Teletubbies

Some of these posts may appear superficial, but they all have a serious side. Satire and observational humor are ways to make serious points. This is one of those posts - the serious point I'm making is left as an exercise for the reader.

Yesterday a friend mentioned the teletubbies, and reminded me of something I wrote a few years ago, entitled "The Eloi To Be." I can't find the original, but here is a summary.

There are two great novels of the future, that stand head and shoulders above the rest. George Orwell's 1984, set in the near future, and H.G.Wells' The Time Machine (TTM) set in the distant future. The Teletubbies (TTB) is the bridge between the two eras:

• Obedience: it begins with crude propaganda (1984), evolves into pipes that give orders that are instantly obeyed (TTB), and finally we have a completely compliant and non-curious populace (TTM).
• The landscape starts as bombed buildings (1984), becomes underground bomb shelters with nature reclaiming the open spaces (TTB), and eventually nature completely takes over the surface (TTM).
• The underclass of workers starts as metaphorically underground (1984), begin to move literally underground (TTB) and ends up deep underground (TTM).
• Workers and elites (1984) become noonoos and teletubbies (TTB), and eventually morlocks and eloi (TTM). Perhaps tubby custard is soylent green?
• Telescreens: they start as crude stand alone boxes on the wall (1984). Technology evolves until they are wearable (TTB), and finally they are not needed because Earth is a fake paradise and all curiosity is dead (TTM).
• I could go on, about the regression to childhood, the architectural styles, the importance of bedtime, the significance of flowers, etc., but you get the picture.