Ep. 35: Jessica Hooten Wilson, Ph.D.: Literature and Totalitarianism
Aug 23, 2021
auto_awesome
Professor Jessica Hooten Wilson discusses literature and totalitarianism, exploring the use of violence, entertainment, and distraction as tools of state control. Topics include Fahrenheit 451, writings of Solzhenitsyn, and Alvarez's novel about life under dictatorship. Novelists take evil seriously without villainizing opposition. Also discussed: Frankl, Pieper, O'Brien, Tocqueville's soft despotism, and Postman's argument in In Amusing Ourselves to Death.
Literature provides insights into the dangers of totalitarianism and inspires resistance and action.
Excessive entertainment and distraction hinder deep contemplation and prioritizing virtue and justice.
Remembering stories and engaging with literature cultivates empathy, critical thinking, and guards against ideological manipulation.
Deep dives
The Power of Literature in Totalitarianism
The podcast episode discusses the importance of reading literature in understanding and resisting totalitarianism. The guest, Professor Jessica Hooten-Wilsen, emphasizes the significant role that books play in shaping individuals' lives and inspiring them to live virtuously. She highlights the disparity between the suppression of books in totalitarian regimes and the current culture's disregard for reading. Professor Hooten-Wilsen explores how literature from different periods, such as Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and works by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, offer insights into the dangers of totalitarianism. She also mentions the importance of contemplation, the quality of reading, and the necessity of action in response to what has been learned.
The Dangers of Entertainment and Distraction
The discussion delves into the perils of excessive entertainment and distraction in modern society. Both the podcast host and guest highlight the prophetic nature of Fahrenheit 451 in its depiction of a society consumed by constant entertainment through screens and technology. They raise concerns about how people prioritize convenience and pleasure over freedom, virtue, and justice. The conversation touches on the addictive nature of social media and digital distractions, pointing out the dangers of being constantly distracted and unable to engage in deep and meaningful contemplation. The focus shifts from entertainment to distraction, highlighting the need to resist the allure of being constantly entertained and instead strive for focused, purposeful living.
Resistance, Awakening, and the Courage to Act
The podcast explores the theme of resistance, awakening, and the importance of taking action against oppressive systems. The guest emphasizes the significance of waking up to the injustices happening around us and not turning a blind eye. Through the discussion of the novel In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez, the podcast highlights the stories of ordinary women in the Dominican Republic who rebelled against the Trujillo dictatorship. The sisters depicted in the novel undergo personal awakenings, realizing the necessity of fighting against oppression and sacrificing their own comforts for the sake of freedom and justice. The conversation prompts listeners to reflect on their own choices and the implications of remaining complicit or choosing to resist in the face of injustice.
The importance of remembering and passing on stories
The podcast episode discusses the significance of remembering and passing on stories as a means of preserving our history, values, and culture. It explores how literature and reading play a crucial role in cultivating a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. By engaging with different voices and perspectives, we develop a greater sense of empathy and critical thinking. The episode emphasizes the power of memory and the dangers of becoming ideologically driven, urging listeners to embrace a reverence for truth and to resist the dehumanizing effects of propaganda and distraction.
The paradoxical nature of suffering and the pursuit of freedom
Another key theme discussed in the podcast episode is the paradoxical nature of suffering and its relationship to freedom and self-improvement. The episode draws insights from Solzhenitsyn's experiences in the Soviet prison system and highlights how suffering can transform and deepen one's understanding of life. It explores the idea that true liberation comes from within, through self-reflection, self-sacrifice, and a willingness to endure hardships for the sake of a greater purpose. The episode also touches on the dangers of seeking convenience and avoiding suffering at all costs, and how this can lead to a shallow and self-centered existence. It emphasizes the importance of heroism, virtue, and the pursuit of a higher cause.
In this episode, I speak with Professor Jessica Hooten Wilson about her writing and research on literature and totalitarianism. We discuss how both violence and entertainment and distraction are used a tools of state control. We discuss Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, some of the writings of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and Julia Alvarez's novel, In the Time of Butterflies, about life under the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. We also discuss Victor Frankl, Josef Pieper, Michael O'Brien, Tocqueville's idea of "soft despotism", and Neil Postman's argument in In Amusing Ourselves to Death about Huxley's Brave New World and George Orwell's 1984. Wilson notes that these novelists take evil seriously, but are also careful not simply villainize the opposition so as to increase our understanding and self-awareness, and help prevent us from falling into the trap of another ideology.
