Foucault's Pendulum

Every few years I reread this and find something new in myself reflected in it.

It's not technically science fiction, but I highly recommend it to anyone who particularly likes Neal Stephenson -- in some respects it feels like Stephenson but more intellectual. The characters feel a lot like me, but world-wearier, and historians rather than mathematicians. Working in a small Milan publishing house, and deal with various mystic dabblers without believing.

I also recommend it to anyone who thought "Da Vinci Code" was stupid. At one point they use a computer to generate a conspiracy theory from random nonsensical sentence fragments, and come up with a plot closely approximating the Holy Blood, Holy Grail theory of Jesus' marriage and descendants, which they nearly dismiss as a ridiculous failure until one points out it was already published. I've said before of Da Vinci Code that it takes a lot to produce a book so ridiculous it's parodied before it's written.

When I was reading Jesuits in Spaaaaace what struck me is Emelio's balance. He *wants* to believe, but *doesn't*. In that case in God. And I felt similar.

But here, something also similar happens. The protagonists are fascinated by the mystical goings on around them, and the characters who indulge in it. But naturally too cynical to believe any of it.

( Spoilers )

Keeping a secret for four hundred years

I won't say whether it exists or not, but much in Foucault's Pendulum much attention is paid to the implausibility of the idea there may be secret descendants of the Templars, putting a long-laid plan. Many other books (and conspiracy theories) have similar ideas.

How *would* you go about organising such a thing? First, a few background points.

* Obviously there are *some* secret societies. The masons actually exist :)
* If that helps the members out now, that's obviously a reason to do it.
* Or if they're following some religious purpose.
* Or if you want to shape the future of humanity.
* But would you want to found a society in order to benefit the N00-year-hence members of it? But that's what some fictional societies with a big secret seem supposed to do. (See 1984 for a philosophical discussion of maintaining a caste system.)

If you did want to, how would you do it? First, the parameters:

* Let's say you have a big secret you want put into effect or revealed at the next millennium.
* You want to prevent anyone finding out before hand, including the members.
* But want the secret to survive.

And, so, what:

* One technique is to simply write lots of instructions and bury them. They (hopefully) won't be found too soon and (hopefully) when they're found some people primed by rumour will follow the instructions.

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