I will not try to describe the beauty of life in a Swarm ‒ their zero-gravity globe cities and comet farms and thrust clusters, their micro-orbital forests and migrating rivers and the ten thousand colors and textures of life at Rendezvous Week. Suffice it to say that I believe the Ousters have done what Web humanity has not in the past millennia: evolved. While we live in our derivative cultures, pale reflections of Old Earth life, the Ousters have explored new dimensions of aesthetics and ethics and biosciences and art and all the things that must change and grow to reflect the human soul.
This passage from Hyperion offers a profound meditation on human evolution and the pursuit of innovation beyond traditional boundaries. The contrast drawn between Web humanity and the Ousters highlights how stagnation often plagues established civilizations, bound by cultural inertia and historical reflection. The Ousters represent a bold step into uncharted territories of aesthetics, ethics, biosciences, and art, embodying an evolutionary leap in human consciousness and societal development. Their cities, set in zero gravity and on comets, symbolize the aspirations of transcending Earth-bound limitations and embracing the cosmos as a canvas for human creativity and adaptation. The mention of micro-orbital forests and migrating rivers captures a vision of harmony between technology and nature, pursued in the vastness of space. This evokes a sense of hope—that evolution isn't simply biological but cultural, ethical, and artistic. The idea that human existence should be a continuous process of change resonates with the fundamental human desire to grow, understand, and transcend. Simmons encourages us to reflect on the importance of embracing change, fostering innovation, and daring to redefine what it means to be human, especially in an era where we são limited by our past and traditional aesthetics. The rich imagery and philosophical undertones urge us to consider how future societies—the Ousters—might inspire present generations to evolve towards a more profound expression of the human soul, one that embraces the universe at its core.