These days, you hear "Atkins plan," and the mind turns to bacon and beans, bun-less burgers and low-carb tortillas.
Give it a few decades though, and the words we associate with this fad diet may come to represent something entirely different - at least according to "The Future Dictionary of America". The Dictionary was written with the presumption that common language words today may in the future be remembered differently, perhaps with wry chagrin. For instance, the "Atkins Plan" may come be remembered as the "doctrine of U.S. foreign policy early in the 21st century that disguised decadent indulgence as sacrifice and privation. Under the Atkins Plan, the U.S. consumed what it always wanted and still felt virtuous." It has the flavor of liberalism and the aftertaste of propaganda.
In the spring of 2004, a handful of liberal and politically-minded artists gave birth to "The Future Dictionary of America." The "Dictionary," ostensibly published in the late 21st century with an eye towards semantic roots in the Bush era, features definitions of terms familiar and novel submitted by over 170 well-known authors.
McSweeney's and Barsuk Records collaborated to release the book and an accompanying CD. According to its producers, the dictionary's purpose is to educate the public, to foster discussion while fundraising, and most importantly, to encourage people to vote. All of the profits go to progressive organizations.
As its dust jacket explains, the dictionary is a reference for a time in the not-so-distant future "when all or most of our country's problems are solved and the present administration is a distant memory." The speed with which the "Dictionary" was compiled and the sheer number of creative contributors means that the definitions cover a wide stylistic spectrum, from short and sweet to long and novelistic. This variety ensures that, though there is no consistent narrative, the reader remains engaged, unlike reading through a regular dictionary.
There are unlikely terms like Ryan Boudinot's "abbapeasement: a Swedish diplomatic process whereby conflicting parties participate in a 'dance-off' to resolve their differences: After Yasser Arafat and Ariel Sharon agreed to an all-night session of sweaty abbapeasement, relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority grew markedly less hostile."
Some contributors directly critiqued the current administrations; others reveled in detailing terms derived from its demise. For example, Jeffrey Eugenides gives Dick Cheney his place in the annals of history as follows: "U.S. Vice President, 2000-2004; husband of Duke Ramirez; First Lady of Fresh Hell, 2010-2014."
Any college student or well-informed liberal voter would do well to have a copy of the book on hand. In addition to its creative definitions, the book also includes artwork and appendices with such documents as the Declaration of Independence, The U.N. Charter, Kurt Vonnegut's anti-war essay "Cold Turkey," and The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This fake dictionary is great coffee table material, discussion fodder as good as the "Daily Show's" fake news, only you don't have to wait for dark to get in on the action. Plus, unlike "The Daily Show," the proceeds from the book don't go directly back to the establishment that it's critiquing.
The book also comes with a CD, an earnest mix of political, wordy rock. It's hip and sweet; a would-be playlist compiled by a politically conscientious friend, that friend who actually goes to rallies and stands on the library steps asking everyone who passes to sign a petition for campaign finance reform. Artists from REM to Bright Eyes to Tom Waits contributed to the CD, which is also available on its own from Barsuk records.
It's a great concept: ask as many authors, poets and artists as you can think of to donate a few thoughts to a book promoting freedom of thought and speech. The resulting collaboration promotes these causes both directly and indirectly. All of the proceeds go to organizations working to effect political change, and the content of the book will influence the hearts and minds of those who read it. Although these words may not actually last on into the vocabularies of future generations, its immediate legacy may be even greater: regime change on the home front.
