DOTLAN EveMaps

u'\u201cThe usual example given to illustrate an Outside Context Problem was imagining you were a tribe on a largish, fertile island; you\u2019d tamed the land, invented the wheel or writing or whatever, the neighbours were cooperative or enslaved but at any rate peaceful and you were busy raising temples to yourself with all the excess productive capacity you had, you were in a position of near-absolute power and control which your hallowed ancestors could hardly have dreamed of and the whole situation was just running along nicely like a canoe on wet grass\u2026 when suddenly this bristling lump of iron appears sailless and trailing steam in the bay and these guys carrying long funny-looking sticks come ashore and announce you\u2019ve just been discovered, you\u2019re all subjects of the Emperor now, he\u2019s keen on presents called tax and these bright-eyed holy men would like a word with your priests.\u201d
- Iain M. Banks, Excession'