read it in the proper order. See? Best part about it, I barely remember anything about the 80s!

    Still.
    A ridiculous premise and feeble, sexless characters.Banno
    could be said about a lot of great series. I mean, this describes everything by H.P. Lovecraft down to a t, and yet, Lovecraft is absolutely awesome.
  • Sir2u
    3.2k

    I can't say who my favorite Sci-Fi writer is, there are so many I have read. I usually just stick to trying to remember the ones I did not like, it is easier.

    Back in the early days of Sci-fi it was probably a lot easier to come up with new, novel ideas because anything was possible still and people were excited at any new idea. I feel sorry for the new writers that try to follow in their footsteps, trying to come up with new ideas that even school kids would not laugh at must be hard.
  • BC
    13.1k
    I liked some of Asimov (like A for Andromeda) and nothing by Heinlein. Arthur Clark, of course, and Frank Herbert.

    Nancy Ray Gun consulted astrologists before and during her time in the white house. Whether President Ray Gun was able to understand his daily horoscope or not, don't know. Probably not.
  • Baden
    15.6k
    *Shrug* I liked Foundation, especially the fourth one (I think, it was). For sex, I went James Herbert.
  • Wayfarer
    20.6k
    According to my date of birth, I'm supposed to be Libran, but I'm not so sure I really am a Libran.

    'Stranger in a Strange Land' was my favourite Heinlein novel. Years later I wrote a song with that title.
bold
italic
underline
strike
code
quote
ulist
image
url
mention
reveal
youtube
tweet
Add a Comment