Aside from other issues (virtual senses might well be good enough), one solution might be cohorts from different eras building their own cultures—there’d be some meme exchange, but it wouldn’t be awful if a lot of what you’re paying attention to is relatively close to your home culture.
As a model, look at expat communities in e.g. China, where people who are willing living in a strange environment get the relief of sitting down and relaxing with people who have a shared cultural background. If the cryonics thing works out, I wouldn’t be surprised if Alcor clients became a very tight-knit social group in the far future.
It’s an idea which hasn’t been used in science fiction as much as I think it deserves. Offhand, the only example I can think of is “The Flowered Thundermug” by Alfred Bester.
Aside from other issues (virtual senses might well be good enough), one solution might be cohorts from different eras building their own cultures—there’d be some meme exchange, but it wouldn’t be awful if a lot of what you’re paying attention to is relatively close to your home culture.
As a model, look at expat communities in e.g. China, where people who are willing living in a strange environment get the relief of sitting down and relaxing with people who have a shared cultural background. If the cryonics thing works out, I wouldn’t be surprised if Alcor clients became a very tight-knit social group in the far future.
It’s an idea which hasn’t been used in science fiction as much as I think it deserves. Offhand, the only example I can think of is “The Flowered Thundermug” by Alfred Bester.
It’s within spitting distance of the Revivals in Warren Ellis’ Transmetropolitan, although that’s a much more cynical take on it.