Trope-a-Day: Decade Dissonance

Decade Dissonance: Played fully straight.  The gaps in the Associated Worlds are full of backward “Forgotten Worlds” and “Unemerged”, who either are undeveloped enough to not have anything anyone wants, or who managed – after reaching non-worldbound status – to squander whatever cultural capital they had without bootstrapping themselves to meaningful star nation status.

Some of them hope fervently that one of the Great Powers will find some reason to take an interest in them one of these days, and thereby kick-start some sort of progress in their vicinity.  Others spend their days hoping that none of the Great Powers ever do, because it’s uncomfortable to be on the field when the giants dance.