Benedict Cumberbatch Reads Kurt Vonnegut’s Letter of Advice to People Living in the Year 2088

There was a time when companies like Volkswagen could commission various celebrities to write letters to the future and publish them in magazines. time Magazine as part of an advertising campaign. In fact, that time wasn’t that long ago, in 1988 to be exact, when a novelist no less optimistic (or optimistically gloomy?) than Kurt Vonnegut was still active. At some point during the writing blue beard and hocus pocushe wrote a letter to humanity a century later (2088). This letter can be read here even in the relatively early year of 2024.

Vonnegut begins with a quote from Shakespeare and St. John, saying, “I don’t think our century has been as free to the Word of Wisdom as other centuries, because we first had reliable information about the human condition.” Because we are.” In his time, we wondered how many of us there were, how much food we could grow and gather, how fast we reproduced, what made us sick, what died. He knew very well what had happened and how much damage had been caused to the atmosphere. And the water and topsoil that most life forms depend on, how violent and heartless nature is, and it goes on and on. With so much bad news, who can be wise? ”

Of particular importance to him was that “Nature was not a conservationist; she did not need our help in dismantling the Earth and putting it back together in other ways, but she did not necessarily need our help in dismantling the Earth and putting it back together in other ways, but “Earth may have produced humans, but it has no ability to care whether we or any other particular life form survives on Earth.” Therefore, we must take responsibility for ensuring our own well-being. To do this, we need to live according to what Vonnegut calls “nature’s strict but rational terms of surrender.”

1. Reduce and stabilize the population.
2. Stop polluting our air, water and topsoil.
3. Stop preparing for war and start dealing with real problems.
4. Teach your children, and even yourself, how to live without killing a small planet.
5. Stop thinking that science can solve everything by throwing a trillion dollars at it.
6. Stop thinking that no matter how much you waste or vandalize, your grandchildren will be okay because they can get on a spaceship and go to some fancy new planet. In other words Really Mean and stupid.
7. and so on. or.

It’s easy to imagine these words coming from Vonnegut himself, but what about Benedict Cumberbatch? No need to imagine. All you have to do is look. new video onexcerpted from recent letters live event. Cumberbatch is one of the series’ star leads, having previously translated letters on stage for the likes of Nick Cave, Albert Camus and Alan Turing. This advice for “Ladies and Gentlemen of 2088 AD” has proven to be one of his hits. You can listen to another article you previously read here. Perhaps Vonnegut’s words are worth repeating, but then he was always demonstrating a keen awareness that there are few qualities so enduring that humans cannot hear them.

Related content:

In 1988, Kurt Vonnegut wrote a letter to people living in 2088 and gave them seven pieces of advice.

Benedict Cumberbatch reads Kurt Vonnegut’s furious letter to high school set on fire Slaughterhouse-5

Watch James Earl Jones read Kurt Vonnegut’s letter encouraging high school students to create art and “grow their souls.”

Benedict Cumberbatch and Ian McKellen read Kurt Vonnegut’s epic letter

Read Benedict Cumberbatch’s letters by Kurt Vonnegut, Alan Turing, Sol LeWitt and others

22-year-old POW Kurt Vonnegut, letter home from World War II: “I’d be damned if it was worth it.”

Based in Seoul, Colin Mbemust write and broadcastIt’s about cities, languages ​​and cultures. His projects include the Substack newsletter books about cities and a book Stateless City: A Stroll Through Los Angeles in the 21st Century. Follow him on the social network formerly known as Twitter. @Colinbemust.