"What is the foundation of civilization? Is it science, bloodline, technology, military? The sci-fi story Arrival, the book by Ted Chiang and 2016 film directed by Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part One and Part Two), offers an intriguing solution to this riddle...Language. To understand these enigmas of language, we must drill down deeper than the level of linguistic technicalities. When we arrive at the end of our excavation, we will have unearthed a most surprising discovery, bigger than the Arrival story, deeper than language itself."
Excerpts from the essay 'Arrival & The Universal Language' by Derek J Fiedler originally published on the Symbolic World website, which is hosted by Jonathan Pageau.
This essay is part of a larger project exploring the deeper meaning of Arrival. The first book, Arrival & Exodus, will be released on 11.11. Be 1-of-12 to own the handmade deluxe edition.
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Watch more Arrival analysis podcasts and essays - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHxBkl6ci7xfHKFgypaXyAVfAw5Bl4cKc
I want to create a (more concise) video version of this essay with clips from the film and animation. However, I don't have great editing skills. Do you know a video editor interested in collaborating? Reach out, let's do this.
Arrival & the Universal Language