Memory Hole

The Psychology of Dystopia

Alex Dontre

• Verlag: Alexander Dontre
• Jahr: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781087980928
• Auflage: 1
• Thema: Psychology
• Thema: History & Theory in Psychology

A memory hole is the banishment of problematic thoughts. We exile that which we prefer not to exist. Enter the perilous Memory Hole: The Psychology of Dystopia, to explore a legion of social and psychological themes through the lens of dystopian literature. The crushing fist of 1984 annihilating thoughts from existence as a means of persuasion. The exquisite seduction of addiction as an agent of control in Brave New World. Incineration of the written word to bask in the embers of peace of mind in Fahrenheit 451. Each chapter weaves in and out of the dystopian realms forged by the great storytellers of our current age, and those of yesteryear. Memory Hole begins a century ago in the 1920s and journeys ever closer to the present day. With each chapter comes a new decade, along with the relevant social and cognitive psychological science. The odyssey also wades into the domains of neuroscience and behavioral economics as it weaves a cohesive narrative to explore over a century of science. Social issues are examined in parallel with each dystopian novel. Censorship, overpopulation, and hyperconnectivity are the themes of today. The climate crisis and human cloning are the themes of tomorrow. We can confront these issues with courage or banish them to the memory hole. Alas, the destruction of information serves to shield us from knowledge.

Notes

[←1]

Nobel Laureate 1932

[←2]

Nobel Laureate 1933

[←3]

Nobel Laureate 1954, 1965, 1981, 1988, 2001

[←4]

Nobel Laureate 1965

[←5]

Unfortunately, Tversky had passed away by 2002 and was no longer eligible for a Nobel Prize.

[←6]

Curiously, no one seems to claim that any other planets are flat. If people are making this claim, I don’t want to hear about it.

[←7]

Some researchers interpret ego depletion as a reduction in motivation rather than a finite resource related to willpower, suggesting that it may be renewed with a change in mindset.

[←8]

They were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine along with Maurice Wilkins in 1962.

[←9]

I suppose I should be thankful no one has yet complained that the publisher failed to commission an actual dead person to write the foreword for the deceased Hawking. Is that appropriation of dead people culture?

[←10]

Nobel Laureate 1978

[←11]

Nobel Laureate 2001

[←12]

This estimate includes 20,811 populations of 4,392 species.

[←13]

Nobel Laureate 1964.

[←14]

Overconfidence in one’s ability to survive an illness is another concerning factor among unvaccinated people. It might be more effective to place the emphasis on protecting other people instead. Vaccinations could also be reframed as a patriotic duty rather than an infringement on someone’s rights.

[←15]

The sweet spot for online rankings is reportedly 4.2–4.7 stars (out of 5). Rankings higher than 4.7 seem a bit suspicious.

[←16]

It was also dedicated to Perry Miller, “through whom at Harvard [she] studied the American Puritans in great detail.”

[←17]

Geoghan was convicted of sexual abuse and sentenced to 9–10 years in prison. He was soon murdered by a fellow inmate in 2003. The Archdiocese of Boston offered “prayers for the repose of John's soul.”

[←18]

Somatic cells (from the Greek word soma for “body,” not the drug in Brave New World) are found in places like the brain, heart, and skin, whose DNA is not inherited by offspring, as opposed to germ cells such as eggs and sperm.

[←19]

Gross domestic product (GDP) is the total market value of all goods and services produced within a country during a specific time period.

[←20]

There are over 100 known neurotransmitter types on the dance floor, but glutamate and GABA are the most common.

[←21]

Using functional MRI (fMRI) scans, researchers can observe brain activity indirectly by monitoring blood flow. Increased activity in a brain region is accompanied by increased blood flow to the region after a few seconds.

[←22]

We may not be able to compute millions of calculations a second like a computer can, but we do not need a heat sink attached to our skulls. If our brains were as inefficient as computers radiating heat, it would kill us instantly.

[←23]

Other terms include Homo zappiens, Net generation, iGeneration, Google Generation, App Generation, and so on.

[←24]

Snowden is the former National Security Agency (NSA) consultant who leaked numerous documents on illegal surveillance programs.

[←25]

Dr. Kim Stanley Robinson earned his Ph.D. in English from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in 1982.

[←26]

The drone ships are named after sentient spaceships in The Player of Games by Iain Banks.

[←27]

For context, 49.6° C rivals the all-time high of the Sonoran Desert city Phoenix, Arizona at 50° C (122° F).

[←28]

Professor of Atmosphere Science and the Director of Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University.

[←29]

I recognize the irony of discussing the climate crisis amid a backdrop of dystopia.

[←30]

The RE100 is a global renewable energy initiative that publishes an annual list of companies committed to going 100% clean. If a company doesn’t bother, why should we support them? https://www.there100.org/re100-members

[←31]

The prestigious Hugo award for sf is granted each year in honor of Gernsback. Recipients include Bradbury (2004) and Robinso...