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Arthur C. Clarke Talks With The Onion

sootman writes "The Onion has an interview with Arthur C. Clarke in this week's issue. My favorite line: 'The asteroid [named after me] is number four thousand and something, and the International Astronomical Federation, which deals with these sorts of things and numbered it, apologized to me because number 2001 wasn't available, having been given to somebody named "A. Einstein."'" Reader ronys point out that Despite the source, the interview is not a spoof or satire."

4 of 375 comments (clear)

  1. Re:small article nitpick by George+Michael · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When somebody's dead wrong, it's generally not a good idea to mod them up "Informative"... More like "Misinformative".

  2. Irrelevant by Marxist+Commentary · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Clark is fascinating despite his age - we should treasure the elderly, there is much knowledge there to be gained, but all too often we simply shuffle them to the side like a pair of worn shoes. Enjoy his insights while you still can. He has some fascinating opinions on Martian life, for example.

  3. Re:Great Quote from the Article by drudd · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't think that he took an overly simplistic viewpoint... he mentions racism as another example of a "mind virus," so it seems to me that he's blaming such conflicts on exactly the type of segregationist thinking that you mention. A mind virus would naturally play to the desires of its host, i.e. the idea that one is superior to everyone else, otherwise it could never propagate.

    Doug

    --
    Venn ist das nurnstuck git und Slotermeyer? Ya! Beigerhund das oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!
  4. Re:Great Quote from the Article by brucmack · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's different because it shifts accountability onto others. Being able to say "God told me to" makes it God's fault, whereas other excuses invariably come back to humans at some point.