The Polynesian Paralysis Podcast - Episode 29.

In the last episode of the Polynesian Paralysis Podcast, we looked at the book Hawaii published in 1986. This 128-page hardback book contains excellent photographs by Frank (or Franco) Salmoiraghi and text by Jocelyn Fujii describe both the history of the Hawaiian Islands and also the relaxed lifestyle in Hawaii during the mid-1980s. By the time the book was published in 1986, Franco had lived in Hawaii for more than 16 years and was involved with teaching photography and photojournalism at the University of Hawaii. He was also asked by both the state of Hawaii and the Native Hawaiian Community to document various sacred sites, Hawaiian religious celebrations, and cultural practices. Jocelyn was born on the island of Kauai and lived and worked in Honolulu most of her life. Polynesian Paralysis is described in this book as being on “Hawaiian time” or being late – most likely because you might be enjoying the relaxed lifestyle of the islands and not concerned with being “on time”.

Today we look at a science fiction magazine that contains a story where Polynesian Paralysis is mentioned. The magazine is none other than Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. 

Isaac Asimov was born in small village in Russia sometime in late 1919 or early 1920 – he celebrated his birthday on Jan 2nd. In 1921, as an infant, Isaac and 16 other children in the village got very sick and developed double pneumonia – Isaac was the only child to survive. At age 3, Isaac and his family would immigrate to the USA. He grew up in New York City and attended public schools. His parents never taught him to speak Russian, he grew up speaking English and Yiddish, and later he later would study both French and German in school. 

Asimov began writing and developed a love of science fiction at an early age. He published his first science fiction story at the age of 18.

He tried twice to enroll medical school but was rejected. He studied chemistry and eventually earned a PHD in Chemistry. Although he started his career as a professor of biochemistry at Boston University, he would soon become the best-known science fiction writers of all time. Asimov wrote or edited more than 500 books during his lifetime. In addition to his classic science fiction, he also wrote mystery and fantasy and non-fiction works – but he always considered himself a science fiction writer. He is credited with coining the term “robotics” in 1941.

In 1942, Asimov published the Three Laws of Robotics – also know as Asimov’s Laws. These laws are:

1.    A robot may not injure a human being or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2.    A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3.    A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

In addition to the many awards he has received, Asimov received 14 honorary doctorates degrees from universities. An asteroid in space and a crater on Mars have been named in his honor. In 2000, the year after Asimov died, he was honored by Israel with a postage stamp.   

In 1977 Asimov and Joel Davis would start a quarterly magazine – Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. Within a year it would become a bi-monthly publication and in 1979 it was published each month. It continues today in both print and digital formats six times a year and contains about 200 pages of science fiction or fantasy stories from awarding winning veteran authors as well as new or upcoming authors.  

The article that we look at today appeared in the April 1989 issue of the Isacc Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine. The article on page 121 was written by Sage Walker and is titled Indian Giving. 

Sage Walker is an American science fiction writer based in New Mexio. She was born in Oklahoma and grew up steeped in simile and sultry south wind from the Gulf. She entered college as a music major but finished with a degree in Zoology and eventually would go on to attend medical school and become a doctor. As a longtime resident of Taos, New Mexico, she would establish the first full time Emergency Physician coverage in hospitals in Taos, Los Alamos, and Santa Fe. She stopped practicing medicine in 1987 and describes herself as a burned-out ER doctor who enjoy wilderness, solitude, good company…. And telling stories. She also enjoyed writing stories.

Her first science fiction novel published in 1997 was Whiteout and it won the Locus Award for the Best First Novel. Her second science fiction novel Man in the Tree was published in 2017. 

In 2009, she was one of several science fiction authors who attended a conference on science and technology aimed at preventing future terrorist attacks.

Her story Indian Giving – where she mentions Polynesian Paralysis – was published in Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine in 1989. This story reflects her love of the southwest and wilderness and solitude.

The story Indian Giving describes the efforts of a 35-year-old woman named Meg who is trying to stop smoking. She asks her friend, Greg, to fly her in a small plane out to a remote ranch in the middle of nowhere – somewhere west of Los Alomos, north of Albuquerque, in the San Juan mountains – near Indian territory. 

Meg’s plan was to spend a week by herself in a remote spot for a week – away from her work in the lab – no phone – no electricity – no distractions – just alone in nature for a week – to focus on her goal – to stop smoking.

She had brought a few supplies with her – clothes, food, coffee, a bottle of vodka, and about 20 cigarettes (for emergency use only). She had tried to quit smoking before (without any emergency cigarettes) and after only 30 minutes she had panicked and gone in search of a pack. This time, she hoped that knowing she had some cigarettes available, she would be able to resist. 

Meg did not bring any nicotine patches, no pills, no stop smoking hypnotize tapes, just her “emergency pack of cigarettes” (just in case) … and the vodka.

Meg put the cigarettes on top of the cabinet above the kitchen sink – “out of sight… but not out of reach.”

Meg would need to fetch water from the spring and chop wood to cook and heat the cabin. It was October and although the days were warm, the nights would be cold. Meg also had heard that physical activity was good to reduce the urge for smoking…. So, she grabbed the ax and started chopping firewood.

Later she would take a break from chopping wood and relax. Then she noticed a half-smoked cigarette in her hand – she could not remember smoking it.

By morning, 4 cigarettes were gone.

Meg carried her cup of coffee down to the spring to get more water. She gazed at the rocks near the spring. The granite stones had sharp edges but she felt if she looked at them long enough, they would become round and smooth. Look even longer and they would become gray sand in the ocean. She began to sense a lazy timelessness gazing into the water and she shook her head. She began to feel the effects of Polynesian Paralysis…. In New Mexico. 

Let me read to you how she describes it on page 124:

“Polynesian paralysis, hillbilly inertia, manana, whatever you call it, it always crept up when you dropped your guard. Too long outdoors, and she feared she might be as immobile as a blanket Indian. The ones she knew were never on time. They always seemed to be occupied with some intricate or inexplicable ceremony of living that never resulted in consistent output.”

The story continues stating that Meg had grown up in Indian country, but she never really understood them at all. 

Later in the story, Meg would have an encounter with a coyote or a spiritual being that would result in burning a hole in the roof of the small cabin. Fortunately, Meg is not hurt and she did make some progress towards her goal of quitting smoking. Sometimes she still wanted a cigarette, but mostly not so much. 

It is possible that Meg discovered something about herself out there – alone – in the middle of nowhere with no distractions. She had time to be still, relax, and enjoy a simple lifestyle. She had time to experience Polynesian Paralysis…. In New Mexico. 

In the next episode of the Polynesian Paralysis Podcast, we will review the book Molokai, The Friendly Isle written by Marlene Freedman and published in 1977. 

Until then, please take a few minutes each day to be still, relax, appreciate nature, and enjoy life.

Enjoy Polynesian paralysis… the sensible approach to mindfulness.