Jim Byrne

How We Prevailed Jim Byrne

The fictional short chronicle addresses the most topical political, social, and environmental issues of the day in an entertaining narrative. The author, is an architect and urban planner who is deeply concerned about current political, socio-economic, and environmental issues. His fictional short chronicle unfolds in twelve recording sessions of the memoirs of a 120 years old senior citizen named Ian McCoy who taped them in 2084. The memoirs describe the physical environment and the political and socio-economic conditions that prevail at the time. They also cite how conditions used to be undesirable in the past, and probe the roots of issues in historical context tracing the causes of problems to their primordial origins in human nature. In addition, the memoirs provide an account of how issues were addressed and resolved leading to utopian living conditions in 2084. Progress is ascribed to advancements in scientific research and technology, to the efforts of educators, and to the increased participation of women and younger generations in politics. They conclude by addressing human mortality and the relations between men and women. An epilogue states that McCoy's discourse was inspired by the classic novel "1984" by George Orwell; real name Eric Blair. By contrast however, while Orwell forecasts dystopian bleak conditions McCoy describes the emergence of a utopian environment. The engaging and entertaining narrative is sometimes somber, sometimes humorous, and sometimes heartbreaking. It is about life and the survival of the human race. The moral to be derived from the narrative is that being human exacts a price on our existence. No matter what we do, we will live and eventually die. Therefore, it behooves us to avoid unnecessary conflicts and suffering, satisfy the basic needs of all the people, and make the best out of our predicament while we continue to live.