Most folks don't realize how vulnerable the slender electronic threads of email/cellphone communication really are. A few well-timed CMEs from the Sun, and instant messaging services could all go dark for a very long time. Then we'll all be praying for some "overplayed" Postman heroes.
shareWhat are you talking about? He represents that the government is up and running again. It isn't only about being able to communicate again.
shareActually, it is a throw-back to how the West was conquered.
A Country as large as the US could only come forth through a stable communications system.
The Pioneers went West, but it was the Pony Express, and later USPS that held it all together.
It's really the story of the reluctant hero - much like Oscar Schindler (in Schindler's list). It's about a man out to take care of himself who, somewhere along the way, finds a greater cause in helping others than just finding a way to profit himself. It's a story of redemption by going from ego-centric to selfless through the act of committing to a cause that one comes to truly believe in, which becomes a greater reason to carry on than one's own survival or advancement.
shareIt's also a great story about how a con-man inspires a true hero, Ford L. Mercury.
shareBlind patriotism isn't heroism.
shareI'm sure that the Feudal despotism the Holnists were trying to impose on the area is SOOO much more preferable. (If you are The War Lord, that is.) It's not "blind patriotism" when fear and "looking out for #1" drive the people of the region. Getting people to believe in each other is the beginning of civilization.
shareI was simply pointing out that being a blind patriot, which Mercury was, doesn't make you a hero for that simple fact. He's a hero because he believes in his cause and backs it up with action, one of which is when he decides to take the letter to Bethlehem.
sharea coronal mass ejection can't knock out communication. not for very long. science has proven this correct
share