May 23, 2010: Book Club Parable of the Sower

From SolSeed

Participants

• Ben
• Brandon (in and out)
  • Recommends a video "The Empathic Society"
• David
  • Into Zen philosophy
    • Currently reading Zen and the Art of Making a Living
  • Also recommends Richard Bach, Johnathan Livingston Seagull ... philosophical fiction

Discussion Questions

• What did you think of the idea of God being the abstract concept of Change? Is there any way this idea can be connected with other existing religions?
  • Zen: accepting truth rather than avoiding it

• Do you agree with Lauren's father that "it's better to teach people than scare them?" Do people sometimes need to be scared to take potential threats seriously?
  • Some people can handle the scary truth, it depends on what they're ready for
  • Being earnest about non-mainstream ideas, like space exploration being related to meaning-making, can lead to embarrassment and people avoid talking about it as a result
    • Leads to fear that non-normal people might be dangerous
    • Or challenge to self-concept: that maybe the world, or the right way to live, is different than you thought, leading to defensive self-justification

• Why do you think the author invented hyperempathy syndrome? What does it add to the story?
  • The reverse of hyperempathy exists (some forms of autism), and some people are very empathetic
  • The illness sets Lauren apart, changes the way she looks at things ... does this connect with being a religious visionary?
    • Living in a world that's not friendly to hyperempathy, Lauren has to figure out on her own how to cope, perhaps studying the world more deeply as a result

• Do you agree more with Lauren or her father about whether it's worth continuing a space program when there are so many other problems for government to cope with? Is the inspiration it provides people valuable? What if that argument were taking place today rather than in a dystopian future?
  • Longer range viewpoints help us avoid butting heads
  • Practically, it could provide an escape route from catastrophe
  • Expanding our territory is a historic trend