Clearly, Vinge has presented the reader with a set of social concerns.

The most obvious is that technology unchecked by ethics can have serious if not fatal consequences. She also presents the reader with two societies created from a single society by a high tech disaster. One society goes "all natural" rejecting both the benefits and the evils of technology. The other society believes it must accept the evils of technology in order to reap its benefits.

Each side feels that it is right and despises the other, creating an exploitable gap. This gap is encouraged by a silicon-based alien society that uses the lack of understanding and communication to keep the humans harmless, at least to silicon-based aliens!

1. How do you feel about Tarn's society's social engineering?

2. Do you see any parallels between twentieth century imperialism and the actions of Tam's society?

3. What do you...