LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Classic Subgenre SF Totalitarian Lock Step Grey -- No Cozies Here

     . . . . There is a classic sfnal scenario about what this all means, especially for our now present and future. There were many variations which were in movies, tv, print entetainment and / or warning  between about the 1930's and whenever lock step in grey 1984-Brave New Worlds and other variations were no longer anyone feared because the commiesocialist baddies had been so beaten. But here again is the variation of what was so inspired by certain people's ideas of what it was like in China and Asia then.

Wuhan emerged from its 76-day lockdown.
Eleven million residents have been given the liberty to move around the city and mainland country again, provided their government-issued “health code” shines green. People are assigned a green, orange or red code, according to their risk of having the coronavirus, and must scan a green QR code before they can enter stores or restaurants, or take public transportation — an electronic passport for daily life. (Anna Fifield and Lyric Li)

Everything feels very strange at the moment. I mean, wot the hell. I mean this is what They Said FDR, Obama, etc, were going to do to us, but it was, as we knew what They wanted to do to us. I mean, this is the sfnal template, not the cozy.

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