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Ars Notoria Futurum

As a humane socialist magazine, it would be remiss of us not to begin by commenting on the tragic and worrying events unfolding nationally and internationally. Tragedy and worry overshadow everything, yet they should not colour everything. This October edition of Ars Notoria might very well be renamed Ars Notoria Futurum in the spirit of science fiction, for all our dystopian futures seem to be arriving at once.

Orwell’s world of disinformation and surveillance is here, alongside the serried ecocatastrophes of J.G. Ballard. We stand at the abyss where the possibility of nuclear war beckons, and our leaders whisper, “Jump!” Financial and armaments corporations control governments, and Artificial Intelligence is taking sides, becoming as mad as a hatter. Most painfully, we witness a nation, born from the ashes of a European Holocaust, now perpetrating a genocide of its own against the Palestinian people, with the full collaboration of the US and UK governments. We are suffering from a nauseating historical whiplash.

This is the future. A future where the US president suggests generals practise war on their own people, where surveillance is automated, and where a digital ID monitored by AI threatens to bring the dystopia of all dystopias to our doorstep. Yet here, at the quiet centre of the imperial hurricane, life is deceptively peaceful. The Rawlsian calculus of rebellion is carefully managed. But as the young, decent people of the world inherit this melee of selfishness, we must remember the words of Jimmy Reid: “A rat race is for rats. We’re not rats. We’re human beings.”

It is in this spirit—of celebrating the human spirit even at the threshold of disaster—that we present this issue.

This magazine opens with a pressing concern for our media landscape. Karl Rutledge critiques the BBC and other major outlets for normalising far-right rhetoric, asking whether this is a defence of free speech or a dangerous moral failure. In turn, Paul Halas sounds the alarm, calling for the left to consolidate its response to the rising threat of fascism before it’s too late.

Our political analysis continues with a global perspective. Richard Steinhardt notes that the current Pope, Leo XIV, has not adequately stepped up to defend Palestinians against ongoing starvation and genocide, arguing the Vatican has sided with the United States against the multi-polar world. Further amplifying these geopolitical tensions, Phil Hall speculates on the Trump regime’s recent gathering of 800 senior military officers, asking the ominous question: is Trump preparing for a blitzkrieg?

In the realm of culture and the arts, we celebrate the centenary of Nissim Ezekiel, a pioneer of Indian poetry in English. We also present an interview with the Venezuelan poet Carlos Katan, who explores his personal philosophical outlook. From the silver screen, Norman B. Schwartz offers a biographical sketch of Humphrey Bogart, while Jon Elsby reviews Ben Machell’s Chasing the Dark, an exploration of Tony Cornell’s investigations into the supernatural.

This issue also features critical discussions on the misuse of indigenous rights and media as weapons of imperialism. A particularly illuminating article by Andy Hall on his coverage of the Cuban withdrawal from Angola provides a masterclass in journalism in how the mainstream narrative imposes itself on journalists.

We then offer a moment of satirical relief with a parody of an outgoing spy chief’s speech, followed by a dark piece of short fiction from Amal Chatterjee. We are also proud to include extracts from the engaging memoir of chef David Yip, and from Margaret Yip, who details the challenges of family separation.

To cheer us all up, Grace McNicholas writes on the joys of rewilding chickens, and Arun Kapil reflects on the most crucial ingredient in cooking: time. In a keenly felt piece, Phil Hall discusses the Palestinian dish, Fatteh, using it as a lens to reflect on food, family, and the ongoing profound tragedy.

Finally, we end by questioning the very concept of utopia. As we ponder, we are reminded that those who defend their own existing utopia are often the very same who deny everyone else’s.

We publish as the world holds its breath. We must turn back from the brink.

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