Arthur C Clarke is dead...
category: general [glöplog]
(and a few months later he died. coincidence?)
Nah, it's too late to be right about 2001. And his ideas about computers and artificial intelligence were as misguided as anyone else's in the 60s, which to me says he was somewhat unremarkable. He got the basic idea of artificial satellites right, but if you keep focusing on the hits and ignoring the misses, anyone becomes a "visionary".
What's worse, people always credit him for having an "uncanny ability" to predict the IMPACT of technology in the future, but I don't see that in his works at all. That's why a story like 1984 remains relevant in 2008, while 2001 and 2010 don't.
What's worse, people always credit him for having an "uncanny ability" to predict the IMPACT of technology in the future, but I don't see that in his works at all. That's why a story like 1984 remains relevant in 2008, while 2001 and 2010 don't.
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Anyway, he was 90, it's not sad, get over it. He was a mediocre writer, and as a "visionary" he was right about 5% of the time. If it hadn't been for Stanley Kubrick you'd probably never have heard of him.
Coincidentally I was reading 2001 yet again and although it was practically co-written by Kubrick, it really is a rather mediocre and somewhat pulpy book, which is indeed not exactly world-class literature. The film is much more about mystery and awe, while in the book everything is spelt out for you (and in a rather dull fashion too).
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That's why a story like 1984 remains relevant in 2008, while 2001 and 2010 don't
The endpoint of human evolution (beyond the "natural evolution", which came to an end long ago), the existence and nature of alien civilizations and the role of technology are still interesting and relevant questions to ponder, now and in the far future.
R.I.P. Arthur. :(
Well, 2001 is a novelization of the film, so you can't really expect much. The real mystery and sense of wonder is in his short stories, as well as selected novels (like Childhood's End and the first Rama).
RIP ACC
3001 was my favourite book - Fountains of Paradise et al had some great ideas such as the Space Elevator and the Clarke Orbit (later known as Geostationary) but 3001 defined my childhood.
He'll be missed :(
He'll be missed :(
clarke was overrated and disposal robot has leading.
Ok childhood's end was pretty neat, but that's about it..
Ok childhood's end was pretty neat, but that's about it..
my condolences, another great visionary of the second half of the last century has died ...
r.i.p. acc
r.i.p. acc
R.I.P A.C.C
Well, I kinda enjoyed the 2001 book but I was twelve when I read it so perhaps it would suck today. The first Rama ruled though, whereas the second (that he cowrote with someone) sucked and I dropped it after a couple of chapters. Haven't read much else, some short story about some buddhist monks that use computers to spell out the true name of God and thus ending the world which was pretty good.
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[...] some short story about some buddhist monks that use computers to spell out the true name of God and thus ending the world [...]
Hilarious! I'm going to read that for sure. Sounds like Terry Pratchett though.
rip patrick cowley and arthur c clarke :( thank god for music
It's the Nine Billion Names Of God.
Writers are dying in alphabetical order!
Hugo Claus also died yesterday.
Hugo Claus also died yesterday.
