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Has anyone else read the novel Golden State by Ben H. Winters? https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39599913-golden-state https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/395

by maxaf 8y ago

Has anyone else read the novel Golden State by Ben H. Winters? https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39599913-golden-state https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39599913-golden-state He describes an extrapolation of our world's recent history, one in which "reality" is captured for posterity by omnipresent cameras. Citizens record the details of each day by taking written notes of encounters, in addition to stamping pages of their day book with "conversation stamps". These stamps establish the presence of a person in the company of another, thus allowing "reality" to be pieced together later on. In short, citizens of the Golden State consider reality precious, and go to great lengths in order to record & preserve the events of each day, however minute they may seem. Ben Winters is a great author, one of my favorite sci-fi craftsmen. He had me hooked throughout the novel, in no small part because I kept alternating between two emotional extremes. On one hand, I was abhorred by such systemic invasion of privacy. At the same time I saw obvious benefits that stemmed from systemic, society-fracturing lies having been banished from the Golden State universe.

stordoff 8y ago
As someone who has OCD related to this ("Citizens record the details of each day by taking written notes of encounters" could almost describe me), I'd be interested to know if he addresses the downsides that could result from this. You become more worried about capturing the moment, so you can't live _in_ the moment. It's almost self-defeating -- because you are worried that if you have this interaction, you will forget to make a record of it, you end up not having the interaction at all (you limit interactions to things that will fit in short term memory). Regardless of how highly you value reality, you end up missing out on it, losing the very thing you valued in the first place.
- maxaf 8y ago
  I'm familiar with the feelings you describe, but the Golden State's citizens appear to be unconcerned with this. The book's timeline is preceded by unspecified terrible events which have destroyed the old world. These events are said to have been triggered by lies, and it's this terror of repeating past mistakes that keeps citizens in line.

by maxaf 8y ago

stordoff 8y ago

As someone who has OCD related to this ("Citizens record the details of each day by taking written notes of encounters" could almost describe me), I'd be interested to know if he addresses the downsides that could result from this. You become more worried about capturing the moment, so you can't live _in_ the moment. It's almost self-defeating -- because you are worried that if you have this interaction, you will forget to make a record of it, you end up not having the interaction at all (you limit interactions to things that will fit in short term memory). Regardless of how highly you value reality, you end up missing out on it, losing the very thing you valued in the first place.

maxaf 8y ago
I'm familiar with the feelings you describe, but the Golden State's citizens appear to be unconcerned with this. The book's timeline is preceded by unspecified terrible events which have destroyed the old world. These events are said to have been triggered by lies, and it's this terror of repeating past mistakes that keeps citizens in line.