He wished his imagination would not take so impressionistic a turn. It never fails. - Joanna Russ

The United States is a nation made up of many very different sub-cultures (this is not even mentioning class differences). I have heard talk - largely from middle-aged white men - to the effect that everything used to be so harmonious and people so happy and what happened? - but they don't really want to know. Differences that used to be firmly suppressed in a hierarchy that was sold to all of us as "natural" are now busting out all over. When they take the forms of theory or morals (and even when they don't) it's impossible to argue them away. They exist. The Left (to which I belong) must learn them. We must all learn them. It's time and it's hard to do. I'm trying.

Courage is willful hope. (p86)

We need to force the reader always to come back to where we all are. Otherwise, it's pure game playing, escapism. And you fall out with an awful shock.