At 01:43 PM Sunday 11/27/2005, Robert Seeberger wrote:
Ronn!Blankenship wrote:
> After a lengthy period of isolation, though, why should all of their
> artifacts look exactly like those found in contemporary North
> America? Even on Earth, you can tell a difference between the
> scenery, the clothing, etc., when you travel to Europe, Asia,
> Africa,
> . . ., even after centuries of contact and trade.
I don't think that is a fair comparison really. On Earth, cultures
developed in relative isolation for very long periods of time but are
now becoming more and more monocultural as time passes.
What is seen on BSG is a vast monoculture (for the greatest part the
12 colonies are almost identical) defined and evolving from its
colonial origins.
Agreed. My point (which may not have been clear) is that the 12
colonies have been *** isolated from Earth*** for umpty-ump years . .
. so howcum the fashions worn by the colonists are identical to what
is being worn in a specific part of Earth (North America) right now?
To some extent this development should parallel the development of the
only example of "cities carved out of virgin wilderness" we have more
than any examples we have of cities built on top of ancient cities as
seen in our eastern hemisphere.
How long does it take to fully develop a planetary colony?
(I see evidence that the colonial planets are not fully developed and
populated, and the total population of the entire polity is small
multiples of earths population. Remember that 40 years in the past,
the cylons had almost wiped out colonial civilisation.)
This is a central question.
How many different ways are there to transport garbage on a planet
that is not fully populated?
Some would say that television is a good method . . . :P
(All the evidence I've seen from the
series points to the colonies being having much smaller populations
than Earth [correct me if I'm wrong], and my speculation is that these
are originally colonies *from* Earth since all the evidence shows that
humans evolved here *first* and then emigrated, hence the lower
populations.)
This is a central question.
>Why should the
> people on a planet where the people have not had contact with Earth
> in so long that no one from either world knows of the other world
> except as an ancient legend just happen to wear suits and ties that
> look exactly like what some people on Earth wear, when styles in
> other parts of Earth and little more than a century ago in the parts
> of Earth where they are worn today look so different?
>
See above.
Of course there is another argument to be made.
When you watch a biography of say...George Washingtons life, do you
expect the actor to look *exactly* like George Washington? To sound
exactly like George Washington? To *be* an exact copy of George
Washington?
Of course not!
The actor is supposed to convey the *idea* of George Washington.
In that sense, a terrestrial dumpster is supposed to convey the *idea*
of a *pretend-makebelieve-doesn'texistintherealworld* dumpster.
And yet another argument.
If someone finds a dumpster jarring in a scene on "pretend-Caprica",
yet is not jarred by vehicles, asphalt, and average everyday
warehouses also seen in the background, then ones
suspension-of-disbelief is awfully selective.
I'm pretty sure I know which scene Warren is speaking of and it reeked
of "ordinaryness of setting in turbulent times" which I wouldn't doubt
was intentional.
Then too, my line of work brings me into contact with dumpsters on a
regular and daily basis. Dumpsters are cheap, functional, and
effective, and come in a variety of styles.
I think you have to argue/show that there is a vastly different way to
design dumpsters of equal or better utility that look nothing like
"our" dumpsters
Are they Pepto-Bismol pink, like those belonging to one company here are?
in order to advance an argument that the BSG dumpsters
are some sort of spatial twonky.
Query: Are the events of BSG contemporary with *us* *now*?
xponent
Space Garbage Maru
rob
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--Ronn! :)
"Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country
and two words have been added to the pledge of Allegiance... UNDER
GOD. Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer and that
would be eliminated from schools too?"
-- Red Skelton
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