The premise behind David Brin's writing, never more evident than in The Postman, is etched on a plaque over his desk:
This stands for an intrinsic philosophy Brin proclaims by his writing. In The Postman, Gordon Krantz discovers accidentally what all meaningful characters in Brin's works live by:
I AM A MEMBER OF A CIVILIZATION.
Throughout Gordon's odyssey (seeking civilization lost two decades earlier), Brin evokes a stark criticism of society and our commonly misjudged, selfish place in it. Krantz's appropriation of a mail carrier's garb creates magic and provides for him both advantage and disadvantage. Forced into the role of a postman and embellishing the lie, Gordon lives as well as can be expected. The pretense leads to the haunting conclusion that he is a factor in regenerating civilization. Frequently he rededicates himself to undertake the responsibility involved in renewing civilization. In spite of himself, Gordon becomes an epic figure with an equal duty: he must be responsible for the very civilization he seeks to enjoy. So must we all.
