The Future is Now

Fortis

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:02:55 GMT

I'm currently writing a pamphlet accusing groups of shareholders of Fortis Holding of endangering the jobs of some 25.000 employees of Fortis Bank and Fortis Insurance (both in Belgium).
These groups of shareholders, who saw their shares reduced to almost nothing in the last month, have now instigated a class action suit against Fortis Holding on account of selling its assets (Fortis Bank and Fortis Insurance amongst them) to third parties.
During the weekend of October 4-5 both parts of Fortis were sold off to BNP Paribas (for 75%, the rest is with the Belgian state).
All this on account of the financial crisis, and the dire position Fortis Bank was in at the end of September.
For the employees the sale to BNP Paribas is the only possible way to continue their banking and insurance operations.
As some of you know I'm personnel representative with Fortis Bank.
We're not going to let these groups of shareholders get away with this. I understand their need to save some of their life savings, but not at the detriment of the jobs of thousands of people.

New Book.

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:25:39 GMT

Last version of the thriller to come ('Absinthe' -- notice the unusual spelling in Dutch) has been accepted by my publisher, after some rewriting. Publication date still February 2009. The story collection however is late: Roelof Goudriaan is still working on the final version and I have not seen the proofs yet.
I've been contacted by my polish translator (who will translate 'The Last Story' from Dutch into Polish), and things look well, although there's no publication date as yet. Contract is signed.
I'm on facebook now, something I've neglected for quite a while, due to lack of time. I should write a story set in Japan for the spring issue of Wonderwaan, the Dutch SF/F magazine, but haven't found the inspiration yet. The Fortis-affair takes up too much of my time, since I'm now part of the little group of representatives that sees the HR-people of Fortis Bank Belgium on a very regular basis. Soon we'll work under a new name: BNP Paribas Fortis -- and that's too much of a mouthful.

New Book.

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:55:54 GMT

It's more or less official now: Mynx will publish my crime book early next year. It's a new genre for me, as far as this is a mainstream thriller, without fantastic and/or SF-elements.

The whole idea originated in a meeting I had some time ago with Jürgen Snoeren, Mynx's publisher, and his careful proposal that I write a book in a contemporary Dutch setting.

The book is due to come out early next year, in time for 'thriller month' (june) in the Netherlands. All in all it will be a busy year to come, since Het Verschijnsel publishers (much smaller than Mynx) plans to publish a new novel and a four-book set of all the Orsenna material (novels and shorter material).

Mynx is part of De Boekerij, one of the largest publishing concerns in The Netherlands.

New Book(s)

Fri, 30 May 2008 09:49:35 GMT

Yesterday Jo Claes presented his new book ('De Zaak Torfs') at the Library in Leuven. I've known Jo for many years and it's great seeing that he now has moved (again) to a larger publisher. And with a crime book, situated in Leuven, of all things. He's working on the next one.
Louis Tobback, the mayor, introduced the book by saying that he hadn't read it yet. Speeches and a short reading by Jo were over fairly quickly (I like book launches but dislike the long speeches and the occasional music that so often accompanies these events) and afterward we all had drinks in the cafe downstairs (and outside). Some eighty, maybe a hundred people were present.
I had a long chat with Leo De Haes, who is the publisher at Houtekiet, the imprint that publishes Jo's book. He's interested in crime writing, since this is still an interesting market. I had the same reaction from Jurgen Snoeren, publisher at Mynx (part of the De Boekerij empire) who is actively looking for Dutch/Flemish crime writers. And since I'm turning to that genre myself -- having done enough semi-fantastic stuff for the time being -- I'm all ears. I've actually finished (or am finishing) two crime book 'proposals' (actually nearly completed manuscripts) that I'll present to Jurgen on june 12th, after the Boekerij Garden Party in Amsterdam.
Meanwhile my other new book is out: 'Einde van de Eeuwigheid' ('End of Eternity') from publisher Kramat is printed and ready for distribution, and I'll have my own copies next saturday. For those who want to order copies, it'll be on my website soon after that. It's an apocalyptic book: what happens to people after the upcoming end of the planet and all inhabitants is announced? I chose three female characters (three generations of women) ad central points in the book, and mainly the youngest one, Deedee, who is fifteen and has no intention to call this The End.
There will probably be a book launch soon, but I'm waiting for my other other publisher, who'll have a story collection out in september, and then we'll see about a collective book launch.

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:03:44 GMT

Have been spending part of last weekend in the emergency section of Gasthuisberg Hospital. Did a bit of (too) heavy work in the garden on Saturday morning and probably strained some (or all) lower back muscles. Could hardly move after that. Down on my back on the coach in the evening and when I got up to go to bed I fainted. Just for a short while, but enough for the doctor (whom we didn't get to see and whom we spoke to over the phone only) to send me to emergency. Over there they checked me out as completely as possible but found nothing to worry about.
All of which gave me the opportunity to watch these people at work. My daughter is a nurse in the same hospital, so I know something about the circumstances these people work in, but seeing them patiently and professionally at work kinda restores my faith in humanity. All of the patients in emergency were elderly people (seventies and even in their eighties), confused, immobile and only there to be transferred to another ward for treatment. Some of them didn't realize where they were, wanted to get out of bed at four in the morning, repeatedly had to be washed etc, and all the time the staff remained friendly, forthcoming, comforting and above all patient.
I never had a problem with seeing doctors or going to hospital, and after this I'm sure I want to live as close as possible to a large and well-equipped hospital as possible. The idea of going to live in a remote village in the Ardennes does seem less attractive now. All this thanks to the excellent Belgian public health system, that allows hospitals to almost completely check emergency patients even on a saturday night. No waiting line, no fuss.

Last couple of weeks have been more than busy. On May 6 the employees of Fortis Bank (Belgium, at least) choose their union representatives for another four years, and since I'm heading my union's Flemish delegation for the national works council, I'm supposed to do my bit in soliciting support. I might even be elected for the European Works Council, but that's something to worry about later.
All this involved working out a strategy and preparing a number of brochures which we used in Flanders, and a two and a half week trip around the branches of my own region. Visited some forty branches in parts of Vlaams-Brabant and around Brussels. All this takes time away from doing the really important thing, which is devising strategies to counter the management in their plans to work with less people and less branches, but it has to be done.

Meanwhile I'm even getting some writing done. I've written two articles for a new client, the Dutch science magazine Kijk, and there still are two pieces with the weekly Knack that they'll use soon. I'm slowly expanding in the field of journalism again, but nevertheless the main interest remains with writing fiction. I'm writing a future-thriller and planning to do more of the same, that's where probably the commercial interest lies.

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:38:15 GMT

Finished reading 'No Country for Old men' in what amounts to one extended sitting. Am currently not inclined to go see the movie. Just yesterday I saw Steven Pinker on TED explaining that violence and wars etc are much less frequent than in previous historical periods. McCarthy would probably not agree with him.
Previously read (but just a tad slower) 'Amnesia Moon' and 'Gun, with occasional Music' by Jonathan Lethem. Very entertaining and you can see where he got some of his main ideas (Phil Dick in A.M.).
Am currently concerned with starting up a sort of professional society for genre writers in Netherlands/Flanders (because we share the language). The idea comes from a number of writers and publishers that want to promote 'local' genre-writing. Should include detective fiction and thrillers as well, I guess. If we ever get there, we should have writing and creative courses and workshops and that sort of this. There's already the Paul Harland Award for best SF/F story annually, which we think of expanding to other genres. All this will take up quite a bit of time, and since I'm expanding my professional writing to the Dutch science magazine 'Kijk' -- and with two books in the making this year (and two other projects in different stages), I'm going to be quite busy.
Just as I like it.

Iain Banks

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:22:36 GMT

Iain Banks at Scotland House in Brussels this afternoon (thanks to Nicholas for pointing my attention at the event). Iain, whom I met and corresponded with some twenty years ago -- not so long before internet, actually -- was his usual interesting and playful self. He talked about the two sorts of fiction he writers, under his two almost identical names, and about how his novels come into being. Read a portion of 'The Steep Approach to Garbadale', which sounds all the more funny than just reading it.
Talked to him, shortly, about our idea of having him as Guest of Honour at the next/next Beneluxcon -- the one planned for Belgium in 2009, not this year's con in Eindhoven. He was quite positive about the idea, all the more since Ken Macleod told him he had a good time last November in Leuven.

Interviews

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:02:36 GMT

Just back from Amsterdam and London. Interviewed Robert Reich in Amsterdam and Kasra Naji (an Iranian journalist who has written a book on Ahmadinejad) in London.

Amsterdam: more than six hours on trains, and less than three hours in the city itself, in pouring rain, cold etc, so no time to go to the bookstores. London: clear, dry (first day at least), event in the Frontline Club in the evening, and interview in the Starbucks at Selfridges the next morning.

Both interesting subjects and writers. The book by Naji (published by I.N.Tauris in London) is absolutely worth reading since it looks like a detailed and rather faithful account of the position of Ahmadinejad. He's perhaps not the next president of Iran, but surely the conservatives and the extreme right will win again, mostly because the Guardian Council will prevent reformists to enter the elections.

The book by Reich (Supercapitalism) tells us we should behave more like citizens and less like consumers and investors, so that companies are forced to do 'the good thing'. Recommended, also.

Both interviews are for a Belgian magazine called Knack (something along the lines of Newsweek of The Economist), in Dutch.

new stories

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:00:30 GMT

Have started two new stories in which I use some of the ideas of Richard Calder and others, of humanoid 'Dolls' as companions to rich people. These Dolls are intelligent creatures, but not human, and therefore have no rights. They have, actually as few rights as women in a number of societies, past and present. They are grown in industrial vats, are biologically engineered, genetically programmed to perform any duties imposed by their human masters.
If we would have them -- and there is no reason why we could not have them in a couple of decades or even years -- how would we treat them? What would be our moral and ethical relationship towards them? They look human in all aspects, but are kept on a leash or a chain, to show that they merely are Dolls. And they are all female.

I was actually wondering why we are spending so much time and effort to create artificial intelligence under mechanical (machine) form, while there is another solution: have biological artificial intelligence, bio-robots or such. That would solve a number of problems (movement, dexterity) engineers now face with mechanical robots.
It would mean 'growing' artificial creatures, instead of constructing them. Is there already research in that direction?

New Book

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:13:25 GMT

Started writing what was supposed to be a short story something like a month ago, maybe five weeks, and have now some 68.000 words on paper (well, paper isn't anywhere to be seen, but you get my meaning). The story is still unfolding -- or whatever it does in my version of the English language. Got inspired a bit by J.C.Grimwood's recent books.

Had to face the moment where I was going to write something about the 'Republic of Flanders' situated in the near future. I'm hoping that there isn't one in reality by the time the book is published. Anyway, this allows me at least some political comment. I'm also getting My Current Employer somewhere in there, not so cleverly disguised as FABNA Bank.

The plot is a bit complicated, involving at least two different time-lines or world-versions. As always I fond it hard to concentrate on the different plots-lines, and I haven't found a really workable system for keeping up with story details (as in: what does this character know at this point and how does she/he know that . . .). Am probably too lazy to make much notes, and too much driven by the writing itself. And I don't intend spending years on a book.

In spite of all that laziness I've managed to publish two books this year, and some sixteen stories, most new, some translations (Chinese, Italian !!), and a score of magazine articles. A new book -- a story collection -- is scheduled for next spring, as a trade paperback. And I should find the time to do a few new stories, and translations too.

Have a great, safe, exciting Xmas!!

Xmas

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 08:44:13 GMT

This year time seems to be playing weird tricks on my perception of events, or else I'm getting old(er): I've never really been into the Xmas spirit, but this year the event approaches much faster than ever before.
And will be over soon.
Maybe I've been too busy lately -- the Beneluxcon took a lot of time, and I've started a new book -- but I'm sure there is some age-related explanation as well.
Last nights were rather cold -- at least for this part of the world -- with temperatures minus five (C, that is). But clear skies all day. Snow seems to be something from childhood.
Some writers and editors in the Netherlands started a Google group around genre literature, mostly SF & F related, and I've been mailing large chunks of ideas to it, and the group seems to grow fast now. Not that there are that many genre writers active in Flanders and the Netherlands, and most of us know each other from conventions and all that, but the nice thing is that editors and publishers are joining the group, giving an extra dimension to the way we may work together.

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 19:14:25 GMT

The new issue of Bizz magazine has my two-part contribution about living and working in 2028. The second part is an interview with BT-futurologist Ian Pearson (actually ex-BT now).
I'd like to do more of this stuff, even if there is currently little interest in futurology and 'the future' in Flanders (or in belgium for that matter). Am looking for other publications to sell same sort of articles to.
On the other hand, it would be the right moment to position myself as a futurologist now, since the terrain is almost unoccupied. There are some trendwatchers, but that's about it.

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 12:26:34 GMT

For the past five years I've been arguing to people that the Chinese will at some point take over Fortis, and behold: a Chinese financier has become one of the main stockholders of Fortis. Actually it's the Chinese insurance company Ping An that has bought some 4,18 % of the Fortis Shares.

The Future is Now Conference

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:32:17 GMT

The Beneluxcon/Future is Now Conference went extremely well, at least as far as I'm concerned. Only a few little problems, but on the whole rather successful. Wish we'd had more people, but we had a good public during the main program.
My concern was that we had only men in the program, and evidently we have been criticized for that. Rightly so. I tried to get a journalist and a scientist in the program, both female and fluent in English, but they were unable to attend. I will repent, and if we do this again in 2009 we'll get as many women writers as we can. Suggestions, anyone? Ursula LeGuin, certainly, but I don't think we can afford her.
The hotel admitted having misjudged the number of people that stayed on the premises during (and after) the program, and as a consequence the service at the bar was below standards, for which the management wishes to apologize. Excepted, and we will brief them on the habits of fans next time.
We tried some new things during the program. The moderator (me, in fact) sat on the side in an easy chair, quite comfortable. I didn't feel the audience was there to see me but the writers. From that position I could sort of keep the discussions on the right track (which not always worked -- but it's an SF-con, not a political debate) and watch the audience at the same time. We also introduced the guests by means of a slide show (on Friday evening and Saturday morning.
If people have made pictures, I'd like to see them. Mail them to my regular address:
guidoeekhaut@yahoo.co.uk

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:15:12 GMT

Only a couple of days before 'the future is now' conference is to start. We have Chris Priest, Alastair Reynolds and Ken MacLeod as guests, and some other writers as well, but till now very little response from either public or press. Which was to be expected. 'The Future' is still -- with the public at large -- a difficult subject. People rarely thank beyond their personal and direct future (what will I wear tomorrow, will it rain, what about next month's rent?), and are very conservative concerning the future in a more general way. Discussions about 'the workplace tomorrow' repeat the well-known arguments over and over again (flexibility, mobility, work from home -- that sort of thing).
Nothing however on cooperation with machine intelligence -- which will be the main problem for the workplace in less than 20 years. What about creative jobs being taken over by AI? What about management of companies being take over by AI? All this is 'SF', meaning: too far-fetched for people to even consider.
For those who want to know more on the conference: www.futurevisions.be (there's text in English and Dutch). If all goes well we will have the next edition in 2009 -- and probably a wholly female set of guests . . . I hope.

Nieuwe Boek is uit.

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 12:49:21 GMT

Waarom niet eens printing on demand proberen? Precies, en na het voorbeeld van Frank Roger heb ik me eraan gewaagd, wetende dat zo'n eigenzinnig boek als 'De Filosofie van het Neen' geen reguliere uitgever kan vinden. Het was al moeilijk met het vorige boek 'Waarheid en Werkelijkheid', en daarna wilde Uitgever IJzer er niet opnieuw aan beginnen. Een nieuwe weg drong zich op.
De conclusie: Free Musketeers levert uitstekend werk, en hoewel de kaft wat dun uitgevallen is, is dit een professioneel boek. De kaftomslag heb ik zelf gemaakt (een foto genomen op Trafalgar Square een jaartje geleden -- voor de echt nieuwsgierigen onder u: het is een foto bijna identiek aan die van Ian Jones die vooraan op Martha Nussbaum's 'Grensgebieden' (Ambo) staat. Maar dan met duiven).
Kopen? Ga kijken op mijn site, of op die van de uitgever, en volg de instructies (vandaag staan de mijne er nog niet op, maar dat komt gauw).
Het volgende boek wordt het vierde deel van de Orsenna-cyclus en zal gewoon 'Het Labyrinth' heten (Roelof vond het leuk omdat mijn eerste boek 'Labyrinten' heette.). Daarna komt er waarschijnlijk een verhalenbundel, volgend jaar, met een overzicht van twintig jaar korter werk.

Perceptie van het 'heden'

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 12:41:37 GMT

We dreigen uitsluitend te moeten leven in een allesomvattende ‘heden’ dat elke perceptie van verleden en toekomst uitsluit – waarbij verleden en toekomst gereduceerd worden tot mythes, diegene waarin wij geloven omdat ze ons vertellen dat al wat was ons nog steeds beïnvloedt en dat wat ooit zal zijn ons hoop kan geven of ons doet vrezen voor ons welzijn.
Dit omvattende ‘heden’ wordt gecreëerd door de visuele input van de ons omringende digitale en virtuele wereld – we erkennen, zoals dat ook het geval was tijdens de vroege Middeleeuwen, niet de dimensie van doorstane en toekomstige tijd; alles speelt nu, de pseudo-feodale fantasieën van games en van fantasy-films en de gapende diepte van futuristische tv-series. Tijdsperspectief gaat verloren omdat er geen tijdsverankering is: ‘wanneer’ speelt Lord of The Rings zich af, ‘wanneer’ plaatsen we fantasy-games?
Daardoor vervaagt wat ooit was tot een fenomeen wat nog steeds, vandaag, realiteit bezit – een getormenteerde realiteit van figuren zonder diepgang en zonder levensideologie.
Dit allesomvattende heden, dat dus ook de toekomst uitsluit, is een geden van consumeerbare gadgets, van een technologisch wonderland waar verbazing en fantasie alleen nog maar externe impulsen zijn. We kennen nauwelijks nog de verbazing die gepaard gaat met het ontdekken van de buitengewone fantasie van schrijvers of andere kunstenaars (Borges en Nabokov, in mijn jeugd) – neen, we laten onze verbeelding sturen door de niets meer verhullenden beeldenstorm van film, televisie, games. Voor de eigen inbreng en de eigen ontwikkeling van de fantasie is daar geen plaats meer voor.

Tijdens dit proces gaan traditie en utopie verloren. Het verleden blijft weliswaar een belangrijk studieobject, maar gaat verloren ten voordele van de pseudo-historie van reactionaire fantasieën. De wetenschap ontsluit de traditie, maar bevestigt slechts de afstand tot onze huidige perceptie. Het vreemde van het verleden roept slechts ontkenning op, en noodt tot een vlucht naar en in pseudo-historische verhalen die beperkingen en vaste, rationele regels hebben. Zelfs hun magie en hun esoterie zijn aan logica en ratio gebonden.
Daarom wordt vooruitgang niet gezien als een sociale en een ideologische vooruitgang, die naar een utopisch maar realiseerbaar tijdperk voert – doch als een evolutie in puur materialistische zin, waarbij gadgets en technologie primeren. Niet een meer rechtvaardige samenleving, maar een betere mobiele telefoon: dat is het doel van zoveel koortsige vooruitgang. Niet de exploratie van de ruimte maar snellere internet-verbinding. In die zin is de mens teruggekeerd naar de innerspace (cfr Ballard); niet echter zijn eigen mentaal geconstrueerde inner space maar de virtuele tegenhanger daarvan.
De noodzaak van de toekomst – de noodzaak om een toekomst voor zich uit te zien – lijkt verdwenen, net nu we des te meer de hoop op en het vertrouwen in die toekomst nodig hebben. We zien slechts wereldrampen op ons afkomen, waarvan evenwel de premissen wetenschappen niet vastliggen noch bevestigd zijn (wordt de opwarming van de aarde veroorzaakt door menselijke activiteit of gaat het om een natuurlijk, periodiek verschijnsel?). We leven hartstochtelijk in een cultuur die deze is van de angst (voor terrorisme, voor wereldrampen) – een angst die door overheden en beleidsmensen kunstmatig in leven wordt gehouden. Een bange burger is immers een gehoorzame en een gedweeë burger. Niettemin evolueert de mensheid naar steeds minder geweld, statistisch gezien, al lijkt dat ons anders, maar dat komt door onze misvormde perceptie.

Door deze angst percipiëren wij de toekomst als continu problematisch, zonder ideologische of utopische vooruitzichten. De enige toekomst is de officiële toekomst, waar het bestrijden van de gevaren (terrorisme, wereldramp) centraal staat. Zo verglijden rationele natiestaten naar dictaturen en naar totalitarisme.
Op weg naar de toekomst worden we niet meer geïnspireerd door sociale, ideologische of utopische impulsen, maar door de dynamiek van technologie, winst, groei.
Een vaak gehoorde klacht is, dat plannen nog slechts op korte termijn worden opgesteld, zowel door de politiek als door de bedrijfswereld. Misschien is zelfs deze perceptie onjuist. Omdat de korte termijn ons zeer snel bereikt, is het zelfs onmogelijk geworden – zo lijkt het – om binnen die context te plannen. Plannen worden gemaakt, gebaseerd op potentiële toekomsten, niet op basis van werkelijke, rationele toekomsten. Dat kan immers niet meer. Vijftig jaar geleden kon de toekomst rationeel voorzien worden. Vandaag berust die op onze fantasie. We verbeelden ons de toekomst, we voorzien hem niet meer. Dit invalideert niet het terrein van de futurologie; alleen zullen de beoefenaars van deze discipline de statistieken terzijde moeten leggen en de macht van de fantasie moeten benutten.

Als toekomstdenkers mogen we onszelf niet beschouwen als ‘experts’ omtrent de toekomst, maar veeleer als de regisseurs van een evenement dat in de toekomst werkelijkheid wordt. Op die manier ondergaan we de toekomst niet, maar construeren we die. We willen niet passief staan ten overstaan van de toekomst, maar actief die toekomst scheppen. Op die manier beheersen we de toekomst, en beheersen we onze angst omtrent die toekomst.
De predominantie van het heden mag ons echter niet dwingen alleen voor vandaag te leven. Aan het einde van de dag heeft vandaag geen waarde meer. De onvermijdelijke opeenvolging van ‘vandagen’ noodt ons alle vormen van tijdelijkheid continu te herzien.

Technologisch gezien leven we in hedonistische tijden: de consumptie van technologie is nog nooit zo overvloedig en goedkoop geweest. Wat tien jaar geleden een wonderlijke ontdekking was, hoort nu tot de wegwerpcultuur. Dat reduceert technologie tot een verwaarloosbare tijdelijkheid, een vanzelfsprekendheid. Misschien wordt daardoor vooruitgang steeds moeilijker te realiseren. De Amerikanen willen opnieuw naar de maan, maar dan wel met een technologie die in essentie dateert van het tijdperk van de eerste maanbezoeken (veertig jaar geleden). Het hedonisme leidt dus tot verstarring en tot een afsluiten van de toekomst: we verwaarlozen de toekomst van de mensheid (ruimtevaart) en bouwen volop betere games-consoles (inner space).

Naar aanleiding van het gesprek met Jan Nekkers in Amsterdam . . .
Voor Nekkers is de basis van de futurologie waar hij voor staat niet-technologisch. Veeleer interesseert hij zich voor de ontwikkeling van innovatieve cognitieve eigenschappen, samenlevingsproducten en diensten. In het Westen moet dat de technologische innovatie vervangen: scholingssystemen, verzekeringsproducten, gezondheidszorg, samenlevingsmodellen, waarom ook niet overlegmodellen. In die zin exporteren wij onze eigen beschaving, onze cultuur – ons wezen en waar we voor staan veeleer dan wat we ‘uitvinden’.
Er is wereldwijd beslist nood aan onze sociale modellen, maar anders dan bij technologie kan je deze niet zomaar verpakken en exporteren. Technologie roept weinig sociale of religieuze weerstand op – met ideeën als mensenrechten is het heel anders gesteld. Hetzelfde voor onderwijssystemen. Klassieke patronen over de opvoeding van kinderen, de inhoud van het leerprogramma, de keuze van vakken en de beschikbaarheid van hulpmiddelen: allemaal beslissende externe factoren. Allemaal gebonden aan ‘onze’ beschouwing van wat cultuur is of wat die ‘moet zijn’.
We kunnen zelfs niet stellen dat onze diverse sociale modellen beter zijn of ‘meer succesvol’ – want wat is de definitie van ‘beter’ of ‘meer succesvol’? Hoge materiële welstand is voor sommige culturen geen noodzakelijke vereiste.
Misschien is het aan ons om de geestelijke instelling van andere culturen van dichtbij te bestuderen en bij ons in te voeren? Misschien moeten wij zelfs afstand nemen van de materiële drang? Zijn wij dan werkelijk zulke gelukkige maatschappijen? Vertel dat maar een de grote groepen Amerikaanse armen en minderbedeelden.

Interview, Jacques Attali, Future is Now conference

Tue, 08 May 2007 18:55:48 GMT

I'm supposed to go to Paris on the 22nd this month, to interview Jacques Attali. Had an appointment, for thirty minutes only, reserved a ticket for the Thallis, and a week later his secretary announced I could not see him on that date, but a day later. No way! So I asked for a meeting anyway, and if I could send questions through mail, but am still waiting for a reply.
From another front: Richard Calder (whom I had invited as Guest at the Future is Now conference in November (see www.futurevisions.be)) cannot come, and I approached Scottish SF-writer Ken Macleod who immediately agreed to come over. We now also have the whole Priest (Chris Priest, that is) family coming over as well, as both his kids seem to be avid SF-readers (and writers?). For those in the neighbourhood in November: Leuven (Belgium) is the place to be on the weekend of 24-25. The programme will probably cover ideology in the 21st century as well as near-future technology. Oh, should have China Miéville over !!

image

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 20:16:11 GMT

Should get rid of that awful picture on the left hand side. It does not look like me at all. Maybe I'll find a real pic of me somewhere, at least one in which I look just a bit photogenic. I always manage to look bad on pictures.

Been at home for two days, and surprised by the absolutely mild weather yesterday (today we had rain in the afternoon, but still some 12°C). Atmosphere warming up? Mildest winter I can remember anyway. Ballard could have gotten it right, at least in some of his older books. Drowned world, which I read as a teenager in the late sixties or early seventies. The problem is not 'if' we will have a climate change, but how we will deal with it. As usual, the poorest people will suffer most. Some of the stuff in those sf-movies may become true, but what these movies never show you is the social devastation after the facts. Not dramatic enough?

We should reread some of the SF of the new wave (Ballard, Aldiss ..) to remind ourselves how deep some changes will be, after the 'disaster'. It will not be a matter of stocking up on food, energy, water and weapons, but more of a problem about how society will try to preserve its integrity. And what will happen if that fails. And it will fail, under those circumstances. Reread A Canticle for Leibowitz.

Preparing for London

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 19:07:47 GMT

It has been a while, October or so, since I was in London. I'm sort of used to going there five or six times a year, mostly to do interviews. Even interview Richard Layard in the House of Lords (and sat for ten minutes thru a session). Last time in London was with a group of fourteen people I guided around. This time again for some interviews, but I'm taking my wive along. We're staying in the Montana Hotel in Gloucester Road. Never been there, although I know the area well.
Very funny thing happened to me a couple of years ago. I crossed Oxford Street (walking from Charing Cross Road north towards Tottenham Crt Road), and I glanced over my shoulder, and Mike John Harrison was walking next to me! I'm an absolute fan of his (and of his books, equally), and so I addressed him, and we talked for some minutes. What's the chance you meet someone you know in London (I know about four or six people in London).

Avatars

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 15:01:29 GMT

A world of intelligent, independent avatars is an intellectual absurdity -- not only because this is not what the world needs but mainly because this is no real possibility. However, it is not entirely unthinkable that digital systems acquire a large measure of independence from human interference. But could they even then develop artificial societies like ours? It would be difficult to consider their motivations -- but on the other hand who would be able to understand the motivations of non-human intelligences?
Let us also consider giving civilian rights to avatars -- since they seem to play an important role in our society.

Avatars

Sat, 10 Feb 2007 13:22:50 GMT

Our Avatars will lead a more interesting life than we. That is the way their world is programmed, and that is the way we want it -- we, their spiritual parents. We want our Avatars to lead a better and even more a different life than ours, because we seem to have lost any belief in our lives.
Maybe our life has become too complex. We no longer have the feeling to live in a world made to the measure of man, but in a world of industrial markets, of global economies, of confusing religious prejudices, of technological wonders that confuse us and leave us estranged from that world. A world which is no longer the mirror of our Reason.
The virtual world however, the Avatar world, is designed by humans, build and programmed, and is part of ourselves. we understand its dimensions and meaning. Its rules are mechanistic and hence simple. These rules are consistent: any action undertaken has a clear consequence. Riches and power are within everyone's grasp.

Maybe at some point our Avatars will detach themselves from us and will go on to lead their own lives, fully independent of our will and intentions. At that point parallel universes develop, in digital and fictive sense, where independent and intelligent creatures live and evolve. How fictive will they be? How fictive and illusionary are the lives of Avatars?