roseembolism (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
roseembolism) wrote2008-05-01 12:22 pm
roseembolism) wrote2008-05-01 12:22 pm
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Larry Niven's "Modest Proposal"- our NEW controversy!
I bumped into a LJ commentator who was taking various net personalities to task over their reactions to the "Boobs for Nerds" controversy. Out of the kindness of my heart, I had to come in and gently remind him how that controversy is SO last month- it is completely played out as far as interest level goes.
But again, out of the goodness of my heart, I delivered a newer controversy, one that hasn't gotten it's legs under it yet. I'm referring to the SIGMA group, where a bunch of the most talkative SF writers (including Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle and Greg Bear) get together and offer advice on national defense.
Aside from the problematic nature of getting a bunch of SF writers together to do anything, the SIGMA group has met a mixed reception, because well, it's hard to tell if the writers are serious, on topic, or even sober or drunk. But we may be unduly harsh and cynical about the value of the SIGMA conference. Especially when one of the results is Larry Niven's "modest proposal" for keeping health care expenses down:
Niven said a good way to help hospitals stem financial losses is to spread rumors in Spanish within the Latino community that emergency rooms are killing patients in order to harvest their organs for transplants.
“The problem [of hospitals going broke] is hugely exaggerated by illegal aliens who aren’t going to pay for anything anyway,” Niven said.
“Do you know how politically incorrect you are?” Pournelle asked.
“I know it may not be possible to use this solution, but it does work,” Niven replied.
“I cannot guarantee I’m going to be a great help to Homeland Security,” Niven said earlier.
And there you have it ladies and gentlemen, a perfect net controversy right there, justifying SIGMA's existence completely. Is Larry Niven taking the piss? Is he making an ironic comment about the novels of his that involved organ harvesting? Has the Brain eater turned Niven into an insane reactionary like Orson Scott Card?
Oh, there are so MANY possibilities to choose from!
But again, out of the goodness of my heart, I delivered a newer controversy, one that hasn't gotten it's legs under it yet. I'm referring to the SIGMA group, where a bunch of the most talkative SF writers (including Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle and Greg Bear) get together and offer advice on national defense.
Aside from the problematic nature of getting a bunch of SF writers together to do anything, the SIGMA group has met a mixed reception, because well, it's hard to tell if the writers are serious, on topic, or even sober or drunk. But we may be unduly harsh and cynical about the value of the SIGMA conference. Especially when one of the results is Larry Niven's "modest proposal" for keeping health care expenses down:
Niven said a good way to help hospitals stem financial losses is to spread rumors in Spanish within the Latino community that emergency rooms are killing patients in order to harvest their organs for transplants.
“The problem [of hospitals going broke] is hugely exaggerated by illegal aliens who aren’t going to pay for anything anyway,” Niven said.
“Do you know how politically incorrect you are?” Pournelle asked.
“I know it may not be possible to use this solution, but it does work,” Niven replied.
“I cannot guarantee I’m going to be a great help to Homeland Security,” Niven said earlier.
And there you have it ladies and gentlemen, a perfect net controversy right there, justifying SIGMA's existence completely. Is Larry Niven taking the piss? Is he making an ironic comment about the novels of his that involved organ harvesting? Has the Brain eater turned Niven into an insane reactionary like Orson Scott Card?
Oh, there are so MANY possibilities to choose from!