The Status Civilization

Description

When Will Barrent realized he was on Omega – the brutal prison planet that had its own unforgiving society – he soon found that he had no recollection of his crime, nor the life he had previously lived on Earth. With an average life expectancy of 3 years, and a social structure that worshiped “Evil,” and that required citizens to commit a series of heinous crimes in order to climb the ladder to a higher status, what are Barrent’s real chances to escape, and return to Earth – or even survive?

Robert Sheckley animates an incredibly fascinating world in his novel, outlining the potential dual development that a society based solely on artificial intelligence and a dated belief system could lead to. The Earth of Barrent’s time is advanced enough to allow for interplanetary travel, but its development has remained stagnant for a long time, and the society run by the Church of the Spirit of Mankind Incarnate is simply the result of a mixture of past religions.

All the teachings and knowledge of planet Earth by this point have been diluted over time, due to the colorless brainwashing of the planet’s children by robots designed to create “perfect” citizens. In contrast, Omega features a society where only the strong and the wicked can survive, but one that bears striking resemblance to the shallow, stagnant world remaining on Earth.

Sheckley successfully points out and analyzes the similarities and differences between the two societies in this remarkably insightful science fiction novel, showing how a stagnant society is no better than a prison planet. The main character, Barrent, is introduced as a complex product of both worlds, who has to face his demons by the end of the tale.

Whether you’re interested in sci-fi, politics or psychology, or whether you’re just looking to find an entertaining and thought-provoking book to read, The Status Civilization will undoubtedly both thrill you and challenge your beliefs at the same time.
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