...
I'm reminded of a story I heard about Kirk Gibson after he made his famous home run in the 1988 world series. Some sportswriter asked him if he thought he really was better than Roy Hobbs in "The Natural." Gibson replied, "Of course I am, Hobbs is a fictional character."
It seems to me that a lot of people on the right really don't understand that distinction. I don't know whether it's a pathetic attempt to appear "hip" or whether they really think it makes sense.
...
Man, I know this first-hand. After my book Lightning Crashes came out, do you know how many people told me, 'if you'd just build one of those engines you talked about, you'd solve the energy crisis'? No shit. Thing is, it's science fiction. I do not have plans in my head for a power source that's a combination of cold fusion (which doesn't work) and strong force theory (we don't have the technology). If I did, I'd be the King of the World and half our problems would be solved.
Now, slowly, read my lips. TV and spy novels aren't real. They are not based on fact. A guy like Jack Bauer (of 24) or my lead character would have been killed by the bad guys in the first hour. Thanks to Tom Clancy, people think every conflict can be solved by small Special Forces units who operate with surgical accuracy. Basing foreign policy in the premise of a fictional TV show is a sign we've lowered the bar to new depths regarding the people we elect to run this country. It's a sign the pundits are idiots.
No comments:
Post a Comment