theperipheralglossary-blog

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Introduction

“The Peripheral” by William Gibson is a science fiction novel that utilizes the concept of time travelling to explore two interconnected futures. The story revolves around two primary protagonists, Flynne Fischer and Wilf Netherton and focuses on their two differing worlds. Gibson uses concepts of time travel, futuristic devices and technology to create a bridge that connects these two characters. Flynne is introduced to Wilf Netherton when she takes up a security job for beta testing of a video game. While working she witnesses a gruesome murder of a character later revealed to be Aelita West. The plot involves the character working collectively to unravel the mystery of her murder and identify and apprehend the true killer.Through their connections via the peripherals, Wilf is able to look back into the past while Flynne gets a glimpse of the dammed future.

“The Peripheral” primarily focuses on Anthropocene and branches out into themes of kleptocracies, hyperinflation and climate change. These themes set the basis of the novel and aid in advancing the plot for the primary characters. The rise of dominating corporations such as Hefty Mart, the increased influences of drug cartels, the inflation ravaged economy and the ignorance towards environmental sustainability serve as precursors which hint towards the direction the direction that Flynne’s world is headed in. Wilf’s world was the result of these events and portrayed in the novel as the post Jackpot destination that Flynne’s world is bound to reach. The main division between the two time periods is through an apocalyptic event known as the “Jackpot” which was a result of increased population, antibiotic resistance and ignorance of climate change. The catastrophe eradicated 80% of the global human population and diminished the biodiversity of the overall planet with numerous mass extinctions. Through the means of his novel, Gibson sets the tone for readers in providing the possibility of what could occur in absence of awareness and control of human actions towards the environment.

Gibson is attentive towards constructing a plot based on specific vocabulary that evokes certain emotions within the reader while painting a visual which accurately depicts the realities of the future. By implementing the use of present words into futuristic aspects Gibson illustrates the specific ideas where technologies are headed in within our near future. The terms complied within this glossary consist of words that a reader may be unfamiliar with. While some of the terms are common and stem from contemporary vocabulary, others are extensions of Gibson’s imagination. The goal of this glossary is to provide an insight on some of the important terms found within The Peripheral, and hopefully help the reader understand its relation to the novel. Although many of the words created by Gibson may seem foreign, he draws his roots from either ideas or technologies that we posses today. By creating a link between our present and the future set within the novel, the reader is able to familiarize themselves with foreign term and expand on its relation to present day. The portrayal of a post apocalyptic future within “The Peripheral” Gibson warns the reader of the direction the humans of the 21st century are headed in.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Airstream Trailers

In The Peripheral, Burton is referred to as living in an "Airstream,1977" (Gibson 1). The Airstream referred here is a type of trailer which were created in 1931 by Wally Byam, whose goal was to design a trailer which could easily travel and be transported (History of Airstream). The Airstream were made to be round, efficient, light-weight trailers in which every piece utilized played an important role. Today, such trailers are considered to be extremely versatile and are utilized by an array of people from celebrities to the military to average citizens.

William Gibson utilizes airstream trailers as Burton's home to draw parallel with the today's society. By linking the novel with modern times he helps the reader familiarize themselves with Flynne's world despite the difference in time period. The Airstream also alludes that the time period within  “The Peripheral”  is not a far cry from today's world and that the events within the novel hold a strong possibility of occurring in our near future.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Anthropocene

Anthropocene refers to the current geological era, a period that is dominated by the human influence on climate and the environment. It was popularized by scientists Will Stefen, Paul J Crutzen and John R McNeil in 2000s, and accelerated primarily by the human influence and their behavior towards the nature.

In The Peripheral by William Gibson, through the description of Ash’s hands “black with tattoos [and]…every bird and beast of the Anthropocene extinction” on them one can infer that they are in the post anthropogenic era. As a result of the animal extinction, the ecosystem was imbalanced leading to several natural disasters for humans. Moreover, it served as a reason for the death of 80% of the global human population by leading to the rise of an event called “The Jackpot”. The Jackpot was a result of human misuse towards the environment and was caused primarily by nothing but human activities. This event was significant in the novel as it serves as a warning for the readers to be aware of and acknowledge their impact on the planet. With much debate upon the issue of Anthropocene and whether or not we are in it, it is clear that one cannot approach the issue with ignorance any longer as it would result in the atrocious effects outlined in the novel.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Beta

Beta is a stage in development which begins after the entire software is complete but may contain glitches or bugs. As for video games, during beta stage the game is played to determine what further changes need to be made before the final version is released. Players are usually invited to play and test the game within this stage. Beta-testing is usually a second release following the first immature alpha release. Beta-tests are carried out to investigate bugs, glitches, playability, model fidelity and algorithmic accuracy by allowing players to partake in the beta-version and inspecting the results and the behaviour of the video game (Gold 481).

The term is used in The Peripheral by Burton to describe his job of providing security the “beta of some game” to Flynne (Gibson 3). William Gibson uses this term to evoke a sense of unease within the reader and raise suspicion against Burton's job and the video game. The mentioning of Beta suggests that the game itself is not finalized or complete and may contain bugs or glitches, and the fact that Burton is being paid to provide security for a mere Beta version implies that the game is not ordinary. This foreshadows the importance of the video game within the life of Flynne and Burton.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Builders

Contrary to the literal definition of builder that states “the one who builds”, builders serve a different purpose in the novel (Oxford English dictionary). Builders in the novel are drug manufacturers of the near future. However, they are not too far off the definition as Gibson draws a parallel from the literal definition by creating a sense that the builders are ones that have built the economy based on drugs. As a result of unstable economy, there were increased illegal activities in Flynne’s world consisting prominently of a drug based economy.

 The economic instability resulted in two primary options for an income source, with one of them being builders and another being the military option. The military option was often accompanied by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, ghost limbs or haptic, leaving the individuals with very little income options. The reduced options serve as a major reason for the concentration of power within the builders and the political influence they hold in Flynne’s world. The builders create their drugs though the use of 3D printing or fabbing as referred to in the novel. The parallel between builders and the real world can be drawn when looking at the influence of rich families upon politics. There are clear examples in the world where a rich businessmen use their monetary funds to influence the politics, the clearest example being Donald Trump. Their increased influence dampens the role of other citizens in the community and constrains the power they hold in the political ongoing as evident in Gibson’s novel. Flynne is unable to carry out her mission without going unnoticed by the Drug Lord, having to explain her actions and conforming to his needs.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Cruel Optimisim

Cruel Optimism as explained by Lauren Berlant is the idea that individuals become invested and form an attachment to unattainable fantasies despite leading their decaying life. These individuals becomes trapped in a cyclic loop outlined by their circumstances where they are unable to achieve better for themselves, and their forever remain on the horizon. Despite these false promises providing a method of escape from reality and serve as an optimistic outlet, they may be very injurious. It becomes a paradoxical relationship where an individual’s object of desire and source of happiness comprises their ability to be happy as it ironically becomes a self destructive tool. Such examples of cruel optimism prevail in contemporary society and are especially visible in individuals struggling to battle their circumstances.

In The Peripheral, William Gibson uses the idea of cruel optimism to construct the hardworking character of Flynne Fischer. Flynne is seen exhausting herself and dedicating her efforts to create a better life for her family. The parasitic relationship becomes evident overtime, where the reader realizes that despite Flynne's endeavours she will never be able to escape the cycle and attain the 'good life' that she wishes for her family.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Drones

A drone is defined as “a remote-controlled pilotless aircraft or missile”(Oxford English Dictionary).  In today's world Drones are becoming increasing useful in various aspects of modern day life. They can be utilized within commercial terms for product delivery, taking photographs, as agricultural aid and for other public services (Dussault) Drones can also serve a more security based purpose and be used in surveillance and protection, within military operations. Within 21st century this technology has boomed and its  use has rapidly become a part of everyday life. Nevertheless, our society has yet to come to full terms with drones as we argue concerns of malicious acts and privacy infringement, through their adoption. A 2016 article by PBS outlines that the rising popularity of drone technology and location trackers leads to vast amounts of personal data flowing through cyberspace, which raises concerns regarding the handling of personal consumer information.

Drones as portrayed within The Peripheral serve an array of roles from surveillance, to food delivery to manufacturing goods. William Gibson creates a futuristic world where drones have become an intrinsic part of everyday life, and exemplifies individuals in the future adopting a more liberal attitude towards drone technology and privacy through their frequent usage. He illustrates the idea that despite drones seeming as a luxury item in today's world, we are rapidly headed in a direction where drones will be used for the same purposes as illustrated within The Peripheral.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Fab/Fabbing

 The term "Fab" is used repeatedly throughout The Peripheral. Within context of the novel it can be said that "Fab" is short for Fabricated. Fabbing is first encountered within chapter seven, where Flynne states, "like something Shaylene might print at Forever Fab”. Fabbing here refers to a form of printing, specifically 3D printing. A 3D printer operates by reading a program file and adding successive coats of material, "in a layer- upon- layer fashion to fabricate a 3D object" (AM Basics | Additive Manufacturing). In modern day, 3D printing is a rapidly advancing technology with countless possibilities. Applications of 3D printing can range from design development to medical prosthetics, and serve a versatile, yet it has a limited role in society today. Nevertheless, it can be predicted that overtime 3D printing will become cheaper and a common integral part of everyday life.

Within Flynne's world it can noticed that 3D printers can be used to make everything, from complex technology such as a Viz to simple t-shirts. This goes to demonstrate the technological advancement of Flynne's world in comparison to ours today. William Gibson uses the idea of futuristic fabbing in comparison to 3D printing as a way of providing the reader with a mirror  to look into and very realistically envision the world in the near future.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Faustian Bargain

Faustian Bargain can be defined as a situation in which a person agrees to carry out a bad deed in return for something beneficial to them such as fame, wealth or power. The word stems from the legend of Faust, also known as Doctor Faustus who was known to have sold his soul in return for power, money and knowledge (Oxford English Dictionary).

In the novel Wilf wonders whether the lottery from Lev served as a “Faustian Bargain” for Flynne and Burton (Gibson 77). In order compensate for their deal, Lev pays the Fischer siblings through a rigged lottery. The lottery prevented the government from rising concerns or suspicions towards the sibling and got the deal completed and the money transacted in a least harmful manner. The transaction was referred as being the Faustian Bargain due to the fact that Flynne and Burton were not completely aware of the situation or conditions but agreed due to the large sum of money. Despite knowing that something was suspicious and not right about the deal, they raised no concerns and went along with Lev in order to get the money. Thus they are referred to as carrying out the Faustian Bargain by Wild in the novel.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Gemeinschaft

Gemeinschaft was first introduced by Ferdinand Tönnies within his book Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft. The Oxford English Dictionary defines Gemeinschaft  as "a social relationship between individuals based on affection, kinship, or membership of a community, as within a family or group of friends". It is a socail organization which focuses on collectivistic needs rather than individual desires. The main distinction of such societies is that they are based on interconnected kinship networks where individuals can rely on one another for social, emotional or physical support. The rules within these networks are unspoken but understood as they are implemented by the group as a whole. In modern times, despite rapid modernization rural towns can still be seen following Gemeinschaft societal structures.

William Gibson bases Flynne's  society on the ideas of a Gemeinschaft society. This form of societal structure provides insight on the personalities and the behaviours of Flynne's friends, while contrasting the characters against the individuals in Wilf's individualistic  society.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is an accumulation of marine litter in the North Pacific Ocean. It can be described as a vortex of trash resulting from  "ocean circulation of the North Pacific... [forming] a rotating gyre system" (Howell et al. 16). The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre is a clockwise ocean current responsible for  Great Pacific Garbage Patch, as it entraps debris located between the Californian and Japanese coasts (Howell et al. 17). It is presumed that this specific debris patch is the size of Texas and continues to expand due to the inability of plastics to decompose.  Marcus Ericson's research estimates that about  5.25 trillion plastic particles are currently circulating within the Earth's ocean, inflicting dire consequences within the ecosystems (Floating Plastic 18). With the rapidly increasing rates of garbage patches and their impact on all living organisms, the present is said to be a critical time to revoke detrimental  human behaviours to avoid the doom that biodiversity faces.

Described in chapter 6 as a "plastic island" of  growing mass, buoyant midst the ocean, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch signifies the apocalyptic environmental imbalance of the future (Gibson 18). Being centuries from modern time, the garbage patch is symbolic of a  scar that previous generations have inflicted and left behind for their children to heal and fix. Through the addition of The Great Pacific Garbage Patch within The Peripheral, Gibson illustrates the toxicity within modern environments  and warns the reader of its repercussions in the future.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Haptics

Haptics is “being able to touch, to feel, and to manipulate objects”(Srinivasan & Basdogan, 393).  It can also be defined as a vibration from an electronic device or as a device that senses movement through physical contact. There are varying forms of haptic technologies that exist in modern society, in common they all simulate the senses and elicit a response by providing some form of physical sensations to the user. Militaries are using hapic technologies during virtual reality training to "enhance the users' immersive feeling" and to provide a more thorough stimulation (Immonen 1). With progress in modern day technology, companies are considering using haptics within their products to allow users to fully immerse themselves within the displays on their screens.

Despite the novel and innovative uses of Haptics, they too have negative impacts which are especially highlighted through Burton's character. For Burton, Haptics were small  devices that were implanted into his skin through the form of tattoos. These haptics as mentioned within the novel, would control Burton's movements and would serve as commanding forces during his time in the military. Although Haptic technology played a crucial role in Burton's military training, it also contributed to his PTSD, and left him with scars which serve as a reminder of this past. This can metaphorically represent the negative repercussions  of continual advancement and implementation of technology on the lives of humans. William Gibson uses Haptics as a means of connecting the future within the book with modern day though the bridge of current technologies. The Peripheral further represents a technologically advanced future that we are aspiring to achieve today.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Hefty Mart

The meaning of the term can be deciphered through the meaning of its separate words, where “hefty” means big or powerful and “mart” refers to a place one would go for shopping. In The Peripheral, “Hefty Mart” is store that can be defined as the Walmart in Flynne’s world (Gibson 36). It was often described in the novel as the place to buy most daily products and almost all external supplies. The novel fails to mentions alternate stores or places where the character go in order to shop, reinforcing the monopoly of power and economic revenue held by Hefty Mart.

 Gibson uses its allusion to Walmart as a tool to project the Mart’s underlying qualities such as poor quality products, low wages and symbolizing the corporation’s large size and immense influence on society. Furthermore, through the use of Hefty Mart, Gibson alludes to the danger of monopolies on the economic sectors that could result due the increased threat they possess to the small businesses that struggle to sustain even today. He warns towards a world where multinational corporations such as Walmart are no longer harnessed by laws depriving the economy of competition and striping the small businesses of opportunities to grow and sustain.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Hyperinflation

Inflation refers to an overall increase in the cost of all goods and services. It's occurrence reduces the purchasing power  and value of a currency, ensuing an increase in prices (Inflation And Deflation 1). Hyperinflation, is an accelerated case of inflation which is often uncontrollable and shattering for the economy.  It is a result of  an extremely skewed supply and demand chain, which raises the prices so rapidly that the currency essentially loses its value (Inflation And Deflation 1).  The effects of such a state is felt by everyone and within all aspects, from bank loans to annual incomes, the consequences are devastating. The usage of larger denominations and bigger currencies, within The Peripheral illustrates that more money is required to lead an average lifestyle, highlighting reduced purchasing power of the dollar, drawing similarities from modern events such as the Yugoslavian Hyperinflation Crisis in the 1990's.

The Peripheral sets small town in rural Appalachia as a prime example of hyperinflation. The effects of hyperinflation and increased prices can be witnessed within Flynne's life as she exhausts herself just  make ends meet with her mother's overly priced prescriptions. The disparity seen within their community is an indicator of economic destabilization where having money does not necessarily mean one can afford goods and services. William Gibson depicts realism within his novel, by illustrating uncanny similarities between Flynne's world and modern times.  The ideas he portrays such as hyperinflation are not simply arbitrary but instead give the readers a glimpse into a very plausible future. The Appalachian distraught seen with The Peripheral serves an ominous foreshadow,  waning future prosperity if inflation rates continue to rise within current global economy.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Kleptocracy

The Peripheral often uses the term Klept when describing a position of power. Kept within the novel stands for Kleptocracy. The Oxford Dictionary defines a keptocracy as "a ruling body or order of thieves". This refers to a government who uses its power to gain wealth and standing at the expense of its people. Such governments often repress its citizens, and build a corrupt dominion, klepts are often affiliated with dictatorships, oligarchies, monarchies, communist and fascist rule. The leaders of such a governing body, kleptocrats exploit the economy and the nation's welfare for personal monetary gain, and therefore are often extremely wealthy. Within recent times there have been many examples of kleptocracies that have risen to power, one of the most prominent examples is Vladimir Putin's regime. As said by Karen Dawisha's the author of Putin's Kleptocracy: Who Owns Russia, with a rise in power Putin as other kept leaders  " [creates] a system where he nationalizes the risk and privatizes the reward"("How 'Putin's Kleptocracy' Made His Friends Rich"). Within the nation of Russia he is seen harvesting resources from the general population and acquiring them for himself.

Within The Peripheral, klepts are used to describe the top percentile of the population that runs the nation. Under the regime of klepts such as Hefty Mart, Flynne's town  is seen with little to no economic development and only a declination in the quality of life. The character of Lev Zubov is shown as a embodiment of the kleptocratic power and class. It can be said that William Gibson used Russian oligarchs and the contemporary Soviet society as inspiration within his creation of Lev's character and operation of Klepts in general. The novel illustrates that power residing in the hands of the few will only harm the nation overall and provides insight to a plausible future for the 21st century. Through this, William Gibson shows that power and money can make one individual's life and wellbeing more important than another's and hints at the fact that the future in the direction we are headed in is terrifying.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Luke 4:5

Within The Peripheral , Luke 4:5 is a fanatical religious organization that opposes homosexuality, abortion, and contraceptives, which became much more provocative and aggressive by protesting against military funerals. The organization views their backlash and opposition as a form confirmation that they are implementing God's wishes and cleansing society. William Gibson mirrors this organization off of a extremist group of the Westboro Baptist Church. Similar to Luke 4:5 this group is ill reputed for protesting at many events, including funerals of individuals who died from horrific crimes or natural disasters but lived in nations that the church views as damned, or who held religious beliefs differing from their own. The Westboro Baptist Chruch believes that their salvation by the Lord is resolute,  and they partake in behaviours with no means to convert individuals but to only inform them of their future condemnation (Westboro Baptist Church)

The name Luke 4:5 alludes to a verse within the New Testemant where the Devil temps Jesus with all of the riches in the world. William Gibson's use of Luke 4:5 as the name of the organization hints at the ideology held by this extremist group. It can be extrapolated that this group similar to the Westboro Baptist Church which believes that through their actions they are resisting the temptations of the world and following in the steps of Jesus.

[theperipheralglossary-blog]

Melancholy

Melancholy is term coined by Freud that describes unconscious loss and symptoms that arise as a result of the unawareness of this loss. Contrary to mourning, in melancholy the individual is trapped in state where they are unable to make investments or create relationships with other things. The loss that causes the state is unconscious and not realized by the individual making it harder to overcome. In this state the individual either don’t know what they lost or they are unaware of the cause of their depression.

This is observed in character in The Peripheral such as Wilf and Ash. Wilf depicts self loathing behaviors by partaking in alcoholism and suicidal tendencies. He is experiencing an unconscious loss that further categories him as an melancholic character. Similarly, Ash also depicts melancholic behaviors by being obsessed with past. Her tattoos reinforce her obsession as they are indicators of her loss. She realizes that she there was a loss of animals and is able to move past her loss by getting tattoos of all the animals from Anthropocene extinction.