The Intellectual Martian Society of “Stranger in a Strange Land” by Robert Heinlein
Item
-
Title
-
The Intellectual Martian Society of “Stranger in a Strange Land” by Robert Heinlein
-
Description
-
This chapter from the student-written book “Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America” explores the environmental ethics and spirituality of the book Stranger in a Strange Land. Specifically, the author discusses the importance of water and the environmental impact of the book. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.
"In 1961, the accomplished science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein shared his latest work with the world. In the fashion of a fairytale, Stranger in a Strange Land begins 'Once upon a time,' and goes on to describe the fantastic culture of Mars and its impact on human society. The timing of its publication in the early 1960s allowed for a short digestion period, so that it was ripe in the mind of the counterculture in the latter half of the decade. Themes of religious reform, free love, and a oneness with the cosmos permeate the book, and coincidentally rose to popularity during this time. The alignment of the novel with the counterculture cannot be understated: in 1967, the Freak Scene recorded a song entitled 'Grok!,' an homage to the word coined by Heinlein in Stranger in a Strange Land, and a year later the Byrds referenced water brotherhood in their song 'Triad.' The verb 'grok' even found its way into the vernacular of the counterculture (Blackmore, 1995). Messages about the sanctity of clean water and the positive potential of religion reached tens of millions, securing the legacy of Stranger in a Strange Land as one of the books which shaped religious and environmental values in the United States (Library of Congress, 2012)."
-
Date Created
-
05/17/2021
-
Creator(s)
-
Ethan Ross
-
Audience
-
All audiences/General public
-
Rights
-
This photo and text were accessed on 06/09/2023 at https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/enr3470studentbook/part/the-intellectual-martian-society-of-stranger-in-a-strange-land-by-robert-heinlein/.
-
Issues
-
Water
