Space/Science is formally the Zone's "flagship" board, and we like to define ourselves as space cadets. Yet it's Current Events that lights a fire under Zoners, and for five years the environment's been defined by a certain balance of political power out in the real world. We instinctively picked up our roles from the relationships out there, with the respective positions of in-power and out-of-power imposing their respective spins on Liberal and Conservative. We played Establishment versus Dissidents, and no doubt because of historical resonances with the politics of our youths (most of us), those were comfortable roles.

And now things have changed out there. I think what we're seeing is people floundering a bit trying to figure out where they fit in in this brave new world. I see Conservatives struggling to adjust to not holding the whip of power, and what seems like an outbreak of poor-losership may be nothing more than inertia; the persistence of the habit of being on top. Liberals are struggling to shake off the psychology of the underdog, to stop complaining and to assume the responsibility that's now in the hands of Democratic politicians; and in the interim getting in a few shots in retribution.

Politics isn't all there is to the HabitableZone, but we can't deny that it's affected us powerfully over the years.

We have old grudges and feuds based on politics. I found myself just yesterday trying to settle an old score with MAE over his support of accusations of "treason!". As hard as I try for saintly forgiveness, I'm only human, and some offenses are very hard for me to forgive. To this day I don't think Mark understands just how deeply he offended my honor. We may have to go through this period of "I told you so" and "you owe me an apology" to get it behind us.

"Whither the Zone?" and all that? Beats the hell outta me. It will change. It has to, because the world keeps on changing, and we still live most of our lives out in the real world. I'd kill the place if I tried (too hard) to maintain the comfortable status quo.

Ideally and idealistically, the best outcome that I can see is to work on reestablishing a modus operandi of cooperation between our splintered factions. In other words, because we don't operate in an ivory tower but are a mirror to the real world, try to be a tail wagging the dog, and solve the big problem out there by trying to solve it in here. If the Zone collapses because of partisan fracturing, that's a warning sign that the real world could collapse under the same stress.

It would help if we'd come up with other things to talk about. Like I said, for space cadets, we sure are fixated on politics. I see Space/Sciences becoming more active, and that's a good thing.

Up above, Lindy's posted a flame bemoaning the lack of freedom to talk about what she wants to talk about. I agree, and I sympathize; and these days I'd find discussions about things off the beaten track to be a welcome break from the dreary familiarity of the beaten track. About politics, all I can say is, been there, done that. Beam me up, Lindy, there's no intelligent life down here. Let's go voyage among the stars for a while!

And you, Techie. You can liven up the place when you put your mind to it. Do us a favor and entertain us, would ya? Tell us a story.

Just to toss out a notion, but maybe it's time to once again redefine the all-purpose OffTopic, this time as the "Big Ideas" board (listening, Mary Anne? How's your workload in the real world?). Lindy has big ideas she wants to play with, you have big ideas, and when I can remember to take time out from phoning in a game of ideological pingpong, I'd rather play with big ideas like Post-Singularity economics, quantum reality, the nuts-n-bolts of rhetoric and propaganda and applied memetic engineering, and on and on.

I have to realize that the spectacle of Tom and me standing there clubbing each other over the head until one of us drops of exhaustion has long ago been leached of any entertainment value. I'm not contributing to the Zone in that rut, and I'm starting to feel a little intelllectual claustrophobia. There must be more to online discussions than politics.

Mustn't there?