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| Sunday, 18 January 2004 |
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Science fiction, we know, is not pure fiction. Science fiction novels are stories based on important discoveries. They popularise knowledge of scientific inventions among ordinary folk by explaining them in simple, layman's language. More importantly, the science fiction novels also imaginatively predict changes that are likely to happen in society and cause transformations in lifestyles as a result of the practical applications of these new discoveries. So science fiction writers are not merely popularisers of science but they are also prophets of their times. Prophecy What is a prophecy but a brief history of tomorrow. They build bold predictions of the future shape of society hundred or two hundred years after their times. Their method is called divinatory extrapolation. They may not be correct always in their forecasts but they always prod, provoke and push people to think. Arthur. C. Clarke the great modern science fiction writer, who lives among us, is world famous because he serves these functions. But Jules Verne is often called the father of science fictions. One of his most famous book is "Around the World in Eighty Days." Every schoolboy or girl who reads English Literature is familiar with this book. It's a beautiful and humorous story that makes bold predictions about the future of transportation and its consequences. There are two main themes in the story. Firstly it envisages a time of progress in transportation that will make the world a smaller place. The hero of the story, Phileas Fogg and his delicious and pleasing servant Passepartout of the story set out prove that they could travel round the world exactly in eighty days using the latest modes of transport. This should be viewed against another famous voyage round the world undertaken by Magellan with such tragic cost that took almost two years. Phileas Fogg proves that it's possible to go round the world ten times quicker as a result of the advances in modes of transport. Progress Secondly the book extrapolates a far more significant outcome from the future of technology. It visualizes how the world could become a better place to live in through progress in science and technology that will lead to greater dialogue among different cultures and customs due to large-scale movement of people and ideas across the continents as result improved and faster modes of travel.
This theme, I think, has relevance to the present debate on globalisation. Similar to the revolution in transport and travel in eighteenth century, advent of the Internet and Communication Superhighway are bringing people together face to face from the North to South and East to West. The world in fact is becoming a smaller place than it was as result of the revolution in transportation. Now people need not physically travel to meet each other they can accost one another on the Information Superhighway. The world is now a Global Village. There is give and take not only in goods but in ideas as well. Of course in this commerce and exchange some bad things will percolate. But this doesn't mean every idea that seeps in is dangerous and explosive to local cultures and customs. When national barriers both artificial and natural fall the movement is historically inevitable and not perforce bad. One has only to be vigilant and discriminating in what we accept or reject. One need not take the narrow view of pseudonationalists or accept the hidden agenda of universal obscurantist (a convenient reference to those who are against 'communities in dialogue') who in many countries will not permit any debate or dialogue in matters of religion or culture for fear of change or loss. This is one way through which they want to maintain the 99 per cent majority in race, religion and culture, which they have attained in former times by less open and democratic ways. by Shirley W. Somanader |
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For instance, in the story, the urbane and erudite Phileas Fogg and
Passepartout confront the cruel practice of suttee in India (the burning
of wives at the funeral pyre of the dead husband) Aouda, in this story, is
a potential victim of this terrible practice of by gone days. The practice
is exposed as inhumane and unjust. Phileas Fogg and his servant are the
heroic terminators of this hideous custom. The eradication of such dross
in culture through conflict and clash need not be a one-way process.
