Diana Thermes

The language of dys-topia, both oral and written, is forced to be an upturned language, a kako-logos, even a no-language when is landing in Orwell’s Oceana : as well as the utopia, in the sense of eu-topia, capsizes  in dys-topia the dystopia language capsizes in dys-language. Precisely, the Newspeak of Orwell, built by manipulating the language and by shorting drastically the dictionary, aims to prevent the subjects from communicating with each other and even from thinking  in order to make the Big Brother regime even more totalitarian. Similarly, to forbid any kind of literature allows the industrial producing system leaded by the Governor Mustafa Mond of Huxley and by the Government faceless of Bradbury to rule autocratically over a mass society harmonized, tidied, stabilized, and alienated through the use of latest technology for inducing it obsessively and deceitfully towards a growing consumerism.

Del tutto inaspettatamente il Cavalier Emilio Salgari, gia celebrato “padre degli eroi”, scrive nel 1903 Le meraviglie del 2000 , un romanzo ambientato cento anni dopo la sua scrittura, che si rivela piuttosto una distopia malgrado il titolo.  I due protagonisti, lo scienziato Toby Holker e l’amico James Brandok, un giovane ricco affetto da spleen , alter ego di Salgari, viaggiano nel tempo attraverso la loro ibernazione, per risvegliarsi un secolo dopo grazie al fiore della resurrezione, un’antichissima pianta egiziana dalle proprieta prodigiose. Il mondo del 2003 e meraviglioso: i progressi della scienza e della tecnica hanno regalato agli uomini macchine volanti, treni velocissimi ad aria compressa, anfibi rompighiacci, citta sottomarine, televisori e telescopi potentissimi; e hanno anche risolto i problemi energetici e alimentari, quelli della sovrappopolazione, della criminalita  e dell’ordine sociale. Anima del mondo futuro, che in realta ha perso l’anima perche e dominato da ...

The Land of Cockaigne is a country of abundance and a land of joy and pleasure, a land where ‘who sleeps the more the more gains. Etymologically, the Land of Cockaigne is the land of cakes (from German-Gothic koka - Kuche ). As a place of plenty of food and of the joy of living its origins are very ancient. It’s linked to the garden of Eden and to the laic Goledn Age. In the Middle-Age it was a popular myth and at the beginning of the modern age it became a topos of utopia, the one by Thomas More, where the work of all defeats hunger and collectivism creates an harmonic and happy life. But, after the enclosures, poverty spreads through England, and hunger becomes the main topic of the politics of modern governments. The myth is far, in the past, utopia is one of the goals of public politics and the Land of Cockaigne becomes the country that offers food, dignity, hope. Once the Land of Cockaigne were the United States, with the American Dream , today is Europe, the destination of mig...