Godshaper #1

[laughing_tree]

I suppose one of the recurring themes in my work is to gleefully remove all trace of sentimentality from sentimental things (or to inject it into unsentimental things) just to see what happens. Hence, it’s no big shock that one of the central theses of Godshaper–and one of my favourite pub rants–is that religion really is just another technology. -- Si Spurrier











That's the main character, a Shaper named Ennay. By nights, he's a musician, playing in a countercultural style called "cantik."

Comments

[randyripoff]

As soon as it was said that Shapers are hated but needed, my first question was "why are they hated?" I'm not seeing it answered here.

[nyadnar17]

I hope there is a reason beyond weird "space racism".

I am also interested in how morality/philosophy functions in a world were everyone is the master of "god".

[kamino_neko]

They're people who can't get wealthy, but do a job that everybody needs.

It's not rational, but the real-world parallels are kind of blatant.

[leoboiko]

Being needed can make you hated (see: Jewish financiers, Black plantation workers, the government, nerds who make your homework, etc.)

In addition, religion = technology means that not having a god is somethink akin to a disability (touched upon explicitly above, with the bodily-disabled woman). In many societies through history people didn't tolerate even seeing the disabled in public.

[nyadnar17]

Hated I am fine with. I get that. But poor? I don't get how you have skills that are in high demand yet are still poor/powerless.

[kamino_neko]

Because gods are literally the machinery of the economy. 'Part bodyguard, part bank'. In the real world, cash is only used for the smallest, or most illegal, transactions. Here we have a minority class of people who are incapable of being involved in anything but a cash economy, and a society that's not inclined to design itself to accommodate them.

[reveen]

and one of my favourite pub rants–is that religion really is just another technology.

[LAUGH TRACK]

Oh, Si Spurrier!

Doo doo de doo da doo da doo!

[FREEZE FRAME AND CREDITS]

[donnblake]

It's an interesting world, but I don't see it as a commentary on religion. There seems to be no worship or praise or particular belief involved. If you called them "Floobs," or "Pokemon," instead of gods, not sure what would change here?