A CRITIQUE OF WIGO (WHAT IS GOING ON): A KORZYBSKIAN EVALUATION OF DYSTOPIAN FICTION.
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| Title: | A CRITIQUE OF WIGO (WHAT IS GOING ON): A KORZYBSKIAN EVALUATION OF DYSTOPIAN FICTION. |
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| Authors: | SUDHA, BINI BABU |
| Source: | ETC: A Review of General Semantics. Oct2025, Vol. 82 Issue 4, p286-312. 27p. |
| Subjects: | General semantics, Social criticism, Fiction, Power (Social sciences), Philosophers, Facts (Philosophy), Oppression |
| Abstract: | Using a general semantics perspective, the paper analyzes the potential of dystopian imagination as a form of social critique by mapping the life-worlds portrayed in selecting fiction and evaluating them as allegories of WIGO (What Is Going On). Alfred Korzybski's diagnostic, prognostic, and remedial approach to ailing social-political-cultural structures and processes provides the theoretical framework for analysis in this paper. In Korzybski's view, when humans fail to live up to their time-binding potential, they feel alienated, transform into animals or automatons stripped of emotions, and succumb to "unsane" orientations that misdirect our nations and civilizations. The paper illustrates how deviating from the time-binding way of life and surrendering to energy- and space-binding instincts of survival may lead to the degeneration of human selves and societies, as depicted in dystopian novels. The study identifies parallels between our historical and contemporary realities and the experiences captured in dystopian fiction, employing three major tropes: the blatant and subtle exercises of power, the intersections of power and knowledge, and the epistemic violence implicit in the calculated misappropriation of language and ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of ETC: A Review of General Semantics is the property of Institute of General Semantics, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 193474741 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: A CRITIQUE OF WIGO (WHAT IS GOING ON): A KORZYBSKIAN EVALUATION OF DYSTOPIAN FICTION. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22SUDHA%2C+BINI+BABU%22">SUDHA, BINI BABU</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22ETC%3A+A+Review+of+General+Semantics%22">ETC: A Review of General Semantics</searchLink>. Oct2025, Vol. 82 Issue 4, p286-312. 27p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22General+semantics%22">General semantics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+criticism%22">Social criticism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fiction%22">Fiction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Power+%28Social+sciences%29%22">Power (Social sciences)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Philosophers%22">Philosophers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Facts+%28Philosophy%29%22">Facts (Philosophy)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Oppression%22">Oppression</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Using a general semantics perspective, the paper analyzes the potential of dystopian imagination as a form of social critique by mapping the life-worlds portrayed in selecting fiction and evaluating them as allegories of WIGO (What Is Going On). Alfred Korzybski's diagnostic, prognostic, and remedial approach to ailing social-political-cultural structures and processes provides the theoretical framework for analysis in this paper. In Korzybski's view, when humans fail to live up to their time-binding potential, they feel alienated, transform into animals or automatons stripped of emotions, and succumb to "unsane" orientations that misdirect our nations and civilizations. The paper illustrates how deviating from the time-binding way of life and surrendering to energy- and space-binding instincts of survival may lead to the degeneration of human selves and societies, as depicted in dystopian novels. The study identifies parallels between our historical and contemporary realities and the experiences captured in dystopian fiction, employing three major tropes: the blatant and subtle exercises of power, the intersections of power and knowledge, and the epistemic violence implicit in the calculated misappropriation of language and ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of ETC: A Review of General Semantics is the property of Institute of General Semantics, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 27 StartPage: 286 Subjects: – SubjectFull: General semantics Type: general – SubjectFull: Social criticism Type: general – SubjectFull: Fiction Type: general – SubjectFull: Power (Social sciences) Type: general – SubjectFull: Philosophers Type: general – SubjectFull: Facts (Philosophy) Type: general – SubjectFull: Oppression Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: A CRITIQUE OF WIGO (WHAT IS GOING ON): A KORZYBSKIAN EVALUATION OF DYSTOPIAN FICTION. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: SUDHA, BINI BABU IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 10 Text: Oct2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0014164X Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 82 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: ETC: A Review of General Semantics Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
