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|pub_date = September, 2018 |
|pub_date = September, 2018 |
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|first appearance = Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction |
|first appearance = Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction |
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| − | |genre = [[Alternate History]]}}'''"Powerless"''' is a short story by [[Harry Turtledove]], first published in the September/October issue of ''Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction''. It is an [[alternate history]] story depicting a world where the [[Soviet Union]] became the global dominant power under unknown circumstances |
+ | |genre = [[Alternate History]]}}'''"Powerless"''' is a short story by [[Harry Turtledove]], first published in the September/October issue of ''Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction''. It is an [[alternate history]] story depicting a world where the [[Soviet Union]] became the global dominant power under unknown circumstances. The story, set in an indeterminate time, is inspired by [[Václav Havel]]'s essay, "The Power of the Powerless".<ref>https://twitter.com/HNTurtledove/status/969368589332496384</ref><ref>https://www.sfsite.com/fsf/blog/2018/09/10/interview-harry-turtledove-on-powerless/</ref> |
| + | The story itself is set in communist version of [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], which is part of the larger [[West Coast People's Democratic Republic]] (the [[United States]] having ceased to exist). While there are some clues as to the time frame of the [[Point of Divergence]], the story itself is deliberately set at an indeterminate time period to emphasize the timelessness of resistance authoritarianism. |
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| + | [[Charlie Simpkins]], his wife, [[Lucille Simpkins|Lucille]], and their two children reside in a one bedroom. Charlie works in a state run green grocer. One day, as a political campaign is gearing up, Charlie is sent a propaganda sign with the traditional communist slogan "Workers of the World Unite!" The sign proves to be a last straw for Charlie: he knows that the Party really doesn't mean anything it says, and he throws the sign in the trash instead of hanging it. In short order, Charlie loses the grocery position and is sent to work in a warehouse. He continues to engage in passive-aggressive acts of rebellion, with consequences to himself and his family. However, he soon realizes that these negative consequences are no worse than the original status quo. He meets other like minded people who realize that, while they don't have the power to topple the Party, they are not powerless, and can carefully and subtly exercise that power they do have to make improvements in the system, or at least keep the Party and the state at bay to some extent. |
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| + | The example of the shopkeeper refusing to put up a sign is taken directly from Havel's work, and many of the arguments Simpkins and his fellows make are close to verbatim Havel's own. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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| + | {{Powerless}} |
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[[Category:Powerless|*]] |
[[Category:Powerless|*]] |
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[[Category:2018 Works]] |
[[Category:2018 Works]] |
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Revision as of 16:24, 20 September 2018
| "Powerless" | |
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| Author | Harry Turtledove |
| First Appearance | Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction |
| Genre(s) | Alternate History |
| Publication date | September, 2018 |
"Powerless" is a short story by Harry Turtledove, first published in the September/October issue of Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. It is an alternate history story depicting a world where the Soviet Union became the global dominant power under unknown circumstances. The story, set in an indeterminate time, is inspired by Václav Havel's essay, "The Power of the Powerless".[1][2]
The story itself is set in communist version of Los Angeles, California, which is part of the larger West Coast People's Democratic Republic (the United States having ceased to exist). While there are some clues as to the time frame of the Point of Divergence, the story itself is deliberately set at an indeterminate time period to emphasize the timelessness of resistance authoritarianism.
Charlie Simpkins, his wife, Lucille, and their two children reside in a one bedroom. Charlie works in a state run green grocer. One day, as a political campaign is gearing up, Charlie is sent a propaganda sign with the traditional communist slogan "Workers of the World Unite!" The sign proves to be a last straw for Charlie: he knows that the Party really doesn't mean anything it says, and he throws the sign in the trash instead of hanging it. In short order, Charlie loses the grocery position and is sent to work in a warehouse. He continues to engage in passive-aggressive acts of rebellion, with consequences to himself and his family. However, he soon realizes that these negative consequences are no worse than the original status quo. He meets other like minded people who realize that, while they don't have the power to topple the Party, they are not powerless, and can carefully and subtly exercise that power they do have to make improvements in the system, or at least keep the Party and the state at bay to some extent.
The example of the shopkeeper refusing to put up a sign is taken directly from Havel's work, and many of the arguments Simpkins and his fellows make are close to verbatim Havel's own.
References
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