Re: New Blake's Seven

Jennie Kermode <"Jennie Kermode"@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
>Panurge <panurge@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>> Sometimes I think too many dystopias simply butter us up for
>> social decline--they make us *expect* them.

>         Arguably that's so, but on the other hand, they often
> encourage us to combat them, and show us ways that we might do
> so.

I think the Orwell novel "1984" did an excellent job of holding
back this particular tide.  For many years, "that sounds like
something out of '1984'" was an effective argument. 

I guess the question would be why it *stopped* being an 
effective argument.

Off the top of my head, I'd go with the rise of free market
pragmatism (there's no need to worry about direction, the
invisible hand shall lead us) and the tendency to launch ironic
snickers at anything that sounds like it's trying to be high-minded.

(Yes, it's the return of the mysterious "Joe Brenner From:")