A blueprint for Libertarian Revolution, as penned by Robert A. Heinlein

After recently exchanging U2U's with another member, I realized exactly how important the novel The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, by Robert A. Heinlein is to me. It should be important to all American patriots as well, as many of the topics may be of vital importance in the coming days.

I read this book in college, and it was the first book I ever read that completely immersed me. For some reason (this is in 1998), I found this book to be very important. Most especially the concept/phrase TANSTAAFL:

en.wikipedia.org...

It was so important to me, I had the word tattooed on my body. I do my best to live TANSTAAFL, and I teach the concept to my kids.

Here's wiki's listing on the book, including a brief synopsis that does decent justice:

en.wikipedia.org...

Recently, I noticed that the Patriot movement has borrowed a concept from this novel too:

www.simonjester.org...

All of these factors, IMHO, make this required reading for liberty lovers everywhere!

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/bf80022b97ae.jpg[/atsimg]

"Moon", IMHO, is a allegory of the American Revolution. With a touch of Australia thrown in for good measure. (I first read it when it originally came out in paperback.)

reply to post by Gawdzilla


I couldn't agree with you more... I'm assuming you're referring to the moon being originally a prison colony in the book?

Another thing I found interesting... Today I saw a thread on a kinetic energy weapon, space based...

Heinlein really covered all the bases.

PS- Now you've roughly "dated" yourself! Thanks for the reply... I really think people should read this book!



[edit on 22/4/09 by cbianchi513]

Originally posted by cbianchi513
reply to post by Gawdzilla

 

I couldn't agree with you more... I'm assuming you're referring to the moon being originally a prison colony in the book?

Another thing I found interesting... Today I saw a thread on a kinetic energy weapon, space based...

Heinlein really covered all the bases.

"throwing rocks" is kind of spooky if you look at the West Bank these days.

Heinlein was a major proto-libertarian philosophical influence on me, too. Despite various later divergences from his 'simple, common sense' explanations of political realities (eg, the ignoring of the potential of wilful abuse of fascist psychological manipulation by an inner elite in Starship Troopers), I still consider him one of my greatest influences of political thought, next to Jefferson.

I've been trying to find a short story of his that I remember, "Breakages, Inc,", which describes the corporatist repression of innovation, in the 1940s. Something to do with the "shipstone" free-energy technology. I have not been able to find a single copy or reference of it online! Has anyone else read that story?

reply to post by Ian McLean


I remember that story as well... I'll look for that, I'm pretty sure it's in one of the collected works, as it's a short story I think.

I'm pretty sure that what you are talking about was a single inventor, and not the shipstone mentioned in Friday.

As to the Starship Troopers governmental system... Wow, Heinlein really nailed the New World Order, huh? I'm pretty sure the only other author that scared me like that was Orson Scott Card. I know, I know... What about Huxley, or Orwell? Rand???

What can I say, I like throwing in a bit of extra planetary travel...

Thought you may enjoy this... I used it on a thread entitled "who should have the right to vote?" or some such. I think the creepiness was lost on the members in that thread...

www.youtube.com... e%5Fdomain%3Dwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%26hl%3Den%26&feature=player_embedded

SERVICE GUARANTEES CITIZENSHIP!!!


[edit on 22/4/09 by cbianchi513]

[edit on 22/4/09 by cbianchi513]

[edit on 22/4/09 by cbianchi513]

[edit on 22/4/09 by cbianchi513]

Originally posted by Ian McLean
Heinlein was a major proto-libertarian philosophical influence on me, too. Despite various later divergences from his 'simple, common sense' explanations of political realities (eg, the ignoring of the potential of wilful abuse of fascist psychological manipulation by an inner elite in Starship Troopers), I still consider him one of my greatest influences of political thought, next to Jefferson.

I've been trying to find a short story of his that I remember, "Breakages, Inc,", which describes the corporatist repression of innovation, in the 1940s. Something to do with the "shipstone" free-energy technology. I have not been able to find a single copy or reference of it online! Has anyone else read that story?

It's not listed on his wiki page. Or ISFDB.

Yep. I remember reading this, I was about 14 or 15. Loved science fiction.
I read a lot of Heinlein back then. I never considered his writings as something I could possibly experience in my lifetime because the settings were so far in the future for me. Silly me. My mom had a friend who was a literature professor at the University of Cincinnati. He was a sci-fi fan. His own kids were not at all interested in what he liked, but in me, a sort of fatherless boy (father not involved in my life), he found a young mind willing to explore the possible worlds that he enjoyed. He gave me a book about Barney and Betty Hill, some magazines with bigfoot stories, in particular, one was about the Patterson film. Magazines about aliens, future weapons, alternative universes, etc. He opened my mind, at least a little bit, and set me on a course to continually, probably too slowly, lol, that's my problem, not his, to accept other viewpoints and to continually question authority and religion and, even, science. I'm really rambling now. Anyway, as I look back on some of those "early" science fiction writers, I see them also as sociologists and psychologists and political scientists. S&F, cbianchi.

Nah, time to fold our tents.
So when do we hijack the starship?
Push the button, pull the switch, cut the beam. Make it march!

[edit on 4/22/2009 by Phage]

One of my first professors of Computer Science, the one who called us all "boots" and taught us what the profession was really about, was a Heinlein fan.

I found that out one day when he walked in to give his lecture, with a copy of The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress under his arm. Though he taught only CS (and assumed nothing more!) his teaching's reflected his earned wisdom, and spoke well to his taste in literature: fun, to the point, deeply thought-out, not needlessly complex, and more real than any PhD would dare to say.

Thanks gus.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read it yet.

reply to post by Ian McLean


I clicked on the "Thanks gus" link and read it... What a great teacher he must have been. I read the whole thing and actually laughed at parts!

Then again, my wife, father, aunt, sister in law, and many friends are educators.

Thanks. I'm sure Heinlein and gus would have gotten along swimmingly!

reply to post by Ian McLean



The story you were referring to in the earlier post is LetThere be Light... I think. Is this it?

en.wikipedia.org...(short_story)

Great story. I'm going to read it again tonight, and start Mistress again tomorrow.

The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress is a fantastic book! Just one of many from The Master.
IN many on his short stories, novellas as well as his novels, he laid out plans for revolution. "If This Goes On-" is one example, as any of are the Lazrus Long stories.
Heinlein had a liberatarian point of view, even in Starship Troopers. People read fascism into a book, because he talks mainly about the military. What people forget is that, as part of the backdrop for the story, there had been a societal breakdown, and when things started coming back together, those who served in military were the only ones who could vote. Not unlike our country at the time of it's inception. After the revolutionary war, for a time, only landowners could vote.
I have read all of Heinlein's work that I could find. He fascinated from the time I picked up Stranger In A Strange Land. He has influneced my political views, my social morays, my attitudes about gun control, and being armed at all times.
If you can't leave home with a gun, always have a knife or two, and be prepared for anything!

TANSTAFFL!


[edit on 22-4-2009 by kettlebellysmith]

reply to post by kettlebellysmith


I think Hollywood took extreme liberties in their adaptation of "Troopers" though- when do they NOT? The book was miles apart, but the basic tenets are still there. I agree that the book is much more libertarian.

As I mentioned earlier... If you really want a scare, read the "Ender" series by Card.

Heinlein IS the Master. If they ever faithfully adapted "Mistress" to the big screen, it would set records! Especially in today's political climate!

Too bad the MSM would never let that happen.

Your are right that Moon will never be made accurately, but it isn't the mainstream media. It's liberal writers and actors in Hollyweed that won't let it happen. The liberals don't want a liberatarian point of view put out there. And I'm not too sure about the conservatives.
Hopefully, a true believer indy film maker will be able to come up with a decent script, get some funding and get it to the screen, before it's too late.
But who's going to play Wyoming Knot?

"All You Zombies". 'nuff said.

That is a good book. Another Libertarian-oriented novel is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I recommend reading both of these as well as 1984 by George Orwell, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.


TA

reply to post by kettlebellysmith



Wouldn't it be great if Aaron Russo were still alive? The message of the entire Restore the Republic movement could be injected into the populace in their favorite package: "mindless" entertainment.

I don't know who could possibly play Wyoh well... I would say that if Angelina Jolie were asked, RAH would probably roll in his grave.

Think tall blonde, very curvy, who can disguise herself as a black woman.

See what I mean? Kind of a tough one. Maybe the gal from Nip/Tuck?

reply to post by TheAssociate

Those are all great... I never could figure out who John Galt is though... I think I need to take my soma.


[edit on 28/4/09 by cbianchi513]