The Socrates Blog

 

July 19 to 28 Year 1

Making comment

After each blog there is an email connection to make a comment.
Within the bounds of the monitor's discretion, comments that are made adopting the character of another colonists will be published as part of the text and become part of the novel.

Timothy’s blog

19 July Year One

There have been no blogs these few days for a very good reason.

When I last wrote I commented on the unity of the community, actualised in the rite of the meal and how I saw evil as being identified through what might fragment that communal symbol. You what has happened over these last days is that the issue of silicon 'life' became a Molotov cocktail thrown into a fireworks storehouse. It is not that issue itself that created the division. It was simply the light that set off the fuses in a situation that lay beneath the surface of our life here.

We have noted previously that this colony does not resemble previous experience of Earth's colonies. There, in the era of 16th to 19th century colonialism by European powers for example, boatloads of colonists set off by ship, the ship and the crew being simply their method of transport, leaving them essentially to their own devices to make their own way.

In our situation, however, we were all enlisted as crew, the vessel not only remained but became our home and effective 24-hour environment and -- this is the point -- the hierarchy of authority established by Mission Control before we left the earth remained in charge of the colony.

Cosmetic changes occurred -- captain became president, officers became councillors -- but the hierarchical system was never challenged because, with these first few months we all had to work assiduously at our assigned responsibility and work still as 'crew'.

There was a widespread recognition that some day this would need to change but, until this moment, not one of us challenged the status quo. I need to add at this point that in terms of the Christian section of the community -- and by general consensus extending to the whole community -- I derived my authority as bishop also from earth’s established religious community, even if the circumstances of that were unique.

What triggered a sudden change in response to authority was a concession by the Council that any development in the silicon life issue would be made by consensus of the whole community. When, at the next Council meeting, one of the people pressed the Council on the issue, the President made it very clear that any final decision lay with the Council and himself under the authority of their commission as officers. That was the moment the flaming petrol reached the explosive fuses.

What we have at this moment would, and naval terms be called a mutiny by a large section of the 'crew' and our community is split right down the middle between those who maintain that we remain under the authority of the officers and those who are demanding a democratic society, with authority residing with the colonists as a whole, electing councillors as their representatives. The President and the majority of the Council have stated flatly that they are the authority and until they receive direction otherwise from Mission Control on earth that is the non-negotiable position. This in turn has forced everyone to either acknowledge or refuse to acknowledge that authority, almost evenly dividing the community and bringing everything but essential services to a halt. The situation has the potential to destroy us all.

The position I have taken, and am working to try to get broadly accepted, is that, whatever its source, the President and Council are at this moment our concrete authority and, for the sake and safety of the whole community, we must work under that authority while engaged in constructive discussion about where that authority now lodges in the circumstances of this colony. I am calling for us all to come together in a Eucharistic rite to re-affirm both our community wholeness even in its division, and, hopefully, the recognition of an authority that transcends all of us. At the moment, though, passions are running so high that few are listening to anything I have to say and, furthermore, both sides are accusing me of being aligned with the other. It is terrible time and I am in personal distress deeper than anything I have ever felt in my life. I cannot believe it has all occurred so suddenly and unexpectedly.

Email a comment or response to Timothy's blog of 19 July

Frieda’s blog

19 July Year One

I recognise and appreciate Timothy's effort at bringing sanity and balance to the situation and I recognised too his insight that we are in a dangerous situation. But, frankly, I am enraged. It is the arrogance and blindness that has made me see red. I do not contest at all that we were crew for the voyage and needed to be under that kind of hierarchical discipline. That is not what we are now. We are a colony, a society, the foundation we hope of an occupation of this planet by human society for an indefinite future and one day covering all land here. It is no longer acceptable to be held to account to earth and to earth-appointed authorities. We, the columnists collectively, are the political authority on this planet. For one thing, there is no practical accountability of the Council to any Earth oversight, given the sheer time-lag for communication. And what happens when succession is forced upon the command structure by death or incapacity? Are we expected to wait nine years until Earth appoints a new commander? No, what we have just witnessed these last few days is typical of ruling elites everywhere on earth -- they refused to surrender power to the people and use their means of suppression to retain their hold on power.

I radically disagree with Bishop Timothy on the issue of accepting their authority while working through to a new solution. The only possible resolution now is for the entire Council and President to resign and open up the leadership to a general election. Nothing else, nothing less is acceptable.

Email a comment or response to Frieda's blog of 19 July

John's blog

19 July Year One

For me, I just want to get on with the job I'm here to do and the best way of doing that is with the efficient and well-run command structure we have. The last thing I want to see here is a pack of squabbling politicians for then nothing gets done. If we are going to go down that track then we should abort the whole venture and go back to Earth.

One day, I grant, the situation will change and then -- perhaps -- it might be time for democracy -- but not now -- definitely not now. Democracy is messy and inefficient and that is something this enterprise cannot afford to be.

Email a comment or response to John's blog of 19 July

Luke's blog

19 July Year One

I feel yuk! Absolute yuk! To be honest, I do not know what is wise in this situation. When I listen to Frieda and the advocates for a democratic society I relate strongly for, back on Earth, I always supported those who confronted authoritarian regimes in the call for democracy and saw how terrible were the repressive regimes they challenged. So my long-held political orientation sways me to support the democrats. Then I listened to the Council and their supporters such as John. I don't give a spit for their claim that only Earth's Mission Control can change their authority, for the very reasons Frieda gives. But I do see clearly that ours is a situation that cannot be governed by 'popular will' for we are simply too dependent on our systems and everything functioning optimally. We cannot 'muddle through' like Earth societies. We cannot descend into political chaos and survive.

In the short term I am with a solution Bishop Timothy proposes. We must accept the status quo while we worked together over time to develop new institutions for governments. I suspect that the solution we end up with will be quite different from solutions normative to earth for our context here is so radically different will stop I think this is where I'd take issue with both sides: they are thinking and turns conventional to earth, not addressing what our unique situation may require.

Email a comment or response to Luke's blog of 19 July

Mme Lu’s blog

19 July Year One

I am absolutely clear. The Council is in command of this venture and there is no room in any degree to question or challenge that command. Whatever the difficulties that may be in communication with Earth, this is not, nor will be for the foreseeable future, a "self-governing" colony. Our government is still Mission Control and that is our ultimate responsibility. For me or for any member of the Council -- the appointed officers for this mission -- to surrender responsibility would be a court-martial offence. At no stage whatever did Mission Control plan or intend to surrender control to a democratic "government". It may at some future point resolve to do so, but that decision is not ours to make. Whatever edict Council issues, it is the responsibility of everyone to obey, whether or not they agree with that. That is what every adult here signed up to and that is the way it must be.

Email a comment or response to Lu's blog of 19 July

Frieda’s blog 2 for the day

19 July Year One

Lu’s logic leaves open no other way but revolution.

Email a comment or response to Frieda's blog 2 of 19 July

Frieda's blog

20 July Year One

The harsh reality, in the fashion of authoritative regimes everywhere, is that the Council holds literally a power of life and death over each every and every one of us whatever our acknowledgement of their authority. Here that is more stark than anywhere on earth. No one can escape tyranny by crossing a border and becoming a refugee and we are completely dependent for our existence on the 'state' in a way never experienced on earth. We cannot even go and grow our own food and subsist outside the system. So, short of martyrdom, I and those who think we should have a new system have no option but to knuckle under and accept the imposed authority.

But there will come a time -- that I promise.

Email a comment or response to Frieda's blog of 20 July

Mme Lu's blog

20 July Year One

I am relieved to read Frieda's blog though I vehemently reject the implication that our government is tyrannical. With the retreat of the demand for democracy, the immediate danger to the settlement has passed, but what the last few days has revealed is a major psychological problem in our community. Like too many other things in this operation, a result of the speed with which it was put together, the issue of the psychology of a permanent colony of a star system so far from Earth was not properly considered and prepared for. Given the political background of the democratic government of most of our citizens (and I recognise that, apart from my time in New Zealand, I always belonged to an authoritarian system) pressure for democracy and the psychological consequences of denial of that expectation should have been taken into account.

For all that Freida and I stand on opposite sides of this issue, we have been -- and I dearly hope will continue to be -- dear friends. The circumstances of the past few days have put a great barrier between us. Somehow we have to find a way of overcoming that barrier.

While I stand for everything I wrote yesterday, we must as a Council reach across the gulf that has arisen. I know there are Councillors who do not agree with me and insisted that nothing less than a hard line, "take it or go out and die" approach is acceptable, but I know that this cannot work except in a short term, and, if not met, the psychological thirst for the freedom granted in a democratic society will tear us all apart.

Email a comment or response to Lu's blog of 20 July

John's blog

21 July Year One

What makes the turmoil of the last few days extra stupid is that while everyone has been embroiled in in-fighting the most stupendous phenomena is taking place right on our doorstep. What we observed and celebrated a week or so ago is accelerating to a level that is unbelievable if we weren't seeing it for ourselves. For over a hectare of ground around where we released the organisms, the surface now has a distinctly green tinge. Life is spreading so fast and photosynthesis is occurring at such a rate that each day I throw away the previous day's calculations and now the process has gone beyond my capabilities to keep track of it. It is exciting -- and also very scary. We have set something in motion that is now totally beyond either control or prediction.

Email a comment or response to John's blog of 21 July

Timothy's blog

24 July Year One

While I recognise John's impatience with addressing political issues, and his excitement at what is truly an amazing phenomenon occurring on our doorstep, yet we cannot ignore the issue of who holds the power. Human history on earth is full of examples of societies which were ruled by an elite claiming 'divine' authority -- always disastrously for their societies in the long run. Arguably, locating the source of the Council's authority off-planet yet where there is no practical accountability, is the equivalent of such claims to divine authorisation for rulership. It may well be that in the short term this is a necessary state of affairs for the community, but it cannot be long term and I agree with Frieda in her contention that issues of accountability and succession cannot now in any practical sense be referred to Mission Control.

The one step in this direction that I can make with the authority I do carry from my earthly commission is that I state categorically that the religious authority in this colony lies jointly between myself, as consecrated bishop (with therefore a successional link back to the first apostolic Church) and the people of the colony. My authority is within the people, not over them. It is the people who will choose for themselves, jointly with me if I am alive, my successor and my essential role is to ordain and consecrate that successor as chosen.

In making this position clear, I am openly saying to the political leadership that this is the model that they should follow. It is not for me to dictate to them about this or anything else. It is for me to establish a viable model, for that model to be seen functioning successfully and then, with goodwill, for the political power to follow the model freely of its own accord. It would be catastrophic for the colony to tear itself apart in revolution. This is, I trust, the better way.

Email a comment or response to Timothy's blog of 25 July

Samantha’s blog

25 July Year One

Bishop Timothy at last injects some common sense into the situation. What I want to see now, Timothy, is how this might play out in practice.

Email a comment or response to Samantha's blog of 25 July

Freida’s blog

25 July Year One

I also affirm Timothy's approach and solution but I fear that it will not make any impression on a leadership whose determination to hold on to power is naked. The President has stated he can only be removed by Mission control. He has drawn a line in the sand, his entire approach is autocratic and I cannot see him changing his mind.

Email a comment or response to Freida's blog of 25 July

Samantha’s blog 2 for the day

25 July Year One

We are simply too early in whatever life-cycle this enterprise might have to make any radical change in the way we operate. Our existence here is very fragile. If any part of our operation goes wrong, we are in shit. Timothy can make the changes he proposes, and probably ought to make them sooner rather than later. It may well prove that he may be able to develop a system of religious government that can be a model in time for the political government. Now is not the time for any form of change in our political leadership. That will come in time.

Probably the most important role Timothy may have to play is that of the challenger and critique of abuse of power by the political leadership. In this role, if he or his successor is able to authentically root their own authority in that of the people, the bishopric may stand as the best guardian of the health and well-being of the colony.

Email a comment or response to Samantha's blog 2 of 25 July

Luke's blog

25 July Year One

I have mentioned my upbringing as a Catholic. What I did not mention was my brief excursion into seminary training to be a priest. It very quickly became apparent that I was not of the stuff to make a priest in the system -- and I stress "in the system", because, even in the years of my alienation from the church, I have frequently experienced the sense that this really was the location to which I was called -- but that I would never have 'made it' in the system.

I raise this now because I have only just recognised what it was that made me and Catholic priesthood incompatible, and realise the significance of this for our present situation. What I grasped back there was how vital and important it was for healthy community that there be conflict, turmoil, dissent and questioning. These, of course, were the absolute antithesis of what was being demanded of faithful church membership, and utterly so for anyone ordained to the priesthood.

Yet when I look at the history of every creative society, what I never saw was a peaceful, contented people humbly following their leaders, as I was taught should be the Christian way. Every creative time in history was one of immense stress and conflict and turmoil. Even the apostolic era of the Church was one of division, conflict and discord and every word of the New Testament arose out of this turmoil. The Evangelist Luke’s idealisation of the beginning of the church in the Acts of the Apostles was sheer bunkum, a pious lie.

It was the societies that became settled and static that died. My reading of the history of Western civilisation is that it derives its dynamic and creativity precisely from tensions, particularly between church and state but also between different classes and sections, and between the emerging nation states. Intellectually, one of the most exciting times and places to have been alive would have been 17th century London, yet it was also a terrifyingly dangerous society, savagely divided and at war with itself.

How is all this relevant to us at this moment? I can understand Timothy's agony at the shattering of the community that we are experiencing and his longing for the restoration of the extraordinary experience of unity and community that we frequently captured these last few months and were able to express ritually in Eucharist. But Timothy is in danger of falling into just that trap that the Catholic authorities on earth fell into in the latter part of the 20th century and early 21st century when they decide everyone had to be of one mind -- requiring that the one mind be as dictated by Rome: no questioning, no discord. But what happened? The church shrivelled into itself and became a shadow having no substance. Deprived of robust and open conflict and dissent, it simply slipped into a coma and effectively ceased to exist as a real community.

What has happened to us over these last few days is distressing -- but it is the best sign yet that we are alive, healthy and have creative energy. For the time being I am okay with accepting the established authority for the reasons already given, but what we must never allow to happen is the suppression of questioning, disagreement, discord and conflict. It is when that happens that, like the church I once knew, we will be on the sure road to death.

Email a comment or response to Luke's blog of 25 July

Luke's blog

26 July Year One

Overnight I experienced an amazing personal transformation. Over dinner, my blog of yesterday caused vigorous discussion and, for the first time since arriving here -- for the first time since my wife died on the voyage -- I found myself enjoying the moment, the company, situation, the challenge. I slept deeply and peacefully last night, literally the first such sleep in years, and woke this morning with relish. It is as if the whole burden of grief and anger has been lifted from me.

Then, this morning, Bishop Timothy tapped me on the shoulder at breakfast with the comment, "Next time it may be hands on your head." And I felt a surge of pure joy.

Where this leads I do not know. I simply recorded as this moment.

Email a comment or response to Luke's blog of 26 July

Luke's blog second for the day

26 July Year One

It has been an odd day to day, like nothing I have ever experienced before. In one sense, I have felt utterly empty as if all life has drained out to me, yet not in a despairing or negative sense. I have never studied Buddhism so I might be wide of the mark but the sense I have had today I can only identify or connect with what I can see as something like what the Buddha was speaking of in the concept of Nirvana -- of a nothingness that is an ultimate completion. I attended the midweek Eucharist today yet even here there it was as if mind and soul were a complete blank yet that was okay. It seems the utter antithesis of Christianity yet not at all alien. In fact, in its utter emptiness it seems to put everything in perspective -- which is itself a very odd statements because, at this time, in the nothingness there was nothing on which to have perspective. (And no -- I have not been drinking!)

Email a comment or response to Luke's blog 2 of 26 July

Luke's blog

28 July Year One

Today I have been asked by the President to become an officially recognised 'elder' in the community specifically charged at the present time to assist the colony to find a wise path through this present crisis of authority. I am aware that Bishop Timothy recommended this invitation to the President and I have received word of support from those advocating political change.

The appointment and the trust placed in me is humbling. I am still experiencing the sense of emptiness I noted yesterday -- perhaps it is a permanent state, I cannot tell. Yet I feel a profound peace, even into the face of the daunting challenge the new appointment confronts me with. I therefore have no idea, no strategy, for approaching the challenge but yet have an inner confidence about it. I hope this does not prove illusory.

Email a comment or response to Luke's blog of 27 July

Frieda’s blog

28 July Year One

Luke’s appointment is a positive move. Congratulations, Luke. The opportunity given to us is one we must not squander. I, for one, have sufficient trust in Luke's wisdom, especially now that he has come out with a shell of his grief, that I can accept his wise guidance through the situation confronting us. I recognise that my comment about revolution was made in the heat of emotion and simply is not an option for the reasons already given. Yet change must occur in our system of authority. I have a confidence now that I did not have before that we can find a way through.

Email a comment or response to Freida's blog of 27 July

Timothy's blog

29 July Year One

Over the last day I have spent many hours with Luke. What I am experiencing is the emergence of a person of rare wisdom. I suspect that those who selected this team of colonists while on earth -- choosing from thousands of applicants -- may well have seen this potential within him, which was why he was selected. If so, they chose well.

I want to comment on his experience of being 'empty'. I don't think he is far wrong in associating this with something of the Buddhist enlightenment, and I have never thought that there was a necessary in compatibility between the Buddha’s insight and that of Christianity. After all, the genesis of Hebrew religion, on which Christianity is built, was, in all probability, to be found in the insights developed in India. There has always been a strong theological tradition in Christianity of the ‘negative way’, the sense that we can only speak of what God is not -- which is another way of expressing emptiness and nothingness, as I see it. Furthermore, our entire intellectual framework, including all science, comes back to the recognition that ultimately we know nothing. So I see what Luke is experiencing as one of touching the fundamental base of all 'knowing' in that we discover we know nothing -- theologically, philosophically, scientifically. This is where wisdom begins. It is not in spite of but because of what Luke is encountering that I recognise that in him we have one among us who is truly wise.

In this I see a further confirmation of the point he had made earlier about development arising out of conflict and tension. This profound wisdom to which Luke has come has arisen through the extreme distress of his grief. His emergence into this creative role in our society has happened only because of the conflict of the recent period.

Email a comment or response to Timothy's blog of 28 July

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