UID:
almahu_9949700374102882
Format:
1 online resource (232 pages)
Edition:
1st ed.
ISBN:
9781350439658
Content:
〈b〉The past is fixed 〈/b〉〈b〉- 〈/b〉〈b〉what happened happened. But our descriptions of that past are in constant flux, creating branching networks of contradictory accounts more complex than any fictional franchise. 〈i〉Revising Reality〈/i〉 uses pop culture and media concepts of revision to untangle our real-world histories - with startlingly revelatory results.〈/b〉 〈b〉 〈/b〉Novels, comics, films, and TV shows can continue previous events (sequels), reinterpret events (retcons), or restart events (remakes), and audiences can ignore any of these revisions (rejects). Drawing on these four kinds of revision derived from franchises such as 〈i〉Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings〈/i〉,〈i〉 〈/i〉and Marvel comics, Chris Gavaler and Nat Goldberg make sense of the stories we tell about a remarkable range of actual events, including scientific discoveries, Supreme Court cases, historical moments, folk heroes, and even trans names and human memory. They ask: - What happened to the original, green-scaled dinosaurs after scientists decided dinosaurs had multi-colored feathers? When overturning 〈i〉Roe 〈/i〉v〈i〉. Wade〈/i〉, did the Supreme Court end the right to abortion, or did the Court claim that the right of the previous half century never existed? Since Ronald Reagan increased taxes, expanded government, and championed amnesty for undocumented immigrants, who is the Ronald Reagan whom today's conservatives champion as a model president? When a trans person comes out as trans, has their gender changed or has their gender remained consistent? Are our memories accounts of real events or some kind (or kinds) of revision? And if our memories are in flux, what does that say about our memory-dependent identities? 〈i〉Revising Reality〈/i〉 answers these and so many more questions, providing surprising new tools for explaining the world and our relationship to it.
Note:
〈b〉Introduction: the Histories of History〈/b〉 Sequels Remakes Retcons Rejects Moving Forward 〈b〉1. Rejecting Possibilities〈/b〉 Unforced Exorcised Unearthed Mandated TERFed Gated Re-versed Barred 〈b〉2. Rewriting History〈/b〉 Storying Origins Revering Paul Amending Men Trumping Thomas Queering Authors Canceling Culture Hiding History 〈b〉3. Making America〈/b〉 Resolving Winners Remaking America (Great Again) Reckoning Reagan Criticizing the Common Core Objecting to Obamacare Revising Racism Criticizing Critical Race Theory Taking Tenure 〈b〉4. Retconning Law〈/b〉 Ridged Klingons v. Ridgeless Klingons Ministers and Genomes v. Winnie the Pooh Buses v. Cars and Cocaine Trafficking Judicial Retcons v. Legal Sequels Metaphysics v. Epistemology Cannons v. Stun Guns People v. People SCOTUS v. Disregarding Citizens 〈b〉5. Knowing Science〈/b〉 Planets and Dwarves Lizards and Birds Hobbits and Hoaxes Counseling and Cognition Ulcers and Ivermectin Paradigms and Shifts 〈b〉6. Naming Change〈/b〉 A Knight and a Lord A Caliph and a Prince Two Marriages and a Divorce Two Women A Baby and Dear Abby A Star, a King, and a Kennedy A Building and an Institution A Man, a Person, and a Corporation A Person and an Alias 〈b〉7. Changing Minds〈/b〉 Encoring Yesterdays Categorizing Villains Theorizing Characters Alternating Worlds Justifying Cartoonists Combating Memories Forgetting Selves Continuing People Philosophizing Brains Bibliography Index
Language:
English
DOI:
10.5040/9781350439658
URL:
https://doi.org/10.5040/9781350439658?locatt=label:secondary_bloomsburyCollections
