No technophobe

[Andrew Dinn]

Paul Mackin writes:

> Here I go again, but Pynchon's nonfiction writing has a disorienting 
> effect on me. No, he's definitely not a technophobe. He's unnervingly 
> mainstream up to an including a cautious belief (hope) in impowerment
> of the people through the computer. I, of course, have that hope too. But
> I would just as soon _he_ did not display _his_ normality so baldly (even 
> allowing the possibility it maybe an act for the NY Times editor). It takes
> away a little from the strangeness and ambiguity found in the novels. I 
> would prefer my visionaries not quite so sane. 

I've recently reread Pynchon's Luddite article along with Kirkpatrick
Sale's book about the Luddites, `Rebels Against the Future' (qv by the
way - it says little more in sum than our hero's article despite the
disparity in length but fills in lots of interesting detail). I am not
so sure that Pynchon's belief, cautious as it is, is in the the
opportunity for `empowerment'. *Resistance* more like (or perhaps I
mean *war*?).

Ned's followers showed no disdain for technology when it suited their
circumstance or aided their revolt. But both the vision which promoted
technological `advance' and the rapid centrifugal motion of property
and power greased by technological change were unequivocally opposed.
It never was just technology per se that was opposed by the Luddites
but the combination of a whole range of technologies with a particular
social order (remember folks you heard it here first). I see no
contrary opinion in TRP's writing.


Andrew Dinn
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Daran, nachdem die Wasserwogen / Von unsrer Suendflut sich verzogen
Der allerschoenste Regenbogen / Als Gottes Gnadenzeichen steht!