User:Charlie/Paracosmos

General reader ☞☞☞ Ⓛⓘⓔⓢⓛⓔⓢⓒⓗⓣ.

Reader

Section of personal reader focused on:

• Politics & Narratives
• Design, Art & Media
• Folklore & Myths
• Storytelling and Fiction-writing

Annotation Index

Text = Quote/Excerpt from source text
➪ = Link to source text
✎ = Word Stew (Personal Glossary)

Politics and the English Language ➪

by George Orwell

Published: April, 1946

Format: Essay

George Orwell is best known for his two fiction novels Animal Farm and Nineteen-Eighty-Four, but his writing also includes many other genre such as e.g: essays, journalism and poetry.

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Synopsis

In his essay Politics and the English language, Orwell discusses and criticizes the ways in which political texts of the time (1940's) were often written in an overly pompous and jargon-heavy manner. Using repetitive phrases and inconcrete metaphors for the sake of sounding intellectual and/or convincing, whilst obscuring the 'true' message of the text, and/or the lack thereof. A writing practice which Orwell describes as 'bad English' and as a contributing factor to the decline of literary culture and good (English) prose. Yet, also an insidious method used by political writers to conceal propagandist messages within their texts.

Research context

This text fits my current research (April 2025), because it acts as a template to critically analyze political texts, as well as, a guide to analyzing my own writing style. Especially when it come to metaphors. Orwell believes that metaphors (and analogies) should be creative and concise, a literary illustration to ones writing, to paint a mental picture. And that one should avoid "dead metaphors", metaphors whose original meaning has been lost to time or over-use.

Particularly the topic of metaphors in relation to political messaging is of interest in my research. Metaphors (and analogies) may often stem from or reference folklore and mythology; Narrative themes which historically, many political movements have employed to speak to, position themselves and lend credibility within a socio-political context.

Well-Played ➪

by Vicky Osterweil

Published: October, 2018

Format: Column

Vicky Osterweil...

Synopsis

In her column, Osterweil discusses how, over the past two decades, video games have become a crucial part of mainstream media consumption. Emblematic of the “digital age” , she aims to analyze the ways in which video games fit into, may embody and therefore reinforce cultural and societal norms. She argues that most popular video games (through game-play structures), though they may exist in alternate realities, most often reproduce aspects of a Capitalist Economic System. In other words, the ways in which to play and advance in video games, often simply simulates aspects of everyday life within Capitalism. (F.ex: Fulfilling tasks to survive, Rewards in exchange for repetitive action/work (currency, points, levels, etc.))

"To perpetuate their own existence, mass media must succeed at representing the violent coercion of capitalist systems as natural laws: Of course you have to pay rent to live inside; of course you have to buy food to eat; of course you have to work if you want to survive."

Research context

In the broader context of my research, Well-Played offers insights into the ways contemporary media (especially, interactive media such as video games) manages to propagate and implant capitalist notions through escapist fantasy.

Steering The Craft: A Twenty-First-Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story

by Ursula K. Le Guin

Format: Book

Published:

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Myth in politics, an instrument of authority

by Éric Cobast

Format: Article

Published: 2025

Original language: French (translated and paraphrased by me)

The article (original title: "Le mythe en politique, un instrument d'autorité") was published in the French magazine Le Monde/La Vie 2025 special edition L'histoire des mythes ("the history of myths"), written by Éric Cobast. Cobast largely works as a teacher on general culture, and as a frequent specialist adviser in media production on that same subject. He has written and contributed to many French educational publications on the subject of general culture, with a focus on history, mythology and politics.

Synopsis

The article introduces the reader to mythology and myths as a political tool. It mostly focuses on a selection of examples from history in which political authorities of various cultures have employed mythological legends and narratives for political gain and legitimization.

Extracts

The author states that myths provide an archaic attribute to political speech. Archaic in its dual meaning, from its Greek etymology ("archein"): "To commence/to begin" as well as, "to command". As such, they always constitute both a story of origin and a call-to-action.

To political agendas, myths act as an abundant source for ready-made fiction; A direct link to the collective imagination and the sanctified narratives that constitute and bind the collective consciousness of a culture. Therefore, whoever wields power over the narratives of a culture, wields power over that culture. Myths embody political authority.

The myth as a narrative tool operates in the realms of imagination and emotion, and always contains space for double-meanings open to interpretation. "Il sacrilise, légitime, fédère, mobilise, préfigure, prophétise, justifie l'action politique.": The myth sanctifies, legitimizes, unites, mobilizes, prefigures, prophesies and justifies political action. As such, it comes as no surprise, that political agents continuously employ myths and the same mythological legends as a means to consolidate their power, all-throughout history.

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The Politics of Design

by Ruben Pater

Format: Book

Published: 2016

Synopsis

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Research Context

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