Page 22 - Luce 2024

N ews a nd Events

Moreover, as more and more of the world transverses into the
digital sphere, the world transforms from a digital dystopia
into a post-apocalyptic dystopia posing the question: when
everyone chooses to embrace technology, what happens to the
ones left behind?

This illustrates a fear which I think is implicit within our current
world of digitalisation and planned obsolescence. In reality, is
our choice to accept technology which was developed to make
life easier, actually much of a choice at all, or is our consent
coerced? And if it is, what will happen to the people who still
refuse and are left behind? After all, we currently live in a
world where the public and media are locked in debate over
the consequences that AI development will have on our futures,
whilst technology companies plough ahead regardless. It is the
Author Grace Chan with JCH Artist-In-Residence, Alice Pung personal perspective that leads to the most resonant moments
A thought-provoking evening of Chan’s novel, as the details of the technology itself matter
less than its consequences on the characters.

At the 2023 Literature Dinner we were honoured Each member of the JCH community had the opportunity to
to hear from Grace Chan about her recent debut collect a free copy of Every Version of You prior to the dinner
and it was great to see members of the community reading
novel Every Version of You. and discussing it in the lead-up to the Literature Dinner.
During the dinner itself, however, we were able to hear much
Every Version of You is a timely work of speculative fiction more from Grace about her work and its relation to the genre
that addresses the anxieties and dilemmas about technology of speculative fiction. For instance, it was insightful to learn
and selfhood within our rapidly changing world. Set in how her medical background as a psychiatrist informed her
Melbourne in the late 2080s, the novel explores the lives of a engagement with the science fiction elements. In particular,
young couple called Tao-Yi and Navin and their relationship it provided resonance to the depiction of Tao-Yi’s family’s
with the fictional Virtual Reality system, Gaia. intergenerational depression that was interwoven into the text.

Navin’s chronic health condition means that he embraces the Chan’s combined understanding of science and love of
pain-free freedom the digital sphere offers him, whilst Tao-Yi speculative fiction creates an entertaining way of discussing
experiences a melancholy emptiness in the experience as she current and future technological anxieties. This highlights the
longs for the experiences that Gaia cannot imitate. Whilst the importance of engaging with all sorts of people with different
story begins in a more familiar setting where people balance insights and interests, one of the benefits of being part of the
their physical and digital realities, the offer of leaving the JCH academic community.
physical world and body behind to live as a ‘digital sprite’
causes more complications for the couple. Carina McCormack

Oratory Competition

On Thursday 21 September 2023, the annual Oratory
Competition was held in the SCR, reflecting on the theme
of ‘Influence’. Six student orators took up different themes
and spoke with passion, pathos and wit. Congratulations to
Charles Whyte for his winning oration on ‘A brief response to
fatalism’.

Thank you to our special guest adjudicators: Angie Dickschen
and W. Brind Zichy-Woinarski KC. The competition is
sponsored each year by friends of the College, Laura
Hartmann and Brian Kennedy, who believe that public
speaking is an important skill.

This year we are delighted to report the arrival of an Honour
Board which now records the winners since 2017. Brian and
Laura have named the competition for the past JCH Principal, (L-R) Speakers: Megan Barry, Lizzie Kefaloukas, Charles Whyte
Dr Damian Powell. (first place), Matthew Alizzi, Hannah Crompton (third place),
Eve Gray (second place). Adjudicators: Angie Dickschen, W.
Margie Welsford Brind Zichy-Woinarski KC. Sponsor: Brian Kennedy. Arts Rep:
Deputy Principal Dante Duell

22 LUCE Number 22 2023