The Dilettante Debut

One of my favorite books is the science fiction novel Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner. Written over thirty years ago, it anticipates a number of the features of the modern society we live in now, including powerful multinational corporations, social disintegration, random violence committed by anarchists, and the growth of multiculturalism and religious fanaticism. While not accurate in every detail, it's still eerily prescient. The hero of the book is a professional dilettante, paid by the government to follow his curiosity wherever it leads him. The only condition is he share his findings with his government minders. I'm too undisciplined, even as a dilettante, to be considered a professional. But I think it's a cracking good idea, an army of amateurs helping to make connections and make sense of the world. This is my offering. My only guarantee is to share the thoughts and research I find interesting, my only hope is that they'll be of interest to others as well.