"Olaf Stapledon - Last And First Men" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stapledon Olaf)

LAST AND FIRST MEN

A STORY OF THE NEAR AND FAR FUTURE

by W. Olaf Stapledon




COPYRIGHT, 1931, BY JONATHAN
CAPE AND HARRISON SMITH, INC.,
FIRST PUBLISHED IN AMERICA, 1931


PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY THE VAIL-BALLOU
PRESS, BINGHAMTON, N.Y. AND BOUND BY THE J.F. TAPLEY CO.



FOREWORD TO THE AMERICAN EDITION


MAN seems to be entering one of the major crises of his career. His
whole future, nay the possibility of his having any future at all, depends on
the turn which events may take in the next half-century. It is a commonplace
that he is coming into possession of new and dangerous instruments for
controlling his environment and his own nature. Perhaps it is less obvious
that he is also groping toward a new view of his office in the scheme of
things, and toward a new and racial purpose. Unfortunately he may possibly
take too long to learn what it is that he really wants to do with himself.
Before he can gain clear insight, he may lose himself in a vast desert of
spiritual aridity, or even blunder into physical self-destruction. Nothing can
save him but a new vision, and a consequent new order of sanity, or common
sense.
America may play an important part in creating the new vision. But
visions, if they are to be permanently helpful, must embody the whole breadth
and depth of experience. They must not be crude, extravagant, lop-sided. They
must be conceived not only with originality but with sanity, even if sanity
has to take up a new orientation in consequence of the new vision.
In early chapters of this book America is given a not very attractive
part. I have imagined the triumph of the cruder sort of Americanism over all
that is best and most promising in American culture. May this not occur in the
real world! But since the possibility of such an issue is admitted even by
many Americans themselves, I shall, I hope be forgiven for emphazing it, and
using it as an early turning point in the long drama of Man.




CONTENTS