Robot Crash
October 12th, 2009 at 20:18Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson and Cory Doctorow’s I, Robot are very different stories. They are really almost on opposite ends of the spectrum of Cyberpunk literature, in my opinion. In analyzing them we can observe an interesting dichotomy.
Snow Crash is set in a world without government. Or rather, a world that is governed by corporations. It’s main character is almost a stereotype, with the unlikely name of Hiro Protagonist. The technology that the plot is centered around is largely a computer based virtual reality called the Metaverse.
I, Robot’s setting is one where there is one very organized government/corporation. The main character is not really a cyberpunk. However, his daughter and wife are. The tech in this story is mostly focused on sentient robots.
I apologize for the brevity of this post. My only excuse is that my little sister came down with the flu last week and was generous enough to give it to me (it may or may not be swine flu). I can hardly think straight, much less write an essay.
October 13th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Your post is clear and to the point! In German you’d say, ” In der Kürze liegt die Würze!” It means something like “in the brevity lies the flavor”. I’m not sure if there’s a similar saying in English, but that it was the first thought I had when I read your essay.
Get well soon! And you sister too!
October 14th, 2009 at 4:50 am
James, hope you feel better soon, i’ve been off for a fortnight with a similar problem, so believe me I know how it feels.
October 14th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Yup, the very essence; again proving that extremes (absurd ideology-driven government or the lack of any) are always harmful.