Liu Cixin’s the Three-Body Problem book trilogy is one of the world’s bestselling Chinese sci-fi series, being read and endorsed by figures such as George R.R. Martin and Barack Obama. In Chinese public debates, however, critics highlight the series’ social Darwinist, misogynistic, and totalitarian tendencies, raising concerns about how the trilogy has been used by […]
I don't really agree with this and totally fucking love these books. However, it is a fairly interesting essay.
When the Aliens put all of humanity in a reservation in Australia the population density is still lower than Gaza. Take out the sci-fi elements and sub in all humans for just Native Americans and you'll find that Three Body is actually far more optimistic than real life. The Aliens in Three Body invaded earth because they believed they had no other option, real world colonial regimes will do so for purely ideological reasons if given the opportunity.
real world colonial regimes will do so for purely ideological reasons
Actually we shouldn't forget that the prime motivator for colonialism is, in reality, simply also material conditions. Economic growth and subjugation is the true motivator for colonialism on a mass scale, these superstructural concepts used to justify would vanish quickly if there was no longer the incentive for infinite growth
Yes, however, they colonized because their economies would crash which would mean toppling the economic order which helped keep those on top, on top. So for them the tendency for their economy to explode without colonial extraction could be seen as akin to a world ending disaster like the destruction of their planet or tsunamis wiping out Europe.
The aliens are basically amerikkka. Try to limit the technical development so the people you want to conquer can't fight back? Force those you conquer into shitty reservations to starve? Sounds like someone we know.
The whole series was conceived from an author who grew up with the Cold War mentality and once you have understood this perspective, you start to see why the Dark Forest theory which was born out of game theory resonates with people who have experienced the threats of being colonized and annihilated by foreign imperialist powers acting in pursuit of relentless capital expansion.
Unless the way the books articulate the theory is substantially different from how other people are articulating the theory, it isn't very good game theory. And isn't what you're saying just the Horizontal Alliance vs Vertical Alliance of the Warring States period except from the POV of the non-hegemon?
I mean the Trisolarans saw that public opinion towards them was shifting massively positive. With Cheng Xin as the new swordholder, humanity would've been far more empowered to let all of Trisolaris immigrate into the solar system. But no, they decide to attack instead?
Honestly I feel like some ideas in the book just break down despite the good world building. I really did enjoy the series but it seems there are a million holes that are either because I missed something, or because I just didn't get it, (or the secret third option, it just has holes!).
I think the biggest hole is that over the like 400 years humanity had, the approximately 200 years from the start of the crisis era to the start of the deterrence era are where the most technological development happened, and that's despite the sophon block! The next 200 years seem to basically have 1 big invention and that's it!
I mean the Trisolarans saw that public opinion towards them was shifting massively positive. With Cheng Xin as the new swordholder, humanity would've been far more empowered to let all of Trisolaris immigrate into the solar system. But no, they decide to attack instead?
This, too, sounds similar to the early stages of colonization.
True enough I suppose, given the Australia plan I always got the impression that the Trisolarans still felt contempt towards humanity. A very colonial mindset, and very funny considering Trisolaran civilization "liberalized" after contact with Earth.
When the Aliens put all of humanity in a reservation in Australia the population density is still lower than Gaza. Take out the sci-fi elements and sub in all humans for just Native Americans and you'll find that Three Body is actually far more optimistic than real life. The Aliens in Three Body invaded earth because they believed they had no other option, real world colonial regimes will do so for purely ideological reasons if given the opportunity.
Actually we shouldn't forget that the prime motivator for colonialism is, in reality, simply also material conditions. Economic growth and subjugation is the true motivator for colonialism on a mass scale, these superstructural concepts used to justify would vanish quickly if there was no longer the incentive for infinite growth
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You have a point. But also real world Europeans weren't colonizing under the belief that Tsunamis would inevitably drown all of Europe or something.
Yes, however, they colonized because their economies would crash which would mean toppling the economic order which helped keep those on top, on top. So for them the tendency for their economy to explode without colonial extraction could be seen as akin to a world ending disaster like the destruction of their planet or tsunamis wiping out Europe.
The aliens are basically amerikkka. Try to limit the technical development so the people you want to conquer can't fight back? Force those you conquer into shitty reservations to starve? Sounds like someone we know.
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Unless the way the books articulate the theory is substantially different from how other people are articulating the theory, it isn't very good game theory. And isn't what you're saying just the Horizontal Alliance vs Vertical Alliance of the Warring States period except from the POV of the non-hegemon?
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Opinion discarded.
I mean the Trisolarans saw that public opinion towards them was shifting massively positive. With Cheng Xin as the new swordholder, humanity would've been far more empowered to let all of Trisolaris immigrate into the solar system. But no, they decide to attack instead?
Honestly I feel like some ideas in the book just break down despite the good world building. I really did enjoy the series but it seems there are a million holes that are either because I missed something, or because I just didn't get it, (or the secret third option, it just has holes!).
I think the biggest hole is that over the like 400 years humanity had, the approximately 200 years from the start of the crisis era to the start of the deterrence era are where the most technological development happened, and that's despite the sophon block! The next 200 years seem to basically have 1 big invention and that's it!
This, too, sounds similar to the early stages of colonization.
True enough I suppose, given the Australia plan I always got the impression that the Trisolarans still felt contempt towards humanity. A very colonial mindset, and very funny considering Trisolaran civilization "liberalized" after contact with Earth.