As I listen to a few of my residents debate about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and its intricacies, I can't help but think of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. I can see similar points and situations from both sides, want of safety, food, water, and shelter. I'm not going to take a side as to who is right and wrong, even though Arafat embezzled money just like the Warden in the book. Just as the revolution in the book takes place to restore freedom and safety, one of my residents said that people are willing to do anything in order to keep people from dying. Once the rally is raided Mannie joins the revolution as a gateway to MIKE, but still the plot went into full swing after deaths of comrades. The revolution goes into full swing when soldiers kill civilians, I'm beginning to see how this story is going away from sci-fi and more like social science. Without the moon setting and the self-aware computer, this story could be just like any other.
The whole linear marriage thing made me think of my time in Utah. I'm not trying to sound preachy/pass judgment on the FLDS, but I couldn't help but think about them when it was described. Granted, women are allowed to marry more than one husband in the book, but I've seen how the FLDS system doesn't work all the time. I'm just surprised that Heinlein makes linear marriage work. This could also be tied into how there don't appear to be many women in Luna City, so they aren't treated like a commodity and are treated more like a necessity and treat them right.
This has also made me think more abstractly, social/science/fiction must have universal problems/aspects to them.
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