[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Dystopic novel




I may be taking this at little off topic here, but hey, its a snow day...

If we want to look at movies and the advancement of machines/tecxhnology
to a level where they take over / redefine the human race, we
certainly cannot forget about the Terminator. A modern classic, I
feel. Here's a new society in which technology has completely taken humans
out
of the picture. At least in the Matrix, we had a use as batteries (its
nice to be needed).

true, it may not be profound, but my Matrix example was too slow.
dan





On Tue, 18 Jan 2000, Rachel Fuller wrote:

> 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?
> > 
> > ==========================================================================
> >                              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
> >   pjones@MetaLab.unc.edu   voice: (919) 962-7600     fax: (919) 962-8071 
> > ===========================================================================
> > 
> > 
> 
> 

hello