“The perfect crime is that of an unconditional realization of the world by the actualization of all data, the transformation of all our acts and all events into pure information: in short, the final solution, the resolution of the world ahead of time by the cloning of reality and the extermination of the real by its double.
This is precisely the theme of Arthur C. Clarke‘s short story ‘The Nine Billion Names of God‘. A community of Tibetan monks have for centuries devoted themselves to transcribing these nine billion names of God, and once they have accomplished this the purpose of the world will be achieved, and it will come to an end. The task is a tiresome one and the weary monks call in technicians from IBM, whose computers do the job in a few months. In a sense, the history of the world is completed in real time by the workings of virtual technology. Unfortunately, this also means the disappearance of the world in real time. For suddenly, the promise of the end is fulfilled and, as they walk back down into the valley, the technicians, who did not really believe in the prophecy, are aghast to see the stars going out one by one.”
Jean Baudrillard, The Perfect Crime, trans. Chris Turner (London: Verso, 2008 [1996]), 27.
November 15, 2010 at 10:43 pm |
Curious and mindbending, especially for its abridgment. You’re trebly cool for posting that, thanks. Strange teleology too… names uttered… is it like running a seam, or is it catastrophic failure? Do the names have to be witnessed? What’s supposed to happen at world’s end? Did Clarke write about god/s much? Reckon 9 billion could be Earth’s utmost figure for human capacity?
November 16, 2010 at 7:17 am |
@S’Mat: Glad you like this post, I knew you’d be one of the interested parties…Re: Teleology, I dunno…I like the idea of “running a seam” (or stream) — darkly Arcadian. As to what happens, I suppose nothing happens. Happening stops happening.
Clarke was keenly technophilic in his early years, but got pretty spiritual in later life, developing some of the interests common to older English eccentrics — life after death, paranormal phenomena, ball lighting, etc… How much it figured into the later work, well, I haven’t read it all. There are glimmers…
Earth’s carrying capacity, like most other supposedly arbitrary facts about human existence, is a function of our behavior and social structure. 9 Billion vegetarian pacifists living sustainable lives vs. us. Ya know?
P.S. Will be back on the island for the month of Dec. — we should get together…
November 16, 2010 at 11:58 pm |
Yes we should. See if we can’t get a few stars to wink out as well!