The New Eloi

Grayfox · January 14, 2000, 02:36 AM

There is a very interesting article by David Codrea in the January 2000 issue of Guns & Ammo magazine entitled "The New Eloi".
In this article Mr. Codrea makes some comparisons between our modern world and the fictional distant future world of H.G. Wells novel "The Time Machine".
For those of you unfamiliar with Wells classic tale, Its about a 19th century scientist who builds a time machine and travels to the far distant future. Here he encounters the "Eloi". A race of people who live a carefree simple life in what appears to be a garden of Eden. Much to his dismay, he finds that the Eloi are frail, child like creatures on an intellectual level of one of our five-year old children.
He then learns that the Eloi are provided for and watched over by the "Morlocks". A sub-human species which live underground in the ancient and decaying remains of what was human technology. The Morlocks take good care of the Eloi as would any current farmer care for his crops. The truth is that the Eloi are the Morlocks food source.
When the Morlocks come for our hero, the time travler, he fights back. Gaining access to simple weapons, the time travler determines that he will not be the Morlocks next meal.

Mr. Codrea makes some interesting observations when he says:
"it demonstrates how our society has fragmented into three distinct groups, the provide all/control all state, the provided for/controlled general populace and the increasingly besieged self-determining/self-controlling rationalist individual. Or, in terms of Wells' speculative fantasy, we could identify these as the Morlocks, the Eloi and the Time Traveler.

We, as gun owners, represent the Time Traveler in this article. Mr. Cordea goes on to compare the Eloi to a group of people who responded to a survey regarding self protection. Each of these respondents expressed the desire to be cared for by the state and felt that firearms were not a reasonable means of self defense.
Our own government has taken the role of the Morlocks. Caring for the flocks of sheeple just so that they may feed upon them.
It is a very thought provoking article to say the least.
For many years we have been making comparisions to George Orwell's "1984". Maybe we have been using the wrong book. Its been a long time since I last read "The Time Machine". I think I'll dig it back out and enjoy this classic one more time. But, this time from a different prespective.

Watch out for Big Brother, But beware of the Morlocks!

[This message has been edited by Grayfox (edited January 14, 2000).]

George Hill · January 14, 2000, 05:53 AM

OUCH.
Yeah - I remember that!
Cool observation.

Remember the Thunder Ranch adds?
"I will not be food."
Ah - its coming together now!

------------------
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud

TheBluesMan · January 14, 2000, 08:46 AM

I haven't read the book, but I will be soon. Do you remember the part of the movie where one of the Eloi is swept away in the raging river and none of the others lift a finger to help? The time traveller saves the drowning Eloi, who doesn't even express thankfulness, just walks away.

Doesn't this sound like the city dwellers who "don't want to get involved?" And do you think that Sarah Brady would be thankful if an armed citizen came to her defense?

------------------
RKBA!

"The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security"
Ohio Constitution, Article I, Section 4
Concealed Carry is illegal in Ohio.
Ohioans for Concealed Carry Website

BigG · January 14, 2000, 10:50 AM

You guys are making some great connections here!

------------------
Be mentally deliberate but muscularly fast. Aim for just above the belt buckle Wyatt Earp
"It is error alone that needs government support; truth can stand by itself." Tom Jefferson
If you have to shoot a man, shoot him in the guts, it may not kill him... sometimes they die slow, but it'll paralyze his brain and arm and the fight is all but over Wild Bill Hickok
Remember: When you attempt to rationalize two inconsistent positions, you risk drowning as your own sewage backs up.
45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel! BigG

Dennis · January 14, 2000, 11:48 AM

I must confess my ignorance - I haven't read The Time Traveler. However, I will say that I have been "travelling" for a rather long "time"!

------------------
Either you believe in the Second Amendment or you don't.
Stick it to 'em! RKBA!

DC · January 14, 2000, 12:05 PM

Its been years since I saw the movie and read the book...
I vaguely recall that when the TT tried to warn the Eloi and organize resistance, they wouldn't for fear of upsetting the "normal balance". And that they (Eloi) were grateful for the short life of luxury.
Sounds more and more like these days as this thread progresses

------------------
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!

dZ · January 14, 2000, 12:18 PM

did you know that evil Morlocks control the teletubbies from down below?

Who do you think plays that music they pavlovianly dance to?

Tubby toast is people!

dZ

------------------
"walk softly and carry a big stick, one that goes bang in .308 is fine"

Grayfox · January 14, 2000, 10:28 PM

Oh, this just keeps gettin' worse! I went out today to get a copy of "The Time Machine" so I could read it again. Much to my dismay, I dicovered that both our small local book stores have gone out of business! I went into Memphis and had to go to two stores to find a copy of this classic. Talk about the dumbing down of America!
I guess the Eloi are too stupid to read.

Rob Pincus · January 14, 2000, 11:16 PM

Time Machine, Dennis, Time [i]Machine[i].....

Of course, I've never read it either, but I have seen the movie several times, it is a classic! I just saw it within the last few months on some obscure cable channel..
Great story, and I have often thought that many people today are very Eloi-like, though I never took the time to actually think it through as far as Mr. Codera did.

I may try to slip this little bit of pop-trivia into a conversation of two with some of my more well-read friends at SHOT...

------------------
-Essayons

Dennis · January 15, 2000, 01:27 AM

Oh! Time Machine!!

(sigh!) No wonder I never get to go anywhere. (sigh!)

I must have been overseas when the movie came out. Yeah! That's it! I was overseas whenever,... when it was... um I guess, like, .......

Machine, huh?

[This message has been edited by Dennis (edited January 15, 2000).]

dZ · January 15, 2000, 10:29 AM

considering it was written 2 centuries ago, i am not surprised people are not familiar with H G Wells' novel

i love this millenium crap!

dZ

Oleg Volk · January 15, 2000, 01:05 PM

I *think* it was Strugatski who wrote a little variation on the War of the Worlds. The story described a guy who got trapped by a Martian "walker" and convinced his captor to spare him....in exchange for helping to process other human captives into foodstuffs for the Martians.

Eventually, the Martian host dies and his "walked" blunders into Thames where our "hero" eventually suffocates...

KAC556 · January 15, 2000, 07:15 PM

A very cogent analogy Grayfox.

"The desire to be cared for by the state and feeling that firearms were not a reasonable means of self defense." This describes what I've referred to as "The Feminization of the Population (men.)"

Hal · January 15, 2000, 08:15 PM

The entire text is available on-line.

http://www.litrix.com/timemach/timem001.htm

A real classic.

January 14, 2000, 02:36 AM	#1
Grayfox Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 1998 Posts: 1,885	There is a very interesting article by David Codrea in the January 2000 issue of Guns & Ammo magazine entitled "The New Eloi". In this article Mr. Codrea makes some comparisons between our modern world and the fictional distant future world of H.G. Wells novel "The Time Machine". For those of you unfamiliar with Wells classic tale, Its about a 19th century scientist who builds a time machine and travels to the far distant future. Here he encounters the "Eloi". A race of people who live a carefree simple life in what appears to be a garden of Eden. Much to his dismay, he finds that the Eloi are frail, child like creatures on an intellectual level of one of our five-year old children. He then learns that the Eloi are provided for and watched over by the "Morlocks". A sub-human species which live underground in the ancient and decaying remains of what was human technology. The Morlocks take good care of the Eloi as would any current farmer care for his crops. The truth is that the Eloi are the Morlocks food source. When the Morlocks come for our hero, the time travler, he fights back. Gaining access to simple weapons, the time travler determines that he will not be the Morlocks next meal. Mr. Codrea makes some interesting observations when he says: "it demonstrates how our society has fragmented into three distinct groups, the provide all/control all state, the provided for/controlled general populace and the increasingly besieged self-determining/self-controlling rationalist individual. Or, in terms of Wells' speculative fantasy, we could identify these as the Morlocks, the Eloi and the Time Traveler. We, as gun owners, represent the Time Traveler in this article. Mr. Cordea goes on to compare the Eloi to a group of people who responded to a survey regarding self protection. Each of these respondents expressed the desire to be cared for by the state and felt that firearms were not a reasonable means of self defense. Our own government has taken the role of the Morlocks. Caring for the flocks of sheeple just so that they may feed upon them. It is a very thought provoking article to say the least. For many years we have been making comparisions to George Orwell's "1984". Maybe we have been using the wrong book. Its been a long time since I last read "The Time Machine". I think I'll dig it back out and enjoy this classic one more time. But, this time from a different prespective. Watch out for Big Brother, But beware of the Morlocks! [This message has been edited by Grayfox (edited January 14, 2000).]

January 14, 2000, 05:53 AM	#2
George Hill Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 14, 1998 Location: North Carolina Posts: 11,546	OUCH. Yeah - I remember that! Cool observation. Remember the Thunder Ranch adds? "I will not be food." Ah - its coming together now! ------------------ "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud

January 14, 2000, 08:46 AM	#3
TheBluesMan Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 15, 1999 Location: Ohio Posts: 7,558	I haven't read the book, but I will be soon. Do you remember the part of the movie where one of the Eloi is swept away in the raging river and none of the others lift a finger to help? The time traveller saves the drowning Eloi, who doesn't even express thankfulness, just walks away. Doesn't this sound like the city dwellers who "don't want to get involved?" And do you think that Sarah Brady would be thankful if an armed citizen came to her defense? ------------------ RKBA! "The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security" Ohio Constitution, Article I, Section 4 Concealed Carry is illegal in Ohio. Ohioans for Concealed Carry Website

January 14, 2000, 10:50 AM	#4
BigG Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 4,334	You guys are making some great connections here! ------------------ Be mentally deliberate but muscularly fast. Aim for just above the belt buckle Wyatt Earp "It is error alone that needs government support; truth can stand by itself." Tom Jefferson If you have to shoot a man, shoot him in the guts, it may not kill him... sometimes they die slow, but it'll paralyze his brain and arm and the fight is all but over Wild Bill Hickok Remember: When you attempt to rationalize two inconsistent positions, you risk drowning as your own sewage backs up. *45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel!* BigG

January 14, 2000, 11:48 AM	#5
Dennis Staff Emeritus Join Date: November 23, 1998 Location: a small forest in Texas Posts: 7,079	I must confess my ignorance - I haven't read The Time Traveler. However, I will say that I have been "travelling" for a rather long "time"! ------------------ Either you believe in the Second Amendment or you don't. Stick it to 'em! RKBA!

January 14, 2000, 12:05 PM	#6
DC Moderator Emeritus Join Date: September 30, 1998 Location: Calif Posts: 4,229	Its been years since I saw the movie and read the book... I vaguely recall that when the TT tried to warn the Eloi and organize resistance, they wouldn't for fear of upsetting the "normal balance". And that they (Eloi) were grateful for the short life of luxury. Sounds more and more like these days as this thread progresses ------------------ "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!

January 14, 2000, 12:18 PM	#7
dZ Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 1999 Location: Exiled, Fetid Swamp, DC Posts: 7,548	did you know that evil Morlocks control the teletubbies from down below? Who do you think plays that music they pavlovianly dance to? Tubby toast is people! dZ ------------------ "walk softly and carry a big stick, one that goes bang in .308 is fine"

January 14, 2000, 10:28 PM	#8
Grayfox Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 1998 Posts: 1,885	Oh, this just keeps gettin' worse! I went out today to get a copy of "The Time Machine" so I could read it again. Much to my dismay, I dicovered that both our small local book stores have gone out of business! I went into Memphis and had to go to two stores to find a copy of this classic. Talk about the dumbing down of America! I guess the Eloi are too stupid to read.

January 14, 2000, 11:16 PM	#9
Rob Pincus Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Hotels Posts: 3,668	Time Machine, Dennis, Time [i]Machine[i]..... Of course, I've never read it either, but I have seen the movie several times, it is a classic! I just saw it within the last few months on some obscure cable channel.. Great story, and I have often thought that many people today are very Eloi-like, though I never took the time to actually think it through as far as Mr. Codera did. I may try to slip this little bit of pop-trivia into a conversation of two with some of my more well-read friends at SHOT... ------------------ *-Essayons*

January 15, 2000, 01:27 AM	#10
Dennis Staff Emeritus Join Date: November 23, 1998 Location: a small forest in Texas Posts: 7,079	Oh! Time Machine!! (sigh!) No wonder I never get to go anywhere. (sigh!) I must have been overseas when the movie came out. Yeah! That's it! I was overseas whenever,... when it was... um I guess, like, ....... Machine, huh? [This message has been edited by Dennis (edited January 15, 2000).]

January 15, 2000, 10:29 AM	#11
dZ Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 1999 Location: Exiled, Fetid Swamp, DC Posts: 7,548	considering it was written 2 centuries ago, i am not surprised people are not familiar with H G Wells' novel i love this millenium crap! dZ

January 15, 2000, 01:05 PM	#12
Oleg Volk Staff Alumnus Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 7,022	I think it was Strugatski who wrote a little variation on the War of the Worlds. The story described a guy who got trapped by a Martian "walker" and convinced his captor to spare him....in exchange for helping to process other human captives into foodstuffs for the Martians. Eventually, the Martian host dies and his "walked" blunders into Thames where our "hero" eventually suffocates...

January 15, 2000, 07:15 PM	#13
KAC556 Member Join Date: December 14, 1999 Posts: 99	A very cogent analogy Grayfox. "The desire to be cared for by the state and feeling that firearms were not a reasonable means of self defense." This describes what I've referred to as "The Feminization of the Population (men.)"

January 15, 2000, 08:15 PM	#14
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	The entire text is available on-line. http://www.litrix.com/timemach/timem001.htm A real classic.