Wombat Rampant

As further proof that I have no sense of priorities, the mail yesterday brought to me two items of software purchased through eBay which I really don't have time to be screwing around with considering all the other stuff I should be doing, like schoolwork, laundry...wait, I can do laundry while playing these. Okay, then.
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As a follow-on to his latest post regarding science fiction, Glenn Reynolds links to this Stephenson commentary on the Star Wars movies and what it says about American society.

Ann Althouse responds while guestblogging at Glenn's MSNBC digs.

I'm curious what the SF fans on my f-list (which is most of you; even the anime fans like their SF) think of what Stephenson and Althouse have to say. Has there always been a healthy chunk of American neobarbarism that doesn't care how things work as long as the movies are funny/flashy and the microwave popcorn is sufficiently buttery? Does fandom include a larger proportion of pro-technology geeks and nerds than the population at large, or are we just patting ourselves on the back?

Oh...my...God.

This is making me think twice about the idea of trying the JET program on for size after having done the teacher thing here in the States and learning Japanese. I mean, I'm a little old to be developing my Kancho Sense ^TM, don't you think?

revolutionaryjo, you definitely ought to read this - or reread it, for the entertainment value if nothing else.