[FoRK] Special Circumstances

[Simon Wistow]

On Fri, Apr 04, 2008 at 09:47:35AM -0500, Jeff Bone said:
> And this is a sub-theme in several of the works, too; there's a sort 
> of epidemic helplessness and ennui among the human participants in the 
> Culture, at least those for whom the limitless decadence and "staged 
> purpose" is not fulfilling...

This is an underlying theme in the non-Culture novel the Algebraist as 
well - the Dwellers are an incredibly ancient post scarcity 
civilistation who seem to live what is essentially the kind of decadent 
lifestyle of the Versaille court.

Wars are essentially fought for fun and for reputation - the 'currency' 
such that it exists is largely reputation based although in a few 
different ways to wuffies.