"What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one... Orwell feared the truth would be concealed from us, Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. In 1984... people are controlled by inflicting pain, in Brave New World they are controlled by inflicting pleasure."
-Neil Postman, (author of 'Amusing Ourselves to Death')

It's apparently common knowledge now that Roger Waters derived the title of the album 'Amused to Death' from that of the book 'Amusing Ourselves to Death', by Neil Postman. I say that this is common knowledge because it's in the Echoes FAQ. Postman's view of culture is based on a sort of Huxleyian world view. The real threat is not that the will of authoritarians will be imposed on us against our will, but rather, that we will unknowingly give away our freedom in the pursuit of a more pleasant and comfortable existence. Neil Postman admits that his theory of communication is much derived from that of Marshall McLuhan, who, in my view, expanded on the cybernetic ideas of Norbert Wiener to a certain extent, as they related to communication theory.

Again, my idea is that the 'The Division Bell' album (1994) is based on the book Cybernetics and Society, by Norbert Wiener, though more intricately than Waters' 'Amused to Death' album (1992) is based on the book 'Amusing Ourselves to Death', by Neil Postman; and that this is the key to understanding the album and the Publius Enigma. If you're not familiar with Pink Floyd, then you might not know that Roger Waters was once a key member of the band. 'The Division Bell/Cybernetics and Society' concept might then be an attempt to outdo, or respond to Waters' 'Amused to Death/Amusing Ourselves to Death' concept. Or maybe Waters had some input into the 'TDB/CAS' concept. Neil Postman and Norbert Wiener are similar in that both can be branded as socially critical communication theorists who address the American populace in particular. Some of the ideas of Norbert Wiener can be seen as having very similar implications as those of Aldous Huxley. The ideas expressed in the book seem, in retrospect, particularly prudent and timely given the rapid advancement of societal control (by means of monitoring - feedback of course) and computers and such, throughout the developed world, following the end of WWII. In one review of the book 'Cybernetics and Society' at Amazon.com it is written:

"Weiner reveals himself to be a lesser know and more technically knowledgeable Huxley."

It can uncontroversially be said that popular figures, with much access to mass communication facilities, have a lot of power and control. (cybernetic analogues of political leaders) Not that they're running the show. (see Foucault, and panopticism) "They're watching you..." It shouldn't arouse too much confusion to say that Huxleyian themes were present in the music of Pink Floyd, long before Waters did 'Amused to Death'. One example of this can be seen expressed in the movie 'The Wall', where Pink, a popular musician, is presented as a sort of fascist dictator. It might be argued that this sort of thinking was present in the music of the Floyd as early as WYWH. The theme of the song 'Welcome to the Machine', interpreted most literally as being about the music industry and all that, can be extrapolated to apply to late capitalist culture in general. "What did you dream, it's alright we told you what to dream". At some point during the middle ages we welcomed the introduction of bells into our towns and cities in order to better organize time, thereby bringing greater order and efficiency into our daily lives. (seem familiar? - see also technological determinism) Maybe we're not as free as we like to think.

"Why torture people when you can get them to pay for access to electronic mind control?"
-Howard Rheingold, Disinformacracy

"Power and the search for power are unfortunately realities that can assume many garbs."
-Norbert Wiener, God & Golem, Inc. (1964)

"When I control the actions of another person, I communicate a message to him, and although this message is in the imperative mood, the technique of communication does not differ from that of a message of fact."

"In a certain sense, all communication systems terminate in machines, but the ordinary language systems terminate in the special sort of machine known as the human being."

"I have spoken of machines, but not only of machines having brains of brass and thews of iron. When human atoms are knit into an organization in which they are used, not in their full right as responsible human beings, but as cogs and levers and rods, it matters little that their raw material is flesh and blood. What is used as an element in the machine, is in fact an element in the machine..."
-Norbert Wiener, 'Cybernetics and Society'

"All in all you're just another brick in the wall."

"Welcome to the world of random noise
Where you simply haven't got a choice
When they push your levers and pull your strings."
-Rick Wright, 'Broken China' (1996)

Tyrell corporation motto. (Blade Runner sound file)

"Once we have surrendered our senses and nervous systems to the private manipulation of those who would try to benefit from taking a lease on our eyes and ears and nerves, we don't really have any rights left."
-Marshall McLuhan, 'Understanding Media'