Borges’ ‘hypertext novel’ - a story that exists in a world where all possible choices ensue
Conveys the live, fractal-like nature of the web and plurality of each individual interaction
“A labyrinth of symbols,” he corrected. “An invisible labyrinth of time. To me, a barbarous Englishman, has been entrusted the revelation of this diaphanous mystery.”
…
“In a riddle whose answer is chess, what is the only prohibited word?”
I thought a moment and replied, “The word chess.”
“Precisely,” said Albert. “The Garden of Forking Paths is an enormous riddle, or parable, whose theme is time; this recondite cause prohibits its mention.”
Extrapolating themes of hypertext novels like Borges’ Garden makes me think of how much fantastical thinking can inform the future- In a science fiction class we read Michio Kaku’s Physics of The Impossible and talked about how imagining ridiculous scientific advancements is the first step to making them realities. In an abstract way, Borges is kind of imagining a new artistic/social experience. Also this makes me feel even more validated about indignantly flipping out on people who think studying art and literature is a waste of time/”soft major.”
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