Idiot Stick

"Idiot Stick" is a science fiction short story written by Damon Knight. It first appeared in a 1958 issue of Star Science Fiction and has been reprinted a number of times, including in Star Science Fiction Stories No. 4 (1958) and Far Out (1961).

Synopsis

Aliens land in New Jersey, in a mile-long space ship. They request 500 acres (2.0 km²) of level ground to erect buildings, and induce humans to work for them by passing out capsules that produce a feeling of temporary bliss. The workers are given sticks, each a "light metal or plastic rod, five feet long, with a curved handle and a splayed tip":

"When the command 'Go' is heard," said the alien's voice clearly, "you will all proceed directly forward at a slow walking pace, swinging your sticks from side to side."

The sticks flatten the ground in front of the people as they walk. Later the aliens make adjustments in the sticks, and the ground bulges up into walls. Eventually an enormous building takes shape.

The aliens are circumspect about their motives. One alien, Pendrath, is fond of fraternizing with humans. On one occasion he becomes drunk (from aspirin), and lets slip that the building will house a giant drill, which will be used to place a bomb in the core of the Earth. The purpose is to increase the amount of dust in the space around the Sun as a means to slow down spaceships and to protect the aliens from invasion.

Idiot

An idiot, dolt, dullard or (archaically) mome is a person perceived to be lacking intelligence, or someone who acts in a self-defeating or significantly counterproductive way. Along with the similar terms moron, imbecile, and cretin, the word archaically referred to the intellectually disabled, but have all since gained specialized meanings in modern times. An idiot is said to be idiotic, and to suffer from idiocy. A dunce is an idiot who is specifically incapable of learning. An idiot differs from a fool (who is unwise) and an ignoramus (who is uneducated/an ignorant), neither of which refers to someone with low intelligence. In modern English usage, the terms "idiot" and "idiocy" describe an extreme folly or stupidity, and its symptoms (foolish or stupid utterance or deed). In psychology, it is a historical term for the state or condition now called profound intellectual disability.

Etymology

Idiot is a word derived from the Greek ἰδιώτης, idiōtēs ("person lacking professional skill", "a private citizen", "individual"), from ἴδιος, idios ("private", "one's own"). In Latin the word idiota ("ordinary person, layman") preceded the Late Latin meaning "uneducated or ignorant person". Its modern meaning and form dates back to Middle English around the year 1300, from the Old French idiote ("uneducated or ignorant person"). The related word idiocy dates to 1487 and may have been analogously modeled on the words prophet and prophecy. The word has cognates in many other languages.

Idiot (2012 film)

Idiot is a 2012 Bengali film directed by Rajib Biswas starring Ankush Hazra and Srabanti Chatterjee in lead roles . This is a remake of 2006 Tamil language comedy film Thiruvilaiyaadal Aarambam. The film is a Super Hit.

Plot

Samrat falls in love with Anjali. Their love life gets on track. It was smooth sailing until the Anjali's ruthless brother gets into the picture. He does not accept Samrat. So Samrat tricks him and becomes a bigger business magnet and as a result, is accepted by everyone.

Cast

Music

References

Idiot (1992 film)

Idiot is a 1992 Hindi film based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel, The Idiot. It was directed by Mani Kaul and starred Shah Rukh Khan and Ayub Khan-Din. The film debuted at the New York Film Festival in October 1992. In this version of the tale, placed in contemporary Mumbai, Prince Miskin (Khan-Din) is a man whose epilepsy is mistaken for idiocy.

Cast

Production and release

The film was first released as a four-part television mini-series on state-run Doordarshan channel in 1991, and despite it outing at debuted at the New York Film Festival in October 1992, it was never commercially released.

Awards

References

External links