Chaos, Fractals

[David L. Pelovitz]

 Bonnie Surfus wrote:
 
> On Sun, 21 May 1995, Tim Ware wrote: 
> > You really can't have one without the other.  Thesis/antithesis.  The 
> > dance.  The interface.  The taming/ordering of charisma.  Systems exist 
> > between the 0 and 1, not one or the other.  Not good system/bad 
> > system--just systems.  To tame "the green uprising" into a garden is not 
> > necessarily a bad thing.  
> > 
> Well now, I'll just chime in here and say that this is what I suggest in 
> my article on _Vineland_;  that we see "not good system/bad system--just 
> systems."  In fact, the diction is very similar to Tim's (talk about the 
> interface.)  Rushdie says something about the redeeming qualities of 
> "community."  Katherine Hayles speaks of "snitches" and "families," as 
> opposing forces that operate in the novel.  I believe that the nature of 
> suggests that we see "just systems," that ultimately follow one path.  
 
I have the same reaction.  In Vineland, I see most of the systems
as concentric circles starting from the individual, moving outward
to the family, and further outward to the government (Brock's
extended national family).  But as Brock's  plans bring
everything in America into that National family and, therefore,
under government control, little changes.  People still
act as individuals and families still act according
to their own patterns.  The government system may engulf
all other systems, but not in a good or bad way.  It is
simply a label.  In fact, it's a taulogy.  Brock's plans
result in a world in which all Americans and all that they
do is what makes up America. 

David Pelovitz - PELOVTZD at Acfcluster.nyu.edu