新世紀的省思：試論勒瑰恩的《轉機》

Perspectives on the New Millennium: Le Guin’s Changing Planes

本文析論美國當代女性科幻小說家娥蘇拉‧勒瑰恩(Ursula K. Le Guin) 2003 年出版的短篇小說集《轉機》對於當代文化的觀察和批判。論文由「後人類大夢」、「基因科技與生態浩劫」、以及「資本主義與全球化」三個角度切入，探究勒瑰恩對於新世紀脈動的掌握與省思。秉持女性科幻對於當代議題的敏銳思考，勒瑰恩試圖呈現傳統範疇崩頹的曖昧層面，指出跨越「人」的傳統藩籬並非即能邁向後人類烏托邦的光明遠景。勒瑰恩多方呈現科技宰制的無奈並撻伐科技對於人類社會無孔不入的「入侵」，控訴基因科技介入的後人類社會其實是一個災難連連、生態浩劫無所不在的反烏托邦。《轉機》中的數篇故事對於金錢與科技、跨國企業、消費文化和異文化入侵等的指涉，更點出了後人類願景中另一潛藏的課題：資本主義和全球化在構築後人類社會中所扮演的負面角色。在後人類議題已成為新世紀核心論述的今天，《轉機》所集結的十六篇故事實有其發人深省的一面。

Ursula K. Le Guin's 2003 science fiction, Changing Planes, is a collection of 16 short stories manifesting her keen grasp of issues relevant to contemporary culture. Her portrayal of various posthuman societies raises questions concerning the emergence of the posthuman, the efficacy of biotechnology, and the impact of globalization. Le Guin attempts to unravel controversial aspects concerning the discourse of the posthuman, pinpointing adverse effects of the recourse to biotechnology to help establish a posthuman utopia. Furthermore, through various stories dealing with money and technology, corporate power, consumer culture, and the intrusion of foreign cultures, Le Guin aims to tackle problems concerning globalization and capitalism. Le Guin's critique of the new Leviathan--global cultural hegemony--indeed sheds significant light on current debates concerning potential direction of the New Millennium.