The Future is Us

The Protohistory of XYMASE

The thought processes underlying XYMASE have actually been coming together for quite some time. Therefore, we offer you a few articles from the past – and you may find them as disturbing today.

The Anti-Guru of Economic Mysticism — A brief, light-hearted romp through Reaganomics, via a mock interview. Published "like 1987" in the Minnesota Daily. (Greg Zeuner, Albermarle)

An Abandoned Conservative Laments — What's an old-fashioned Republican to do when his party suddenly jumps the fence? The Minnesota Daily, 18 October 1988. (Greg Zeuner, Albermarle)

The Need for a Satanic Conspiracy — In troubled times, a scapegoat can always be found – the more ludicrous, the better, apparently. Read this piece, then wonder at how reasonable it sounds if you replace "satanist" with "terrorist." The Minnesota Daily, 20 October 1988. (Greg Zeuner, Albermarle)

Open systems, closed systems, & the GAW — This piece weighs the failed assumptions of both communism & capitalism, & proposes an unusual third path. The first of a projected series of articles on socioeconomics, intended for a highly literate crowd of science fiction readers. Published under the pseudonym "J. William Harbinger" in a short-lived Minneapolis magazine, Fringe Worthy, September 1988. (Walt Uilleach, Albermarle)

Our baseless fear of Oriental takeover — A critical examination of the then-widespread belief that the Japanese and the Arabs would soon own the United States. "I guessed the collapse of Japan's economy due to the inherent flaws of expansionism. I remain curious about the continuous west-ward movement of intellectual capital — it's got to end up back in the U.S. eventually, but when?" Again in Fringe Worthy, January 1989. (Walt Uilleach, Albermarle)

Count the value, not the cost — Wherein the Author considers the problems resulting from confusing value with cost. "I'm still searching my files for this one. I went off on an extended rant about the fallout from horribly imprecise thinking, especially when being vented by economists."