Interesting: "and I pity those who would try to replicate it in my lifetime by marooning themselves on Mars" When I myself looked at pictures of Mars (and still do) it is the very land: the red rocks, the valleys and mountains, that call to me. But then, I'm a child of the desert northwest, so dense trees and brush trigger a 'danger, can't see!' reaction.
It seems obvious to me that the valleys and hills of Mars (and other planets) would have their own entities, why wouldn't they?
Of course, visiting nearby Yellowstone can be quite alarming, some of those entities are not at all safe nor friendly, though others appreciate the attention, admiration, and, dare I say? worship they recieve from visitors. We have similar sorts here, but they seem to like or tolerate us (though I did have words with them about making my husband feel unwelcome, namely that he, I, and our children are a package deal and if they drive him off, we leave, too, which seems to have got them to ignore him--you make your choices and live with the consequences whether you're human, creek, or mountain!).
Anyway, all that to say while one might hope to flee non-human entities by going to Mars, I doubt it would work, and I rather suspect that, like Yellowstone's, the land entities there are less subtle than those entities that co-exist with human habitation. Anyone going to Mars in hopes of that had better stay in a sky scraper here instead. Best to send people who 'hear' the siren call and have some ability to answer!
As C.S. Lewis observed, and I think he's quite right, space itself is full of entities. There is no escape.
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It seems obvious to me that the valleys and hills of Mars (and other planets) would have their own entities, why wouldn't they?
Of course, visiting nearby Yellowstone can be quite alarming, some of those entities are not at all safe nor friendly, though others appreciate the attention, admiration, and, dare I say? worship they recieve from visitors. We have similar sorts here, but they seem to like or tolerate us (though I did have words with them about making my husband feel unwelcome, namely that he, I, and our children are a package deal and if they drive him off, we leave, too, which seems to have got them to ignore him--you make your choices and live with the consequences whether you're human, creek, or mountain!).
Anyway, all that to say while one might hope to flee non-human entities by going to Mars, I doubt it would work, and I rather suspect that, like Yellowstone's, the land entities there are less subtle than those entities that co-exist with human habitation. Anyone going to Mars in hopes of that had better stay in a sky scraper here instead. Best to send people who 'hear' the siren call and have some ability to answer!
As C.S. Lewis observed, and I think he's quite right, space itself is full of entities. There is no escape.
BoysMom