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RichardKennaway comments on May 2013 Media Thread - Less Wrong Discussion

4 Post author: ArisKatsaris 01 May 2013 11:09AM

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Comment author: RichardKennaway 07 May 2013 11:30:07AM *  0 points [-]

Not a recommendation or a discommendation, just a drawing to attention of a novel on LessWrong-relevant themes:

Susan Greenfield, the neuroscientist turned science writer, has written an SF novel, out in July, 2121: A Tale From the Next Century.

I haven't read it, obviously, so I'll just paste the blurb here from Amazon.

In the near future, humanity has experienced a great schism. The larger part is ruled by instinct and pleasure: they are ageless, beautiful yet wholly dependent on technology designed by previous generations to sustain them. Having no social structure or self-consciousness to speak of, to the minority they are simply known as the Others.

But into this unmarked, timeless community walks Fred, the first visitor from a far-off land. His people are the N-Ps, governed by logic, revolted by the mindless, unfettered sollipsism of the Others. In all respects a model N-P, as Fred conducts his studies, he finds himself caught in an awkward relationship with his test subjects.

Fred begins to feel for the childlike members of the Dwelling he observes. Embracing their gaudy, hyperreal life of screens and implants, Fred begins to be changed himself, even as he begins to affect the minds of these Others in ways that may not be to their benefit.

Sounds like Eloi, Morlocks, and Fun Theory.

I also randomly found this interview with her from 2011 that touches on the themes of the book.