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Re: Dystopic novel



Another example that I can think of is The Matrix- but the interesting
thing about this movie is our interpretation of which version of reality
is the utopia and which is the dystopia? 
Initially, life seems to be proceeding normally, but we soon learn that
this 'normal' version of life is the result of intelligent agents who have
enlaved everyone with technology and vr. Yet to escape from that life into
the 'real' world, is to escape into a world of struggle and into a world
that has been decimated by war.

It makes an intersting statment about freedom and struggle versus
slavery and loss of individuality through technology- plus a lot of
other statements too, with cool special effects. 

-
rachel

 On Tue, 18 Jan 2000, Paul Jones wrote:

> i agree that dystopia is perhaps the most universal sci-fi or speculative
> fiction theme. does that say that we fear the future or that we revel in
> fear? 
> 
> one scholar writing about virtual reality from a cultural studies
> perspective told me that when he told people involved with vr what he was
> writing on, they all said 'cool' but he insisted it's about the scary
> dystopic parts, 'even cooler' he was perplexed. how could folks devoting
> their time and money to vr be delighted to hear that he was writing about
> vr as perhaps evil? 
> 
> are scientists and engineers and software architects master ironists?
> 
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>                              Paul Jones
>    "We must protect our precious bodily fluids!" General Jack D Ripper
> http://MetaLab.unc.edu/pjones/ at the Site Formerly Known As SunSITE.unc.edu
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