Jack Vance's novel from 1966 features a group of privileged users of contacts ('cusps') that allow the user to experience the delights of the Overworld. These are in limited supply, there are long waiting lists and squabbles over priority (sounds familiar!). Users are indifferent to their circumstances in mundane reality:
The elder shrugged. "It is a matter I prefer to overlook. I dimly recall that I inhabit a sty and devour the coarsest of food--but the subjective reality is that I inhabit a glorious palace and dine on splendid viands among the princes and princesses who are my peers. It is explained thus: the demon Underherd looked from the subworld to this one; we look from this to the Overworld, which is the quintessence of human hope, visionary longing, and beatific dream. We who inhabit this world--how can we think of ourselves as other than splendid lords? This is how we are."
"It is inspiring!" exclaimed Cugel. "How may I obtain a pair of these magic cusps?"
Submitted August 26, 2014 at 01:37AM by sdmat http://ift.tt/1BXQAbk
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