Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:49 — 17.3MB)
I’ve posted this before without bonus tracks and commentary, so here’s the shortened notes on this classic from the Retro Radio Vault.
Imagine being born on a spaceship, and your entire world, all that you have ever known is confined to the inside walls of that spaceship.
Two men in a large spaceship seek out wisdom from the old man in the forbidden zone. They face dangers in their quest, but when the answers don’t suit the ideas that the seekers want to hear, they kill their messenger. Danger continues as they encounter more forbidden territory and strange people of various intellect and cultures. Will they find the mysterious wall?
Philosophical ideas are bounced around. Is this a spaceship, and where is it going? Is there anything bigger than the spaceship? It’s everywhere, so how could it be going anywhere? A wise man is encountered who provokes the mind, and raises such questions. He claims to know where the control room is.
Understanding of the larger missions begins to come to light. Unity is the answer for the diverse people groups. Instead, people are killed out of bias and bigotry. People whose mission plays key roles in the safe arrival of the spaceship.
PS: Whew! A lot of concepts to pack into just a half hour radio show. Does all that sound familiar? Like a microcosm of a world social studies exercise? I guess it goes to show that no matter how advanced we get in technology, we will lose some ground in understanding in social diversity, and how to play nice together.
Despite being a story from the past century, some similar social problems continue to exist, and plague us. The advancement of science, the death of religion. Racial division, misunderstood diversity. Trust in intellect and higher education. There are problems of considering that each person is their own highest power of authority. There are still prejudices, and self serving motives reigning.
Got your own observations? Tell me about it.
Bonus Track:
- Keith talks about some of the social statement behind this sci-fi-fi classic. Also ways to support the podcast.
- Tommy Dorsey – Just Swinging.
