Terry Pratchett Could Save the World (21st Century Perspectives on British Literature and Society)

This monograph contends that attending to Pratchettâ••s work could help to save our world. It draws attention to the astonishing capacity of Pratchettâ••s novels to inspire and argues that Pratchettâ••s fantasy novels directly address many of the most significant challenges people in the world face: the explosion of weapons technology; the myriad issues involved in the envelopment of human life by corporatized information technology; the destructive human inattention to, and interactions with, the Earth and its life forms; and the problem of devalued labor. Paradoxically, it is Pratchettâ••s choice of fantasy that lets him address the reality of major issues that humanity and the rest of life confront now. Pratchettâ••s novels show us how to better understand and confront the problems the world is contending with. The book will interest both scholars and fans. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Information 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Dedication 6 Table of Contents 8 Preface 10 Acknowledgments 11 Introduction: Terry Pratchett—Fantasy, Science Fiction, the Human, and the Earth 14 Notes 36 1 Men at Arms: Terry Pratchett Takes On Gun Control 40 Divided and Undivided Worlds 40 The Novelty of the Gun 43 The Destructive Power of the Gonne 47 Hybrid Issues 49 Notes 60 2 Going Postal: The Internet Arrives 64 Work and Workers 72 Two Conmen, Maybe Three, At Least One With a Conscience 76 The Power of Words and Angry Words 81 Notes 84 3 The Truth: Journalism, Fake News, and Community 86 The Technological Shift and Its Implications 88 Fake News 92 Different Kinds of News 95 The Press and the Police, and the Limits of Both 97 Prejudice 101 The Truth 106 Notes 110 4 Feet of Clay: Work and Workers 112 What Are People Worth? 114 What Are Golems Worth? 118 Resistance and Solidarity at Work 120 Kings, Aristocracy, and Voice 124 The Animals and Work 127 Notes 132 Coda: Terry Pratchett—“Creaturely Life” and the Earth 134 Notes 143 Bibliography 145 Index 151 Sci-Fi;,Fake,News;,Terry,Prachett;,Gun,Control;,Fantasy