Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Cory Doctorow Question

Please post at least one question you would like to ask Cory by Thursday, February 20th.

38 comments:

  1. 1. Where did you get all your ideas for the various technology in the books? How much of those technologies already exist today?
    2. Why did you end the book with Marcus and Darryl's relationship still broken?

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  2. 1. Does it scare you to see that some of the things you wrote in this book are coming true or do you only see this as a challenge that we must overcome?
    2. If you were to choose one lesson that you want the people who read your book to remember what would it be?
    3. At the end of the book Carrie Johnston was let off, free of charge, what were you trying to symbolize by letting the "bad guy" get away?

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  3. 1. How do you think our society has started to resemble Marcus's society, if at all?
    2. Did you have to research all the technological terms mentioned in the book, or did you know most of them already?
    3. How much did 1984 influence how you wrote and shaped Marcus's story and the other characters?

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  4. 1. Why did you choose to write Little Brother? Was it a worthwhile commitment?
    2. Do you have a specific warning to society that you want us to remember in particular?

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  5. 1. Which do you believe is the most important- life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness? (Is it better to be alive, with no rights, or is there no point to living without them?)
    2. What do you believe the role of government should be?

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  6. 1. What was the inspiration behind writing this book?
    2. Do you have any relations with the characters in your book?

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  8. 1. What is your idea of a perfect society?
    2. Where do you stand on the spectrum of freedom versus security?

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  9. 1. Did you create Marcus after yourself? Were you always tech savvy?
    2. What are your views on terrorism? How do you view foreign terrorists vs. domestic?

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  10. 1. Do you agree with Ben Franklin, who said, "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety”?
    2. What level of involvement do you think our government should have in security affairs today?

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  11. 1. What is your opinion of the NSA, Edward Snowden, Bradley (Chelsea) Manning, and the way in which the American Society has treated these recent events and people?
    2. What was your motivation to write "Little Brother"?

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  12. 1. A lot of this book is about technology and you describe the computer programs in great detail. Did you know these things from experience or did you have to look them up?
    2. Do you believe there is such a thing as a perfect utopian society?

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  13. 1. How do you think fear affects us & our actions subconsciously?
    2. How do you think race/racial profiling affects people's sense of security?

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  14. 1. Do you think a perfect government exists?
    2. If you could change something about America's government, or any government, what would it be?

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  15. Was this ‘happy ending’ supposed to show how no matter what the odds the bad guy could always be defeated, which is a very different message then the end of 1984.

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  16. 1. What made you write this book?
    2. Which to you is more important: freedom or security?

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  17. 1. What important lesson/ "moral of the story" would you like us as readers to gain from reading this book?
    2. What was your motivation for writing this book?
    3. How can you relate personally to the book?

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  18. 1. Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 brought forth the idea of adults confronting the government for its wrongful doings. What inspired you to stray from that basic idea and target a youthful audience?
    2. The government is expected to be involved in our lives yet not be overbearing with their power. What do you think is the perfect amount for the government's involvement in our present day society? Is there even a perfect amount?

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  19. 1.Why was the character of Marcus the main character of the book? Why did you give him certain features that would be viewed as not very heroic?
    2. When you were writing this book did you have in mind it was going to be a response to 1984?

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  20. 1. How much of what you wrote do you see in today's society? Do you think that what you wrote will become true in our world or is it already true?
    2. Do you think that what the government does in today's world is just, or do you think that it needs to do less or more?

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  21. 1. Were the characters in your novel, particularly Marcus based on yourself or from people in your life?
    2. Within the novel there is a continuous theme or question that occurs of security vs. freedom. By the arguments made by Marcus I am assuming you prefer freedom, why is this?
    3. Ultimately, a perfect government does not exist, despite this, what is your view on what a perfect government may look like?
    4. Little Brother is known as a response to 1984, and Orwell's purpose was to warn America, was your purpose to warn America as well? If so, what is America doing wrong?

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  22. 1. Was there a specific event that motivated you to write "Little Brother?"
    2. Why did you choose Marcus' talent to be hacking software and make that the way he would stop the DHS? Do you believe that technology is now so controlling that it can easily be taken advantage of in the way Marcus did?
    3. If you lived in the society of "Little Brother," would you like to be unhappy but know the truth about your government, or would you rather live happily but ignorant of that knowledge?

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  23. 1. Were any of the characters in Little Brother based off of real people?
    2. Did you write this book imagining that it would come true someday, or to make sure that it never does?

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  24. 1. Did you have to research to write about the governments misconduct towards Marcus? Or did you have a personal experience with it ?
    2. What do you think is the solution to the government treating civilians like this?

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  25. Do you think a high level of security will always have a bad outcome?

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  26. 1.Do you think the government today and in the book act out for feat to create a false sense of security to create the veneer of control to the citizens?
    2.Marcus was surprised that the people of the government treated others the way they did in the book; so do you think it is human nature to think that people act with others' best interest?
    3.Why did you decide to make this book less of an extreme than other books such as 1984? Was this written to inspire youth to change the world?

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  27. 1: One of the main points brought up through your book is the balance between safety and security. What actions, if any, have you seen take place as a result of this book that has changed this balance? What actions would you like to see?

    2: Have any of your opinions changed after the information brought up by Edward Snowden?

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  28. 1: What inspired you to write a novel that pertained to 1984?
    2: Was there an event in your life that made you want to warn people of what can happen?
    3: If you could change anything in your book, "Little Brother", what would it be?

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  29. 1. Why did you choose a teenager to be the protagonist in Little Brother?
    2. What was the thought behind setting the terrorist attack at the Bay Bridge in San Francisco?

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  30. 1. What happened to Darryl in the end of the book? Did he ever recover from his interrogation?
    2. Do you think a scenario like this could happen in your (Doctorow) lifetime? Is that why you wrote about it?

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  31. What effect did you intend for this book to have on the readers?

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  32. - Do you share a personal connection between you and Marcus? Are there similarities between the two of you?
    - Was the book intended to be a warning, like Orwell’s 1984?
    - What were you trying to do with this book?
    - Have you ever risen against the authorities in any way like Marcus?

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  33. - When you wrote this book, what year were you picturing? How soon did you believe that security would get to this point?
    - What actually happened to Daryll?
    - Did you name the book Little Brother to relate to 1984?
    - Do you think this extent of security could happen in this lifetime? How soon do you think this could happen?

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  35. Why do you say that there is a bit of M1k3y in all of us?
    Where you intending to set up for a sequel?
    Would you rather have more security or safety? What is the median of this that you would prefer?

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  36. Have you personally had any face-to-face mistreatment from the government?
    Do you see any part of yourself in Marcus? If so, what parts of yourself do you feel you channeled into Marcus?
    What did you want to convey more in Little Brother, and individual making a difference, or a group of people making a difference?

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  37. People interpret everything differently, but when an author writes a story there is a way that they wanted us to interpret it. How did you want us to interpret little brother?

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  38. How are you so in tune with current teenage culture? Many of the expressions used by the characters (Marcus especially) are very accurate as to how teens talk.

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