When reading All Tomorrow’s Parties by William Gibson, I can’t help but notice his repetitive use of the phrase “the moment.” Gibson specifically uses it to refer to the eventual installation of nanotechnology in all the Lucky Dragons stores in the novel.
Nevertheless it makes me wonder what “the moment” means in a broader sense. I think of people that identify themselves as living in the moment, people that savor their present more than anything and enjoy immediate pleasures in life. The opposite of this, I suppose, are people that live for a greater, more distance goal in the future. Does this mean they are more focused on an ultimate goal in life rather than the steps towards it? I sure hope that it would be a rewarding ending but seeing life as one giant progression into the grave is rather depressing. (Although I’d think that we’re all in between these two extremes)
We live in a society where the final result of something is much more cared about than the entire process. Consider the computer monitor that you’re currently reading this off from. Do you know how it was designed, manufactured and sent into the store you picked it up from, or if it was put together by workers in the third world labor market that works 12 hours a day just to earn a living? Do you care? Perhaps this is what Gibson is suggesting: the process and result is both equally as important.
What do you think?
Monday, April 2, 2007
The Moment
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1 comment:
Debby, you are appealing to my moral side by speaking about people working their b*tts off get this computer to me. I do feel it but again it is life and it is invitable because what can you do if all this technology might be produced by people in such situations.
Anyway, the moment. I think WG personifies the moment and tries to make us believe that the future is dependent on the moment and what happens in the present. I have a mental block now cannot quite expound more on it now. I just think it is personified, for what effect, not sure!
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