Imported Puppies
I have to say that this reading was probably my favorite so far. It was interesting to thank about both sides of Selden’s situation. On the one hand, he was the best of the best that Earth had to offer who was being given the opportunity to experience something very few other humans would ever even hear about. On the other hand, he was sort of a slave, a primitive who was shown an advanced civilzation and could go back to Earth, but would know what he was missing. This made me think of what Kipling termed “The White Man’s Burden,” that it was the job of a civilized nation to show the barbaric, primitive, backwards native people of the world what they should be. Kimonians, however, seem to have found only a source of entertainment in the funny little people who landed on their planet.
I was wondering though, if Kimon does not use money or bartering of any kind, is it come sort of communal society where the Kimonians have just agreed upon who should have how much? And the schooling analogy sort of threw me off. School just prepares you for more school? What? Then what’s the point?
on March 31st, 2008 at 11:50 pm
[...] Original post by elemons [...]
on April 1st, 2008 at 12:11 am
I really like your connection to “The White Man’s Burden”! I feel like this class connects a lot to my Anthropology class…and we read Kipling’s poem first thing this semester. I thought it was really interesting how you connected the job of the civilized to tame the barbarics, and how the Kimonians just find entertainment from the uncivilized. I totally agree!
on April 1st, 2008 at 1:49 am
I can’t tell what you think of Kipling. You parrot his language about “barbaric, primitive, backwards natives,” and I just hope you were being tongue-in cheek. There is nothing noble about this poem at all..
on April 1st, 2008 at 8:03 am
The school analogy bothered me, too . . . I needed to know what ultimate goal Bishop thought “school” was leading him to.
on April 1st, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I also found this the most enjoyable reading thus far which recalls the discussion we had on reading comics and the work/play discussions we have had. though i thought it reeking of science fiction, which i normally hate, i liked it.