Wednesday, March 5, 2008

un/reality

Several passages in Snowcrash throw on ongoing conflict and symbiosis of reality and unreality into relief. On page 89, Stephenson introduces the surreal world of an Ng Securities guard dog; unlike the Street, the dog's virtual yard represents a real 'yard' which a real security robot defends.
On page 102, Stephenson writes people in the metaverse hate to be reminded they are living in a fantasy world. The inverse of Jameson's argument that unreality reinforces reality; on page 102 the reality of the avatar exposed unreality reinforces the unreality of the whole metaverse.
On page 126, Lagos describes another interesting interactoin between reality and unreality: Hackers, he says, are so effected by the unreality they work in (code) that it alters their own reality (their brains).
On 191, Stephenson notes an unreality that exists not in computers but directly nestled in reality; the 'loglo,' 'franchises,' and 'Burbclaves.' In a world of chaos groups have formed unreal order and consistency.
Pages 304 and 305 describe an interesting simultaneity of real and unreal as Hiro is at once fighting in reality and reading statistics in unreality. A similar situation occurs on 414 when Hiro's travel in the metaverse is "Dimly superimposed on Reality."

These different instances represent different perspectives on the same conundrum; the division of reality and unreality. Where does it lie? How does it change? Is there really a division at all?

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