The Future of Futurology (Futurological Congress: From the Memoirs of Ijon Tichy - Stanislaw Lem)

Member Name: Kepler

Product:	Futurological Congress: From the Memoirs of Ijon Tichy - Stanislaw Lem
Date:	28/05/04 (205 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Zany plot twists

Disadvantages: Perhaps a little too short

Ijon Tichy has been invited to attend the 8th Annual Futurological Congress; an International meeting of delegates that is seeking a solution to the global population explosion of the near future. When he arrives in Costa Rica however he finds the country in the throes of a violent revolution. In an attempt to quell the rioters the local government starts dropping LTN bombs (LTN - Love Thy Neighbour, an experimental drug that brings overwhelming feelings of love and friendship). As even heavier artillery is brought in to push the revolutionaries back, Tichy finds himself drugged by the chemicals in the air and manages to stumble into a sewer where he suffers violent hallucinations. Eventually he is shot by one of the rioters and when he awakes he finds that he has been cryogenically frozen and thawed out in a future gone completely mad. Tichy enters into a future America where all the problems the Futurological Congress wanted to resolve, have been solved through the use of drugs.

The Futurological Congress is a book that embodies everything that I would consider to be great science fiction. It is a multi-layered story and even within the first few pages I could tell that this was no ordinary book. The plot is almost indescribable in that it takes so many zany and unexpected twists that no one could ever see them coming. The first half of the story takes us through Tichy’s experiences at the Futurological Congress where he encounters drugs in both the air and the water. Suffering from extreme hallucinations Tichy tries his best to relate to the reader the wacky events that go on around him in his normal deadpan manner.

As usual Lem uses the story as a basis for his social satire and this book is rife with Lem’s characteristically dry wit. Lem’s humour is almost always played out
with tongue firmly in cheek but at times you can sense a darker sort of humour - sharp, to the point and very, very serious. The second half of the story describes Tichy’s experiences in an America controlled by drugs. In this part the Futurological Congress manages to delve into the dangers of perception modification and supplies a deft analysis of those people who think they can ‘save society’ by correcting the failings of others. Lem also attempts to address the issue of existence (as in his most popular novel ‘Solaris) but on this occasion he provides no definite reassurances of what is reality and what is not, even on the last page. However, in a demonstration of Lem’s writing prowess, I didn’t feel cheated. Instead I felt that I had been taken on one hell of a wild ride and I even had an overwhelming urge to re-read the entire story.

In order to enhance the feeling of travelling into a completely foreign world and to depict the new things that Tichy comes across, Lem forms new words from old roots. The Futurological Congress is busting with new words that Lem has constructed to portray the equipment and objects of the future. For instance a ‘cretinoid’ is an artificial idiot while a ‘mimicretin’ is a computer that plays dumb so that it’s operators will finally leave it alone. My favourite word from the book though has to be the ‘confuter’ which is a computer that only quotes Confucius. Not to be confused with a ‘confutator’ which is a machine whose aim is to confound. Through superb use of his new words Lem helps to bring the completely insane future alive and it is in these parts that Lem’s satirical outpourings reach their height.

To sum up, The Futurological Congress is a fast paced, funny tale, which is compressed into 149 short pages but is still highly entertaining. If I had to compare The Futurological Congress to any other works then it would have to be those of Phillip K. Dick. The unexpected twists of reality and constant surprises were reminiscent of Dick’s work, as were Lem’s ideas on the nature of our existence. In essence this is a story that will both amuse and confuse with good effect. If you appreciate really dry humour then I would whole heartedly recommend this book and what you will find is a book that is ultimately very satisfying. The Futurological Congress makes most science fiction seem pale and laboured by comparison. Lem expounds Tichy’s hallucinations with great energy and if this book itself is a type of drug, I can report that there are only pleasant after effects.

This book is available from amazon.co.uk for £8.84 including P&P.

Paperback 149 pages (October 1, 1985)
Publisher: Harcourt Publishers Ltd
ISBN: 0156340402

Summary: A well thought and engaging book