Yes, I agree that we really couldn't fathom how our modern day democracies could be threatened until recently. The difference with PURE is that rather than one leader, there are regional 'pairs' who run the world via a board of directors. Perhaps less likely to have corruption at the top although it still seems to be a form of authoritarianism. Media manipulation seems to be a common theme in how we destroy democracy and lose our freedom.

Jung's work on the unconscious mind is fascinating - one of his most important theories – the collective unconscious – came when he explored the unconscious mind as it related to more spiritual realms such as religion and mythology, which Freud thought ‘unscientific’. Some quotations rom Carl Jung's “Man and his Symbols” on the subject of the collective unconscious. “Just as the human body represents a whole museum of organs, each with a long evolutionary history behind it, so we should expect to find that the mind is organized in a similar way. It can no more be a product without history than is the body in which it exists. The experienced investigator of the mind can similarly see the analogies between the dream pictures of modern man and the products of the primitive mind, its “collective images,” and its mythological motifs. My views about the “archaic remnants,” which I call “archetypes” or “primordial images,” have been constantly criticized by people who lack sufficient knowledge of the psychology of dreams and mythology.”

First of all, I think Rebecca and Ola should cowrite a novel about future sex practices. In terms of steamy between W&K, we'll see where they end up in the sequel but physically she is more drawn to A.. Still, to be honest, writing sex scenes is a bit uncomfortable for me and not really what I was focused on although the connection between the characters is important. I don't think I will ever write a 50 Shades type of story. :)

Unconsciously I'm sure Brave New World, which I quite enjoyed many decades ago in school, probably influenced this..

Thanks little b ‘bob’, I value your insights a great deal!

Thanks Rosanne. I agree with your statement. As a reader, even if the descriptive language is poetic and beautiful, I can get impatient if it goes on for too long.

Yes I like this idea. It would be like an app to help you mine the useful stuff and timelines and discard the fluff

Pea Doubleu thanks for reminding me of the Ender’s Game series. I really got into those books at one time. I am also reminded of the creation of the demagogue leader through media manipulation which makes more sense to me now.

Susan James this is great. I know there are no answers to these questions I’m posing but I am finding all of these intelligent, thoughtful responses so helpful. I think we’re all in such a mixed up state with what’s been happening on our planet and within our own worlds. It’s a good time to have this discussion

Susan Levoy totally agree, so bizarre to have this discussion after what we’ve witnessed this week on the news. We even saw Jesus signs among the rioters. Sad and terrifying when people take something deep and meaningful to so many and turn it into a blood cry

When I was younger, the thought of sharing private journal entries would have been abhorrent. However, with the passage of time, and after losing family members, we start to realize that these threads of who they were and where we came from, can be enlightening. And some of the thoughts, feelings, actions that once caused embarrassment for me, are 'only human, after all'. Perhaps this level of sharing and honesty can actually connect us rather than divide.

Pea Doubleu this is awesome, I was so hoping to get our resident Pastor in this group to weigh in. Although I know you are far from a ‘typical Baptist minister’, you have great insights and wisdom in this area. So glad to hear your views on “exclusivity”