Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom

[Steve Poling]

I have corresponded with Cory over the course of the last few months and after I read his 
novel, I had this to say. If you want the book, ask and I'll lend you my dead tree format:

-----

I almost tossed Down & Out against the wall.

No, it wasn't you. It was me. Couple things you won't like about me:
Thing one is that I'm a Fundamentalist Christian. I'm not going to ask
for a donation and I won't whine about what you do between the sheets. I
believe in the heaven and hell thing. You know, eternal life, fire and
brimstone vs pie in the sky by and by.

Thing two you won't like I don't like. My Cancer has come back. I'm
figuring I've got five years if I'm lucky. ((I was being pessimistic at
the time, i'm not that pessimistic now))

So, I pick up Down & Out. Everything in it is plausible if all the
things we hope to happen actually do happen: free energy, death cures,
whirled peace, post scarcity, Linux world domination, all the cool toys.
As Utopian as can be.

I've been to Disney World exactly once. I came back telling folks,
"Disney World is nice, but it isn't Heaven." But I figure it is as close
to Heaven as you can find on this planet. Your novel pushed that idea to
the limit. Good show.

Here's what made me want to toss the novel. Your guy has everlasting
life in a place as close to Heaven as can be. How is he using this
wonderful gift? He's renovating an amusement park ride. The sheer
banality of life everlasting struck me between the eyes.

...
And I was thinking to myself,
'This could be Heaven or this could be Hell'
...

I don't know if the banality of life everlasting came to mind while you
were writing this novel. But I thought you might find the insight
useful.

the banality wasn't merely an outgrowth of the ad-hocracy, it was inherent to the point of 
conflict: we're talking about an amusement park ride. is amusement what humanity 
individually and corporately is all about? does the mob, albeit smart, still prefer candy 
to medicine as Plato argued in Gorges? Shall the confectioner rule?



Steve Johnson wrote:
> ** I apologize if this is duplicated, my email address changed and I
> hadn't kept up my Majordomo info**
> 
> Due to my Friday-based consulting work, I've been unable to attend
> many PMs lately, but I was especially disappointed about missing the
> most recent "round-table" meeting.  So that I can earn back some
> Whuffie (esteem-points), I'm throwing out these discussion points:
> 
> Who has read "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom"?  Written by Cory
> Doctorow, this SF tale is set 100+ years into the future where there
> is unlimited energy, death is defeated, there is no scarcity, and you
> are wet-wired to the 'net 24/7.  Instead of money, you have Whuffie
> (left and right)--which reflects the esteem that others have for you.
> Sort of an Amazon-like "other people who bought this book also bought
> clean underwear" kind of measurement that others can "ping" and see if
> they will like you before they know you.
> 
> * Will Cory's idea of using a "creative commons" license that allows
> free exchange of the digital version while simultaneously trying to
> sell a deadtree version really work?  Will it be repeatable?  Does his
> apparent success change anything?
> 
> * What did you think of the book?
> 
> * Is GRPM an ad-hoc, in the sense of the book?  If not, could it be?
> 
> If you want the book, go to http://www.craphound.com/down/ and
> download a copy in HTML, PDF, Palm/Pocket PC readable form or
> http://www.amazon.com and buy it.  I enjoyed reading it on my
> Handspring.
> 
> Regards,
> sj
> 
>