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We're Civilized!
Naturally, the superior race should win ... but superior by which standards ... and whose?
Excerpt
The females and children worked among the lichen growth, picking off the fattest, ripest leaves for their food and moisture, completing their arc of the circle of symbiosis.
The males worked at the surface of the canals, or in open excavations. Their wide, mutated hands chipped into the rock-hard clay, opening a channel which was to be filled with sand and then sealed off with clay on all sides and surface. That water might seep through the sand without evaporation, without loss, from the poles to the equator of Mars--seep unimpeded, so that moisture might reach the lichen plants of everyone, so that none might thirst or hunger.
The seepage must flow. Not even buried in the dim racial memory had there ever been one who took more than his share, for this would be like the fingers of one hand stealing blood from the fingers of the other.
Among the Mars race there were many words for contentment, kinship of each to all. There were words to express the ecstasy of watching the eternal stars, by night and by day, through the thin blackish atmosphere. There were words to express the joy of opening slitted nostrils to breathe deeply in those protected places where the blowing sands did not swirl, of opening folds of rubbery skin to catch the weak rays of the distant Sun.
But there were no words for "mine" as separate from "yours." And there was no urge to cry out, "Why am I here? What is the purpose of it all?"
Each had his purpose, serene, unquestioning. Each repaired or extended the seepage canals so that others, unborn, might know the same joys and ecstasies as they. The work was in itself a part of the total joy, and they resisted it no more than healthy lungs resist clear, cool air.
So far back that even the concept of beginnings had been forgotten, the interwoven fabric of their symbiotic interdependence seeped through their lives as naturally as the precious water seeped through the canal sands. As far back as that, they had achieved civilization.
Their kind of civilization.
Excerpt
The females and children worked among the lichen growth, picking off the fattest, ripest leaves for their food and moisture, completing their arc of the circle of symbiosis.
The males worked at the surface of the canals, or in open excavations. Their wide, mutated hands chipped into the rock-hard clay, opening a channel which was to be filled with sand and then sealed off with clay on all sides and surface. That water might seep through the sand without evaporation, without loss, from the poles to the equator of Mars--seep unimpeded, so that moisture might reach the lichen plants of everyone, so that none might thirst or hunger.
The seepage must flow. Not even buried in the dim racial memory had there ever been one who took more than his share, for this would be like the fingers of one hand stealing blood from the fingers of the other.
Among the Mars race there were many words for contentment, kinship of each to all. There were words to express the ecstasy of watching the eternal stars, by night and by day, through the thin blackish atmosphere. There were words to express the joy of opening slitted nostrils to breathe deeply in those protected places where the blowing sands did not swirl, of opening folds of rubbery skin to catch the weak rays of the distant Sun.
But there were no words for "mine" as separate from "yours." And there was no urge to cry out, "Why am I here? What is the purpose of it all?"
Each had his purpose, serene, unquestioning. Each repaired or extended the seepage canals so that others, unborn, might know the same joys and ecstasies as they. The work was in itself a part of the total joy, and they resisted it no more than healthy lungs resist clear, cool air.
So far back that even the concept of beginnings had been forgotten, the interwoven fabric of their symbiotic interdependence seeped through their lives as naturally as the precious water seeped through the canal sands. As far back as that, they had achieved civilization.
Their kind of civilization.
24 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 20, 2011
About the author
Mark Clifton
97 books11 followersMark Irwin Clifton (1906 - Nov. 1963) was an American science fiction writer. Clifton began publishing in May of 1952 with the often anthologized story "What Have I Done?".
Most of his work fits into one of two series. The "Bossy" sequence was written alone, and in collaboration with both Alex Apostolides and Frank Riley. The "Ralph Kennedy" series, which is lighter in tone, was mostly written solo, including the novel "When They Come From Space", although there was one collaboration with Apostolides.
Clifton gained his greatest success with his novel They'd Rather Be Right (a.k.a. The Forever Machine), co-written with Riley, which was serialized in Astounding in 1954 and went on to win the Hugo Award, perhaps the most contentious novel ever to win the award.
Clifton is also known today for his short story "Star, Bright", his first of three appearances in Horace Gold's Galaxy (July 1952), about a super-intelligent toddler with psi abilities. From Clifton's correspondence we know that Gold "editorially savaged" the story, which appeared in severely truncated or altered form. The story has been compared favorably to Kuttner and Moore's "Mimsy Were the Borogoves", which was published in Astounding nine years earlier.
Clifton worked as a personnel manager during his life and interviewed close to 100,000 people. This experience formed much of Clifton's attitude about the delusions people entertain of themselves, but also the greatness of which they are capable.
Most of his work fits into one of two series. The "Bossy" sequence was written alone, and in collaboration with both Alex Apostolides and Frank Riley. The "Ralph Kennedy" series, which is lighter in tone, was mostly written solo, including the novel "When They Come From Space", although there was one collaboration with Apostolides.
Clifton gained his greatest success with his novel They'd Rather Be Right (a.k.a. The Forever Machine), co-written with Riley, which was serialized in Astounding in 1954 and went on to win the Hugo Award, perhaps the most contentious novel ever to win the award.
Clifton is also known today for his short story "Star, Bright", his first of three appearances in Horace Gold's Galaxy (July 1952), about a super-intelligent toddler with psi abilities. From Clifton's correspondence we know that Gold "editorially savaged" the story, which appeared in severely truncated or altered form. The story has been compared favorably to Kuttner and Moore's "Mimsy Were the Borogoves", which was published in Astounding nine years earlier.
Clifton worked as a personnel manager during his life and interviewed close to 100,000 people. This experience formed much of Clifton's attitude about the delusions people entertain of themselves, but also the greatness of which they are capable.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 1, 2019
A story of arrogance and comeuppance.
May 29, 2020
Wow.
I'm going to be completely honest here. I genuinely thought that Mark Clifton was an average Science Fiction writer with a Hugo Award solely because of the popularity of the Science Fiction magazine known as "Astounding! Science Fiction", of which would often publish his short serials and short stories. I had read the hugo award winning novel "They'd Rather Be Right." and even made a whole rambling video about the book and why it's an alright book (But not great).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9qBR...
After reading this short story, however, I have a newfound respect for Mark Clifton and see his career through a different lens. He is far superior as a short storyteller than a writer of novels. We're Civilized battles with the themes of Colonization and Justice in such a way that I can't help but feeling that not only is this short story complete in its writing, but it holds an incredibly ironic twist worthy of a Twilight Zone episode.
The reveal at the end of how Humans get their comeuppance after colonizing Mars made me laugh so hard while also making me realize the total dickishness of the original cast of characters introduced in the beginning of the story. This is a definite must-read.
I'm going to be completely honest here. I genuinely thought that Mark Clifton was an average Science Fiction writer with a Hugo Award solely because of the popularity of the Science Fiction magazine known as "Astounding! Science Fiction", of which would often publish his short serials and short stories. I had read the hugo award winning novel "They'd Rather Be Right." and even made a whole rambling video about the book and why it's an alright book (But not great).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9qBR...
After reading this short story, however, I have a newfound respect for Mark Clifton and see his career through a different lens. He is far superior as a short storyteller than a writer of novels. We're Civilized battles with the themes of Colonization and Justice in such a way that I can't help but feeling that not only is this short story complete in its writing, but it holds an incredibly ironic twist worthy of a Twilight Zone episode.
The reveal at the end of how Humans get their comeuppance after colonizing Mars made me laugh so hard while also making me realize the total dickishness of the original cast of characters introduced in the beginning of the story. This is a definite must-read.
June 3, 2022
Entertaining listening 🎶🔰
Another will written space fantasy adventure thriller short story by Mark Clifton about spaceship landing on Mars and during the ceremony to claim the planet. They open fire on Martians who wish to repair the canal. I would recommend this novella to readers of space fantasy novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of health issues. 2022 😄
Another will written space fantasy adventure thriller short story by Mark Clifton about spaceship landing on Mars and during the ceremony to claim the planet. They open fire on Martians who wish to repair the canal. I would recommend this novella to readers of space fantasy novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of health issues. 2022 😄
December 17, 2020
A nice short story, I enjoyed it as I am a sucker for mars and mars creatures stories having cut my teeth on ERG's A princess of mars a great many years ago.
However, the late Stephen Hawking did capture the storyline with his quote: “Meeting an advanced civilization could be like Native Americans encountering Columbus. That didn’t turn out so well.”
However, the late Stephen Hawking did capture the storyline with his quote: “Meeting an advanced civilization could be like Native Americans encountering Columbus. That didn’t turn out so well.”
May 31, 2023
An indictment to colonial powers masquerading as an interesting Golden Age scifi story. Amazingly linear storytelling, no surprises, wonderfully two-dimensional characters.
Yeah, a perfect if aged Golden Age scifi story.
Yeah, a perfect if aged Golden Age scifi story.
February 20, 2020
Super heavy-handed allegory about imperialism with a fun ending
January 17, 2024
Short story that deals with the hubris of man and of defining intelligence by human standards. Effectively written, economical in it's delivery, a compact story of the time.
March 19, 2025
Palaeocastor? 🦫 Did the canals really exist on Mars only to disappear as Mars finished compiling?
June 27, 2015
What do we mean when we say a people is civilized? Do we just mean that they are "like us"? If so the title of this story is ironically redundant meaning in essence "We are like us!"
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews