David Brin says the mail is one of the things that “knits us together.”
I dont think Trump cares any more if the Republican party is torched in November.
I think chaosisthe goal."
Credit: Warner Bros.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you come up with the idea forThe Postman?
DAVID BRIN:Back in the ’80s, there were a lot of post-apocalyptic stories.
And one of them, I dont even remember what it was, grabbed me and got me ruminating.
I thought, what would I do?
And I realized, Id be willing to lie to survive.
I wouldn’t be willing to hurt people, but Id be willing to tell a harmless lie.
Then I thought there are harmless lies that might do vast amounts of good under the right conditions.
But how did you hit on the specific idea of someone pretending to be a postman?
I dont honestly know.
My own children have no fillings at all because dentistry has advanced so far.
Me, I pick up radio stations from the Twilight Dimension.
Thats probably the simplest answer for where I get my ideas.
To be honest, I have no idea whether youre being serious.
[Laughs] And that is the response that a science fiction author most relishes!
What did you think about the movie version of the book?
So, that alone is enough reason to appreciate it.
And Costner was faithful to the heart-message of my book.
So, gorgeous, big-hearted, and dumb I can relate to, because thats what my wife married.
I rewatched the film yesterday and was struck by its contemporary resonance, particularly with Will Patton’s character.
Self-preventing prophecy is by far the most important subgenre of science fiction.
We may owe all our lives toDr.
Strangelove,On the Beach, andFail Safe.
We may owe saving the planet to the number of environmentalists who were recruited by films likeSoylent GreenandSilent Running.
And, of course, the granddaddy of all self-preventing prophecies,1984.
If people want to help the postal service, what should they do?
I mean, thats something almost anyone can do.
Other than that, its hard to come up with fresh ideas in the calamity.
This has been a subsidized and highly relentless program that is all about undermining an experiment.
Im encouraged by it.
In the long run of course the answer is going to be political.
I think that most of you would crawl through broken glass thats covered with anthrax.
Its going to be up to you to prove which of us is right."
What have you been working on recently?
I just self-published my sci-fi comedyThe Ancient Ones, because comedy terrifies publishers and I didnt want any delays.
But all of them can be accessed viadavidbrin.com.
