"Absolute universalism, in which we feel compassion for every individual on Earth, is psychologically impossible."
The author has obviously never read science fiction. A non-human out-group instantly allows all humans to be in one in-group.
The author has obviously never read science fiction. A non-human out-group instantly allows all humans to be in one in-group.
Stan Lee has said he created the X-Men (and others) in part to tell a story about racism without talking about race. Instead of it being skin color, it was the (often invisible) genetic aspects that people used to define the in/out-groups.
The Watchmen, Ender's Game, and Starship Troopers all work for this one too.
Ender's Game also showed what happens - blame and recriminations - after the external threat is removed.. people go back to their old struggles, fights, etc.
No, it really isn't. Certainly they deal with many of the same themes, and if you want to say that Haldemann does a much better job then I can probably agree with that, but accusing Ender's Game of being a mere rip-off just because they address similar topics is silly.
(OSC is also a weird and outspoken homophobe; easy to see him (a) misunderstanding forever war and (b) liking it for the wrong reasons).
Look, card is clearly the better writer between the two of them. He added a lot. But if you want to put forward war fiction as a case for empathy, it's irresponsible to look at EG before FW.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender's_Game#Creation_and_insp...
> Ender's Game was written specifically to establish the character of Ender for his role of the Speaker in Speaker for the Dead, the outline for which he had written before novelizing Ender's Game.
The continuation of enders war do go into much more societal factors.
Rather, I'd say I have a healthy respect for all living beings.
I can smack a mosquito and respect it was doing what it needed to survive, while also putting myself first in my desire to not catch dengue fever.
Life and death are natural. Empathy may not be complete unless you're willing to sacrifice yourself. Respect may or may not be limited to humans.
People will unite for a common goal until this common goal is removed, and don't count on removing all bickering.
Also see below answers, LoTR also touches on the subject with the FoTR and conflicts between races even when united on a common goal.