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Paddy O'Furnijur
Editor
1 year ago

Happy Caturday, Gerbil Nation!

It can’t be Sven’s house, the cat is only going in one direction and there are no ‘coons.

It’s going to be a beautiful day today and I’m finally going to be able to get some much needed yard work done.

I hope y’all have a wonderful day, ‘cuz you know Jerry will!

Just Sven
Editor
1 year ago

Good afternoon, Paddy and the rest of GN such as we are.

I owe you an apology, Paddy. I’ll drop you an email this weekend.

For whatever reason, I’ve been thinking of a story written by Phillip Jose Farmer -- Riders of the Purple Wage. I first read it in the 70’s in Harlan Ellison’s Dangerous Visions anthology. I know I haven’t reread it in 30 years, but I need to find it or buy it an do so. From that wikipedia thing:

Riders of the Purple Wage is an extrapolation of the mid-twentieth century’s tendency towards state supervision and consumer-oriented economic planning.[1] In the story, all citizens receive a basic income (the purple wage) from the government, to which everyone is entitled just by being born. The population is self-segregated into relatively small communities, with a controlled environment, and keeps in contact with the rest of the world through the Fido, a combination television and videophone. The typical dwelling is an egg-shaped house, outside of which is a realistic simulation of an open environment with sky, sun, and moon. In reality, each community is on one level of a multi-level arcology. For those who dislike this lifestyle, there are wildlife reserves where they can join “tribes” of Native Americans and like-minded Anglos living closer to nature for a while. Some choose this lifestyle permanently.

Written in 1967, he still hit the mark as to the 21st century. Huh. PDFs of it online. That will save me some moolah.

Paddy O'Furnijur
Editor
1 year ago
Reply to  Just Sven

I’m not sure why you’d owe me an apology, Sven, but I’ll look for your email.

I read PJF’s Riverworld series in the late 70’s on a friends recommendation. I read a few other collections of his short stories and found them to be hit or miss. I don’t recall coming across Riders of the Purple Wage though. I’ll have to check it out.