Jim Pinkerton Drops Acid, Writes Column

Apparently following in the footsteps of notorious gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. I'm not 100% sure about the acid part, but given that his thesis is that the loss of freedom due to terrorism measures can be avoided simply by emigrating to the Moon and Mars and even the stars beyond, I think I'm on pretty sturdy ground.

Thus, the human prospect here on Earth: an all-knowing and all-powerful government. Not much room for dissent there.

So is that the end of the story? Human freedom snuffed out by the human capacity for evil and destruction? That's the bleak future here on Earth but not necessarily in the heavens, as distinct from heaven. Some will argue that true liberation is found only in the metaphysical hereafter, but those who seek to guarantee their liberty in corporeal terms will have to make their escape to other heavenly - make that celestial - bodies.

That's the plotline of Robert Heinlein's 1966 novel, "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress." In that far-seeing libertarian-utopian volume, humankind finds its political freedom in space, far from the surly bondage of Earth.

But aren't we a million miles, politically as well as technologically, from space emigration? Unfortunately, cursed by shallow, short-term thinking, we are nowhere close to fulfilling our potential destiny: living freely, spread out across the universe.

Sounds like Jim Pinkerton heeded the A-Man's advice to set aside an hour, spark up a bowl, and listen to Dr. K tell you how it will be in five years. He also might have been listening to Lennon's "Across the Universe" in the background, which is even better when you're baked off your ass.

posted by Ace at 02:22 PM

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