Anathem

[phantom power]

You know, there were some interesting allusions to energy and environment in Neal Stephenson's latest book Anathem. First, there is the bit about cycles of technological civilizations. The pervasive ruins of previous civilizations, and their trash. Technological civilizations harvesting raw materials from the trash of the previous cycle.

Then there is the allusion to "fuel trees." The implication seems to be that some legacy genetically engineered tree is typically used to provide fuel for industrial activity. One thing he doesn't mention, which had me curious, is the population limit that this scheme imposes. If there were fossil fuels, one assumes they were used up in the first cycle, whenever that was.

There is also a mention of climate cycles, which seem to be more or less interglacial in nature. The period of these cycles seems to be rather shorter than the period of glacial cycles on earth.

On a meta level, I was interested that all of this was mentioned very tangentially. None of it figured deeply in the plot of the book.

[Richard D]

1. What was it . . .

. . . something like earth might be after 5000 more years - assuming we don't kill ourselves off first.

It's a book full of interesting ideas. The intellectual elite being cloistered away from the rest of civilization and not allowed too many of the tools of civilization least they get too advanced. All nuclear waste materials being guarded in three sites also guarded by the elite of the elite (the thousanders). The yahooishness of the non-intellectual industrial aspects of the world, e.g. colored sugar water repeated at least 4 times in the book.

But I don't think it's the ideas hold in comparison to our world.

I often ponder what a post-oil civilization will look like. It took a tremendous amount of oil to get us to where we are and nearly all of our infrastructure is based on oil. I don't think it can in any way last past the last drop of oil and last chunk of coal even if we go balls to the walls for alternative sources of energy. I do think that the garbage dumps of today will become the mines of tomorrow. So much waste. But then there is the reality that all of the easily gathered minable metals have already been mined. And look at the amount of energy that takes. It's huge. Much can be recycled, but at a huge cost in fuel. Where will that come from? And then there's plastics - another largely oil based material. Where will that come from in the future?

[phantom power]

2. I can imagine the scenario in Anathem supporting a half-billion or so people.

I cannot recall him mentioning the population of Arbre anywhere in the book, but I don't think anything in there is inconsistent with such a population.

Whether or not an industrial civilization would/could arise after the exhaustion of fossil fuels is subject to a lot of debate. I believe the answer is "yes," but it would be a world with fewer humans. And I don't think people who disagree with me are nuts, either. I might be wrong.

It also assumes that the damage we've done to the biosphere stabilizes in a regime habitable by humans. The jury is out on that too. Recent developments are not very encouraging.

[Richard D]

3. I had that impression as well.

Lots of empty space left over from previous civilizations.

[pscot]

4. I just put it on hold at my local library

It's a hot item. I'm 63rd on the list. I guess I'll get back to you in a couple of months.

[XemaSab]

5. Is this book any better than "Cryptonomicon?"

I gave up on Stephenson after that one. It may have been the WORST BOOK I EVER READ. Poorly written, unedited, boring characters, boring plot, BORING technical details, sexist.... the list goes on. As a one-star review on Amazon puts it, "This book made me not care about the outcome of World War II."

Zodiac > Snow Crash > The Diamond Age > Cryptonomicon

:shrug:

[phantom power]

6. Hmm. If you did not like Cryptonomicon...

I would think twice before buying Anathem. However, they are two different books. I liked Cryptonomicon, but Anathem was a more engaging read.

I dare you to read the Baroque Cycle.
:evilgrin:

[XemaSab]

7. I have better things to do with my life

such as take more calculus classes, read EIR's for fun, dig up all the bermuda grass in the back yard, and apply for federal jobs. :P