Comments on: J.G. Ballard: Master of Doom http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/04/20/jg-ballard-master-of-doom/ Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:57:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Nova Terata http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/04/20/jg-ballard-master-of-doom/#comment-1964 Nova Terata Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:59:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/04/20/jg-ballard-master-of-doom/#comment-1964 What makes J. G. Ballard unique in my mind was his focus on materialism and technology as a commodity and the impact of this on the already schizoid Western man. In Ballard's worlds the average yuppie or scientist turns into a Colonel Kurtz amidst the "alien" landscape of suburbia. His subject matter disturbs people probably because its so close to home and his visions of the future were so true. Not true in a science and technology progressing to a singularity sense, but in that the "dystopia" comes and goes and we suck it down and it simply becomes enjoyable or even mundane and when its suddenly gone we might go mad. Also, you are never sure if Ballard is presenting this as a moral allegory or as erotica. And isn't there something beautiful in a aircraft runway, a trainyard, a shopping mall, especially when its reclaimed by nature? What makes J. G. Ballard unique in my mind was his focus on materialism and technology as a commodity and the impact of this on the already schizoid Western man. In Ballard’s worlds the average yuppie or scientist turns into a Colonel Kurtz amidst the “alien” landscape of suburbia. His subject matter disturbs people probably because its so close to home and his visions of the future were so true. Not true in a science and technology progressing to a singularity sense, but in that the “dystopia” comes and goes and we suck it down and it simply becomes enjoyable or even mundane and when its suddenly gone we might go mad. Also, you are never sure if Ballard is presenting this as a moral allegory or as erotica. And isn’t there something beautiful in a aircraft runway, a trainyard, a shopping mall, especially when its reclaimed by nature?

]]> By: luca http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/04/20/jg-ballard-master-of-doom/#comment-1963 luca Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:40:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/04/20/jg-ballard-master-of-doom/#comment-1963 Only brushed with Ballard during my teen years, when I read every sci-fi book in the public library. Couldn't really stomach it. May be I was too young. I loved the premise but found the plot advancing too slowly... I don't know... Bt I'm sorry he went away. I'll pickup again one of his books to commemorate him. the one about the tropical London, maybe. Only brushed with Ballard during my teen years, when I read every sci-fi book in the public library. Couldn’t really stomach it. May be I was too young. I loved the premise but found the plot advancing too slowly… I don’t know…

Bt I’m sorry he went away. I’ll pickup again one of his books to commemorate him. the one about the tropical London, maybe.

]]> By: amy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/04/20/jg-ballard-master-of-doom/#comment-1962 amy Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:39:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/04/20/jg-ballard-master-of-doom/#comment-1962 edit: :trops by :tropes edit: :trops
by
:tropes

]]> By: amy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/04/20/jg-ballard-master-of-doom/#comment-1961 amy Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:38:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/2009/04/20/jg-ballard-master-of-doom/#comment-1961 This sort of thing was done a lot in the 19th century and in the first part of the 2oth century. It is a collection of venerable trops in science fiction. Unfortunately, most people in our culture have little knowledge of the literary history of scicnce fiction. Writers do--because they mine it. This sort of thing was done a lot in the 19th century and in the first part of the 2oth century. It is a collection of venerable trops in science fiction. Unfortunately, most people in our culture have little knowledge of the literary history of scicnce fiction.

Writers do–because they mine it.

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