The Moon is a Harsh Mistress: Pre-class reaction

Yea…too many things in this book to be able to address all of them in a blog. But I will mention some key issues that stood out the most to me. One of the main ones being that this whole incident to me was a big parallel to all many cases of colonization in human history. First the Europeans colonized North and South America and eventually the exploited colonies revolted. Later US and again European powers colonized Africa, India and South America. Again this led to exploitation and ultimately to many outcries for independence. And once again in this book we see the super powers of Earth exploiting yet another colony and then they are affronted by their desire for self rule and believe it to be a silly notion. Basically, it made me frustrated with humanity. Even considering modern neocolonialism it frustrates me how hypocritical US and other world powers be. Especially US who is “the champion” of freedom and rights. Not to mention US was exploited as a colony and claims to have all these grand principles and yet justifies exploiting many 3rd world counties with the excuse of “well it’s a free market.” This issue especially rang true for me in Chapter 27 when the people of Earth were outraged that the Loonies actually retaliated and were actually fighting for their freedom: how dare those “convicts” actually bomb us and kill thousands (who were idiots in the first place not to listen). It just made me frustrated with humanity because the reaction of the people of Earth seems very plausible to me: narrow minded and attached to old ways. “Well the moon has always been OUR colony and that has been convenient for us so how dare those lowly convicts with their disgusting ways (polygamy and lawless ways) try and claim that they deserve rights and ruin our monopoly on their resources.” I saw this attitude in the Earth peoples reaction to Lunar married life (Mannie’s arrest was organized by Stu and the Prof, but the peoples reaction was still genuine, some were understanding but many were typically narrow minded, but the fact that it could be made an issue is what upsets me). Also in Chapter 19 when the Authority claimed that they decided that they need to civilize the Lunar colonies, but of course in a very “fair and just way” and the citizens do “have the option” of returning to their original countries, and it is “for their own good”. The people of Earth weren’t the ones to disappoint I was also frustrated with how the Loonies were acting shortly post their revolt. In the second half of chapter 14 Heinlein describes what people of the moon do post revolution and many basically complain and demand but don’t want to do the work without pay. And many had suggestion and thought themselves to be perfect for a job of power, but few were actually willing to put in the labor, and had to be organized, coaxed, and manipulated into actually doing something. And what the Prof says on page 205 concerning how people always want to stop others “for their own good” is a very powerful point. Because that is what the people of Earth wanted to do to the Loonies, and what some of the Loonies wanted to do to other Loonies. And all of these issues can be seen in modern society.