Comments on: H. G. Wells http://airminded.org Airpower and British society, 1908-1941 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:20:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/biographies/h-g-wells/#comment-58750 Brett Holman Sat, 01 Sep 2007 17:00:57 +0000 http://airminded.org/biographies/h-g-wells/#comment-58750 Thanks; interesting post. I agree that dystopias seem to be more interesting to us than utopias; but then again the dramatic possibilities are greater in the former so they are always going to be more interesting stories told about them. Thanks; interesting post. I agree that dystopias seem to be more interesting to us than utopias; but then again the dramatic possibilities are greater in the former so they are always going to be more interesting stories told about them.

]]> By: enigma_foundry http://airminded.org/biographies/h-g-wells/#comment-58517 enigma_foundry Thu, 30 Aug 2007 03:44:24 +0000 http://airminded.org/biographies/h-g-wells/#comment-58517 Some discussion re: the film Shape of Things to Come, as well as a link to download it: http://enigmafoundry.wordpress.com/2006/11/30/journey-to-the-end-of-the-night-hg-wells-edition/ Some discussion re: the film Shape of Things to Come, as well as a link to download it:

http://enigmafoundry.wordpress.com/2006/11/30/journey-to-the-end-of-the-night-hg-wells-edition/

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/biographies/h-g-wells/#comment-34594 Brett Holman Tue, 16 Jan 2007 05:23:37 +0000 http://airminded.org/biographies/h-g-wells/#comment-34594 Well, sure, if you think something without aircraft in it could conceivably be signficant ... ;) That's probably a fair three word summary of his airpower works as well, but it's not merely technological triumphalism that he's peddling: the destructive power of technology destroys the foundations of the old, irrational society, enabling the constructive power of technology to lay the foundations of a new, rational society. I have no idea what Wells scholars would make of that but it's a pretty clear thread in the works cited above, though by the end of his life I think he feared that the destructive side of technology outweighed the constructive side (in the 1941 preface to <em>The War in the Air</em> he suggested that his epitaph should read 'I told you so. You <em>damned</em> fools.' Amusingly, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._G._Wells#Legacy" rel="nofollow">Wikipedia</a> thinks this is what his epitaph actually reads, but as far as I know, his ashes were scattered at sea. Might have to fix that. Well, sure, if you think something without aircraft in it could conceivably be signficant … ;) That’s probably a fair three word summary of his airpower works as well, but it’s not merely technological triumphalism that he’s peddling: the destructive power of technology destroys the foundations of the old, irrational society, enabling the constructive power of technology to lay the foundations of a new, rational society. I have no idea what Wells scholars would make of that but it’s a pretty clear thread in the works cited above, though by the end of his life I think he feared that the destructive side of technology outweighed the constructive side (in the 1941 preface to The War in the Air he suggested that his epitaph should read ‘I told you so. You damned fools.’ Amusingly, Wikipedia thinks this is what his epitaph actually reads, but as far as I know, his ashes were scattered at sea. Might have to fix that.

]]> By: Chris Williams http://airminded.org/biographies/h-g-wells/#comment-34481 Chris Williams Mon, 15 Jan 2007 13:34:31 +0000 http://airminded.org/biographies/h-g-wells/#comment-34481 I've always thought that _The Land Ironclads_ is also a key to Wells' understanding. Short version: brain beats brawn. I’ve always thought that _The Land Ironclads_ is also a key to Wells’ understanding. Short version: brain beats brawn.

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