And it sticks. I mean, focus your attention in that little world of meanings and symbols long enough and you’ll tend to get stuck there.

But reality is infinitely larger than that little world. So to stay there, in that little world, to have your perspective altered like that all the time, is a bit unhealthy and insane.

But this is considered normal. Encouraged even.

  • Plesiohedron@lemmy.cafeOPEnglish
    11·
    2 days ago

    Permutation City blew my mind too. Such great ideas. Definitely in my top 10 faves.

    Diaspora, and other Egan too, ya. But PC most of all. I’ve read it like 6 times. It’s got that proper scifi vibe. The walls of reality crumble.

    (Btw, what was the meaning of the testicular spasm? Was it a metaphor?)

    • Bags@piefed.socialEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      I think it was just an odd way of making him seem more human and normal. Also the fact that he doesn’t mention anything about it also happening in his previous lives leaves an interesting open question that could either lend credence or hinder his whole backstory… At least that’s how I interpreted it.

      All in all, though… one of the less awkward and more impactful sex scenes in a science-y book, which is much better than the usual ones I remember because they’re terrible and awkward and don’t fit in with the surrounding plot lol

      • Plesiohedron@lemmy.cafeOPEnglish
        1·
        19 hours ago

        Another thing.

        One of the private universes went bad. So they locked the door. A deeply scary idea. A sealed cellular automaton based universe. Perfectly deterministic therefore ultimately incapable of escaping its history. Perfectly sealed therefore incapable of salvation from the outside. And once the gate is lost, perfectly lost forever.

        It’s similar to the Solipsistic Nation guy. Trapped in a personal universe where he’s enjoying climbing a skyscraper forever. His memory automatically edited so he doesn’t get bored

        I think about that a bit. It’s got a deep scariness. nightmareish

      • Plesiohedron@lemmy.cafeOPEnglish
        1·
        2 days ago

        Here’s a story that explores similar ground.

        Divided by Infinity

        It’s in The Perseids and Other Stories By Robert Charles Wilson

      • Plesiohedron@lemmy.cafeOPEnglish
        11·
        2 days ago

        Maybe it was a mark of his alienness. A fundamental human pleasure rendered painful. He was on his hundredth universe after all.