I swear to God, it's as though Isaac Asimov was able

[PCIntern]

to predict this whole scenario. In the 1950’s.

The Foundation Trilogy (Series) is a science “fiction” tale wherein the Galactic Empire is well on its way to rotting from within and a band of intellectuals establishes itself in order to preserve humanity. After significant political machinations,They are exiled to a planet at which they are tasked with creating the Encyclopedia Galactica (think Wikipedia) containing all knowledge in existencebut there are continued suspicions by the powers that be that they are plotting to take over the administration of the empire.

During this narrative, a mutant arises whom they term The Mule who possesses powers which are far beyond those developed by the adherents to the Foundation. He appears to be unstoppable, and yet they find a way to neutralize him, despite his seemingly overwhelming powers and brilliance. The narrative then continues with all kinds of twists and turns over centuries.

There are aspects of the story which absolutely resemble the situation into which we have evolved: anti-intellectualism, loss of interest in history, government-sanctioned Hedonism, government-promoted stupidity, all essentially equivalent of the Roman bread and circuses concept. It is remarkably prescient, that’s all I have to say.

And that is all I have to say.

[dhol82]

1. I'll have to get a copy.

[PCIntern]

2. There are three initial novels. He added a few over the years

Foundation
Foundation and Empire
Second Foundation

[Wifes husband]

27. These were the best

[Ilsa]

3. I've seen elements of this theme in other movies

over the last few years. Several docuseries and documentaries have mentioned the Dominionist objectives of taking over the Seven Mountains: education, religion, family, government, arts, business, and media. It feels like we are fucked.

[NJCher]

13. The minute you start thinking this

. It feels like we are fucked.

You are.

[Ilsa]

30. Yeah, I feel like I am. I can't leave the country,

and I don't have the money or other power to fight back, just a vote. I donate bits to campaigns when I can.

I don't criticize or blame people for expatriating. I'm a little jealous. I've tried talking to trump-supporting relatives, and they don't acknowledge reality. I'm not going to try it with non-relatives.

[Mossfern]

4. As a matter of fact ....

I'm currently reading Prelude to Foundation.

I read the original Foundation series more than 50 years ago and decided that it was time to re-read them a few months ago. My son suggested that I read Prelude first (written much later in 1998.)

[galapagos]

8. Prelude was written well before 1998 seeing that Asimov died around 1993.

I was an avid reader of Asimov's works and was in college when he passed away.

[Blue_Adept]

10. The Prelude trilogy was written by other writers, not asimov

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. And Ronald Searle also illustrated Trump in the 1950s

For the book "How To Be Topp": 'Every skool hav a resident buly who is fat'

[lark]

6. Asimov was prescient, and a great writer as well!

[dalton99a]

7. Kick

[wiggs]

9. I marvel at what SF writers were able to explore through novels/movies/TV through the 1900s. I frequently

suggest friends read Asimov's AI-related 'Entropy'.

[sir pball]

11. He was *much* less subtle about it at times, e.g. his essay "A Cult of Ignorance".

Written for Newsweek in 1980…if you think the Foundation series was predictive, just wait till you get a load of this:

There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”
-----------
Now we have a new slogan on the part of the obscurantists: “Don’t trust the experts!” Ten years ago, it was “Don’t trust anyone over 30.” But the shouters of that slogan found that the inevitable alchemy of the calendar converted them to the untrustworthiness of the over-30, and, apparently, they determined never to make that mistake again. “Don’t trust the experts!” is absolutely safe. Nothing, neither the passing of time nor exposure to information will convert these shouters to experts in any subject that might conceivably be useful.

We have a new buzzword, too, for anyone who admires competence, knowledge, learning and skill, and who wishes to spread it around. People like that are called “elitists.” That’s the funniest buzzword ever invented because people who are not members of the intellectual elite don’t know what an “elitist” is, or how to pronounce the word. As soon as someone shouts “Elitist” it becomes clear that he or she is a closet elitist who is feeling guilty about having gone to school.
-----------
There are 200 million Americans who have inhabited schoolrooms at some time in their lives and who will admit that they know how to read (provided you promise not to use their names and shame them before their neighbors), but most decent periodicals believe they are doing amazingly well if they have circulations of half a million. It may be that only 1 per cent — or less — of Americans make a stab at exercising their right to know. And if they try to do anything on that basis they are quite likely to be accused of being elitists.

https://atkinsbookshelf.wordpress.com/2020/02/05/isaac-asimov-there-is-a-cult-of-ignorance-in-the-united-states/

[Hekate]

20. TYVM for the link that has the full article & essay

The one brief para is all I’ve seen heretofore — and being Asimov, of course he has a lot more to say.

[sir pball]

29. Avec plaisir, I actually hadn't ever read the whole thing myself...

The one popular snippet is great on its own, but the entire essay is breathtaking in its prescience.

[harumph]

28. Prior to Asimov circa 1980, there was Richard Hofstadter 1963

Anti-intellectualism in American Life 1963

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-intellectualism_in_American_Life

“Tocqueville saw that the life of constant action and decision which was entailed by the democratic and businesslike character of American life put a premium upon rough and ready habits of mind, quick decision, and the prompt seizure of opportunities - and that all this activity was not propitious for deliberation, elaboration, or precision in thought.”
― Richard Hofstadter, Anti-Intellectualism in American Life


“The American mind was shaped in the mold of early modern Protestantism. Religion was the first arena for American intellectual life, and thus the first arena for an anti-intellectual impulse. Anything that seriously diminished the role of rationality and learning in early American religion would later diminish its role in secular culture. The feeling that ideas should above all be made to work, the disdain for doctrine and for refinements in ideas, the subordination of men of ideas to men of emotional power or manipulative skill are hardly innovations of the twentieth century; they are inheritances from American Protestantism.”

“The older America, until the 1890s and in some respects until 1914, was wrapped in the security of continental isolation, village society, the Protestant denominations, and a flourishing industrial capitalism. But reluctantly, year by year, over several decades, it has been drawn into the twentieth century and forced to cope with its unpleasant realities: first the incursions of cosmopolitanism and skepticism, then the disappearance of American isolation and easy military security, the collapse of traditional capitalism and its supplementation by a centralized welfare state, finally the unrelenting costs and stringencies of the Second World War, the Korean War, and the cold war. As a consequence, the heartland of America, filled with people who are often fundamentalist in religion, nativist in prejudice, isolationist in foreign policy, and conservative in economics, has constantly rumbled with an underground revolt against all these tormenting manifestations of our modern predicament.”

[lastlib]

12. I made that connection back in 2017, and totally agree with you.

It's EERILY parallel to what we are living through now.

[PatSeg]

24. Apparently the books were inspired by the

fall of Rome, which also parallels what we are experiencing now.

[Fichefinder]

14. Trump is The Mule in the most important way

He can't be reproduced.

[PCIntern]

15. Humor aside...

There are five, count ‘em five offspring.

[Wednesdays]

21. True that, but

None of them have nearly the level of gravitas and charisma (charisma, meaning able to sway the MAGAts).

[PCIntern]

25. You're right about that!

[Fichefinder]

31. But none have whatever it is that Trump has

[Ponietz]

16. "Ponietz" was inspired by the Ponitz character

But I read it 40 years ago and got the spelling wrong!

[PCIntern]

17. 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[SCantiGOP]

18. "The Last Question"

Look it up, great short story that is about a ten minute read.

[Farmer-Rick]

19. I once got rejected by Isaac Asimov

For a short story submission. It was a pretty bad story. But his rejection was so kind and encouraging.... probably a form letter but a nice form letter.

You know who else is remarkably prescient? Karl Marx. His Capital is amazingly predictive of capitalism's last throes. Good description of why a Trump would come to power. But it's a long, long read. I only read volume 1 and by the time I was done I had to go back and reread the beginning. One of these days I'm going to read the other volumes.

[crud]

22. A series currently on Apple TV...

Foundation...based on the Asimov books. Surprised no one has mentioned it yet.

[PatSeg]

23. That is my favorite show right now

I've watched the first two seasons twice and a few of the episodes more than that. I think it is the best science fiction program I've ever seen. The effects, acting, and writing are theatrical quality. Each episode is packed with so much story that you can watch it numerous times and still get something new from it.

That said, there are some Asimov purists who only criticize it for not being true to the books, but as written, the book would probably make a terrible television program.

[MurrayDelph]

26. The only part of the Asimov-written prequels

that I found interesting was Hari Seldon suggesting to Emperor Cleon that since these mass murderers do it for the notoriety. So instead of knowing the name "Tyler Robinson" he should be known as (and I'm paraphrasing) "Joe Dipshit 2025 Number 5."