Machines
The Handler
Though machinery certainly plays a role in this story, it seems to be peripheral, used to illustrate the more central ideas of superficiality, and possibly alter egos. The fact that the crowd prefers to talk with Pete than with Harry, despite being aware that the former is merely a shell for the latter, suggests that, overall, the truth of an exchange is of less value than the façade overlaying it. This ties into a secondary theme, one quite contemporarily relevant – that of technology providing a supplementary recourse to social engagement. The proliferation of instant messaging and internet-based communication systems, as well as the foreseeable extensions of these things, are likely to become increasingly central elements of our social world.
Alpha Ralpha Boulevard
The main thing I took from this story is a sort of discourse between faith and existential issues. The people move from being mechanistic beings to having, though arguably simulated, a degree of freedom. Virginia then decides that she wants to love Paul, but only if it is of her own free will, and doesn’t want it to be something programmed. The irony of course is that she bases her decision to love him or not on the readout of a machine.
Good News From The Vatican
In this one, technology seems to play a more central role thematically, though I can’t really figure what is being said. Maybe a commentary on the broadening of those we accept as human/equals, which is relevant to today if thought of in terms of the softening of exclusionary criteria that defined and delimited certain groups for so long. Grasping, maybe? I liked the story, but I liked the others more.
Gaxton Falls
I loved this one. I’ve been to several places that have been terribly stained by an influx of tourism and industry related to it, and it is, in many cases, deeply troubling and saddening. The landscape can be completely ravaged and perverted, and the people who live in the areas affected by the transformation sometimes form a sharp contrast with the comparatively affluent tourists, and this is among the saddest things I’ve ever seen.
The transformation of the tourist into the android/host was a beautiful way to finish the story.
Cheers,
Korey
February 21, 2008 at 2:49 pm
oh i didn’t get that the tourist was transformed into an android! now i get it.
i wondered what happened at the end………….who is the tourist android looking at now with his wife?
February 21, 2008 at 10:46 pm
“The fact that the crowd prefers to talk with Pete than with Harry, despite being aware that the former is merely a shell for the latter, suggests that, overall, the truth of an exchange is of less value than the façade overlaying it.” exactly. how sad.
February 22, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Yay! Someone else who liked the ending of Gaxton Falls…I thought it was a great ending as well. I have also seen areas the likes of which you talk about in the post about G. Falls and it is so true – the disparity between the visiting and the visited. Weird time to bring up Chris Rock perhaps, but reminds me of his bit about, “how many of you out there work in a hotel you ain’t NEVER gonna be able to afford to sleep in?…”
I thought the whole robo-pope was a commentary/warning perhaps, about what might happen if we become too consumed with machines/technology. It amused me greatly, though, the thoughts of robo-pope jetting off the balcony.
I agree with your assertion about the machine being peripherally used in “The Handler” – absolutely more about people being mindless drones and only being interested in what’s on the outside, not the inside. Also, with regard to your secondary theme…I wonder if the author could imagine me, sitting here typing on my laptop at my kitchen table on a Friday night across from my husband, on his laptop, typing away? Even sadder than that??? – sometimes we actually IM each other when we’re sitting across from each other. I guess that’s to be expected from an old married couple who met in an RPG on a BBS many moons ago…