Life in a Thousand WorldsHarris, W. S. (William Shuler)
Science
Life in a Thousand Worlds
Harris, W. S. (William Shuler)
Utopias
The state supplies each home with an automatic news-receiver. Thus a
record is kept in each home of all messages received so that they can
be read at leisure. To speak in a manner more easily understood, I will
say that the news is telegraphed to each home as soon as possible after
the events transpire. But compared to our customs, the news is very
scarce. There being no competition, no time or space is required for
sensational trash. Thus, if nothing of importance occurs, nothing need
be transmitted. The official news-censors decide as to the relative
importance of occurrences. There need not be a certain amount of news
telegraphed each hour. The government verifies, as much as possible, all
reports before they are transmitted. There are indeed some advantages in
the government being in constant touch with each home under its care.
The advertising department pays nearly all expenses of this whole system
of journalism. Announcements for private gain are paid at a regular
rate. It costs more to advertise at certain periods than at other times,
all regulated by the customs of the people.
Under these regulations everybody receives the news, and only the
essential news, except advertisements which must come in batches at
certain intervals. Of course, people take their choice as to reading
advertisements.
[Illustration: Sunrise Signal in Brief.]
THEIR FOOTWEAR.
The soles of the feet of these Briefites are composed of a substance
most nearly resembling hoof material. They never think of covering the
feet under any change of climate. If one of the Briefites were to step
upon the shores of our rugged Earth and see the cotton or wool and
leather that lies around our feet, it would appear to him as the most
ridiculous thing imaginable, and no doubt his shapely feet of ivory cast
would be of more than passing interest to us.
THEIR RAIMENT.
Their raiment is altogether after new models. Neither the men, women,
nor children seem to seek this means for self-beautifying. They seem to
think that beauty of character has a radiance more to be desired than
the flash of opals or the luster of silks. Their garments partake of the
loose flowing order. For instance, a strong fabric of chosen shade is
fastened at the neck, hip, knee and ankle, and lies carelessly over the
parts between. The females never graduated to the corset degree, and
while they do not cut a scientific figure, yet they surely develop a
more ruddy waist after the model intended by the Designor of the body.
TRANSPORTATION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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