Exploring the "Truthies" of a self-proclaimed ignorant mind

(on the occasion of the inaugural LUC-Brill Nijhoff Writing Institute Lecture by Professor Adam Roberts)
Despite the fact that his own head was considerably too large for Dr. Kim's ground-control microphone, Adam Roberts was still able to present a thought-provoking yet arguably ironic, talk on the giant heads of contemporary 'democracy'. Like a tiger being ignorant to hunting, or a fish being ignorant to brine, we are all rotating the motors of democracy in a dark enclosed room, without truly understanding why and without fathoming the effect that it is having on our world. We base our political decisions on 'truthies' and not on truths. We "reckon", we don't believe.

Dr Hyowon Kim introduces Professor Adam Roberts
Following this trail of thought, Adam Roberts explains that in fact we are the body of democracy. We effectively implement democracy despite our complete lack of political expertise. The head resting on our shoulders are the leaders and the experts. They might guide us, but it is still our bodies that carry the head. So what would happen if we were to decapitate democracy? Would all the tiny people building up the body flow out and form an anarchy? According to Roberts not. During his talk he explained how New Model Army was intended to evaluate the merits of a 'complete democracy' where everyone is proficient in all fields, and where there is hence no need for a head. He claimed that he wanted to show that removing the head would not necessarily directly result in an uncontrollable mob, but could in fact be very efficient.

In addition to sharing his personal views on contemporary 'democracy' and the ignorant "truthies" that people commit themselves too, Adam Roberts was also able to capture our attention with his witty remarks. After the talk someone quite rightly commented: "Friday night comedy." It is true that in this way Adam Roberts' lecture was rather different than the majority of the lectures we have attended so far. It struck me that in fact Roberts was not only illustrating the questions which he raises in his book and his personal reflection on democracy, but also his artistic use of language. To put a short story short, it was a Friday evening well spent. So great thanks to Adam Roberts, the LUC writing institute and all those who organised the lecture.

Rosalind Lowe (LUC, 1st yr student), 4 Feb 2011

Albert Hoffstadt of Brill explains the LUC-Brill Nijhoff alliance;
Prof Roberts is pressed for an autograph; and the audience sits entranced.