The great and positive influence of computers and the Internet

Just as the article about the great and positive influence of public libraries was inspired by quotations from Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, this article was inspired by something that the writer Sylvia Engdahl says in her online autobiography, which can be found here. 

Where Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman both paid tribute to public libraries, Sylvia Engdahl mentions the great and positive difference that computers and the Internet have made to her life. 

I have covered the debt that I owe to public libraries; now it is time to do the same for some other major positive influences in my life. I have a tribute of my own to pay to computers and the Internet. 

Computers as saviours
From Sylvia Engdahl's inspiring autobiography:

“...I still have my desktop computer, with which I spent most of my time anyway, and my laptop, which I use when lying down. And I still have access to the Internet. So I’m in as close touch with the world as I ever was. That is the miracle of computer technology—no one today need be isolated, regardless of physical disability. Computers have been my salvation from youth, when by chance I was hired as a programmer, until old age, when without them my productive life would end.”

Just like Sylvia Engdahl, I was once a programmer by profession. 

I too have always thought of this as my salvation: I still hate to think of what might have become of me if I hadn't managed 'by chance' to get into the world of IT. Programming gave me the opportunity to do some of the things that I do best; it improved my mental abilities and gave me some transferable skills; it gave me more self-respect, a decent income and a home of my own.

There is more to say about this, but for now I want to concentrate on what computers and the Internet can do for people who are housebound for whatever reason. I have had first-hand experience of this because of the restrictions caused by COVID-19.

Jean Rhys: more about witches, magic and energy vampires

In the previous article in the series inspired by Carole Angier's biography Jean Rhys: Life and Work, I said that Carole Angier explains Jean Rhys's life and personality mainly in psychological terms. She does mention witches and magic and the terrible draining effect that Jean Rhys had on people, but she leaves these topics mostly unexplored and unexplained. 

This article has more to say about these sinister elements, and from an alternative perspective.

More about witches 
Jean Rhys's witchlike personality is something that she shared with other writers: Stella Benson for example was described by Vera Brittain as being “delicate, witchlike, remote”, and descriptions of Ouida and Dorothy Parker in old age make them seem very similar to each other; they too grew to be very witchlike.

The writer Francis Wyndham, who encouraged Jean Rhys to work on Wide Sargasso Sea, said that he thought she was something of a – white – witch in that she was very alluring, she could attract any man she wanted and definitely had a charismatic power.

Her manner and appearance when young and her writing talent when older may seem enough to explain why people gave her so much money and help and endured her dreadful behaviour and lack of gratitude, but she may also have used a kind of mind power, something I think of as psychological black magic or unconscious witchcraft, to get what she wanted and to draw in, hold and exploit unprotected people.

Carole Angier tells us that Jean Rhys felt that she had never lived. This may seem odd in someone who on paper at least had quite a full life, but it makes sense if we accept the witch theory. Some people rarely engage with life or speak or act from their real selves: something timeless and unchangeable operates through them instead. This possible possession could  explain the failure to grow up: the real self has no opportunity to develop.

Similarly, such people are like black holes and bottomless pits: they never feel that they have enough no matter what. This makes sense if we understand that little or nothing gets through to nourish their real selves: the witch takes it all. 

Witches are traditionally said to sacrifice children; Jean Rhys's baby son died because of her thoughtlessness. 

Isaac Asimov: death anniversary and a few quotations

Today, April 6th 2022, is the 30th anniversary of Isaac Asimov's death.

The 25th anniversary in 2017 inspired an article about him; he has also been mentioned in connection with Noel Streatfeild. He was a great supporter of public libraries, and an article about Jean Rhys mentions his beloved underground cities.

Today, we have a few miscellaneous quotations of particular interest and significance to mark the occasion. Some of them come from I, Asimov - Galactic Words of Isaac Asimov by Sreechinth C, who does not always give his sources. 

These quotations provide just a small sample of Isaac Asimov's words of wisdom: much more of the same can be found in the huge number of books that he produced. 

The importance of reason

Isaac Asimov has something to say about reason and the lack of it:

“I stand four-square for reason, and object to what seems to me to be irrationality, whatever the source. If you are on my side in this, I must warn you that the army of the night has the advantage of overwhelming numbers, and, by its very nature, is immune to reason, so that it is entirely unlikely that you and I can win out.

We will always remain a tiny and probably hopeless minority, but let us never tire of presenting our view, and of fighting the good fight for the right.” 

This is all very true and very well expressed. I am on his side in this. I know what we are up against: I too have found that there are many people in the world who will not listen to reason and that rational human beings are like a few small islands of sanity in a huge ocean of unreason. 

I like his expression “the army of the night” as it makes me think of the forces of darkness!