Dystopias as Collective Intelligence

My friend Kenoli Oleari introduced me to Neil Postman's fascinating comparison of Orwell's and Huxley's dystopias.

I like to think that through dialogue and deliberation we could navigate between them, co-creating something decent, meaningful and sustainable together, not sliding over either precipice. I like to think that in a wise democracy, thoughtful prophetic fiction like Orwell's and Huxley's would be a useful warning, part of the society's collectively intelligent capacity to reflect into the future..

 

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posted by Tom Atlee on Saturday February 12 2005
updated on Saturday September 24 2005

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