Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom

Work Title: Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom
Medium: Novel
Episode Title:
Year: 2003
Writer(s): Cory Doctorow
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No

Summary:

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom (2003) (novel) By Cory Doctorow; free download at http://www.craphound.com/down; "In a world of affluence and immortality, the big battles will be fought over culture, not politics. That's the starting-point of Wired contributor Doctorow's daring novel set in a futuristic Disney World where talent cooperatives vie to run the attractions. One faction wants to convert the Haunted Mansion into a theater that "flash-bakes" sensory impressions into patrons' minds, offering them the thrill without the ride. Few challenges to copyright giants are as entertaining as this book. --Wired" (from http://www.craphound.com/down/reviews.php)


Era/Year of Portrayal: distant_future

Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

Death has been eradicated, nothing is scarce anymore, such as food, and money is no longer used.


Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: Whuffie (general online connectedness)
  • Description of the technology: Everyone is connected though the Internet in thier brains. Essentially, every brain is a computer, which can wirelessly recieive and send data. By looking at a person you can detect things on thier public directory, such as thier Whuffie score. Instasd of judging people by how much money they have, people are judges by the amount of Whuffie they have. Whuffie is a point system of how much personal capitol people have, like how much others respect you. Also, is a person dies, they are replaced with a clone grown to be identitical, onto which a person's personality and memories is grafted. Thus, a person lives forever from back up copies made from them.
  • Nature of task or activity: Anything that would have reauired technolgoy, peole do in thier head, including making and recieving phone calls.
  • Performance of the Technology: Works very well.
  • Description of creator(s): unknown
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): Anything that would have reauired technolgoy, peole do in thier head, including making and recieving phone calls.
  • Description of users of technology: everyone.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: both
  • Description of presence experience: Like going online, but in your head.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: People are aware when they use it - however, it is like second nature, and not counscieously done.
  • Valence of experience: neither unpleasent or pleasent. simply a fact of life.
  • Specific responses: The main character goes offline. He is then viewed as antiquiated and out of touch.
Long-term consequences:

The story ends well, imparting the mesage that technology is not as important as it seems to be.

Other:

The fact that all people are connected through being online constantly indicates telepresence. Also, in Disney World, people particpate in the rides through telepresence. Not phycisally [resent but participating online.

Coder name: Amanda Scheiner
Coder email: amandags@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple University