NEW Story: Drip
Frequently Asked Questions
Table of Contents
߷ This article is about Hobart’s utopia, called Vekllei
Why Utopia? #
Vekllei is a jumble of very pure, obsessive instincts that are illustrated to make them look and feel real. I want to take purity seriously by considering its implications in the real world. Vekllei does not use money – a very straightforward and fantastical idea. Of course, moneylessness has extraordinary implications, and to maintain the purity of the idea we have to work very hard.
Simplicity is actually very complicated, and so Vekllei is very complicated to justify the simplicity. It’s filled with things I value and people I admire. You’ll find hundreds of posts and many articles on this site, and all of them are designed to make this place and its people feel real.
Just a few things to keep in mind:
- This place is iterative – canon disappears, people change appearance and the systems of Vekllei twist and turn as I do.
- This place is good-spirited – Vekllei is escapism, and although the dark accompanies the light, this project is supposed to be escapist and fun.
- This place is constantly expanding – I try out new styles, mediums and methods of distribution all the time. Some of them work, some of them don’t. That’s part of the fun of it!
In addition:
- Vekllei is a utopia, but that doesn’t mean I don’t take it seriously or consider its society pragmatically.
- It’s full of stuff I love, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Personal growth can come from bad experiences.
- I draw in certain styles, but Vekllei isn’t based off any one country.
- Vekllei is mostly self-contained stories, but I experiment with mediums and methods all the time.
F.A.Q. #
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are you? #
Why is Vekllei a utopia? #
It makes me feel better about my life and the world. It’s escapism; it’s a dream.
It’s a bit cringe to grandstand your political beliefs, doncha think? #
Vekllei is a personal utopia. That’s what I’m selling. At least you’re getting good opinions.
Where’s the tension if it’s perfect? #
Vekllei can be cynical and tragic in places. Utopia is more than just idealistic fantasy, and can contain bad things.
Is there a novel? A story? A comic? #
I’m working on a comic right now. I’m pretty much working on Vekllei full-time so I’m hoping to announce it soon. I’ve got a lot of different Vekllei projects going.
Where is Vekllei? #
Iceland.
Is your alt-history thought out? #
Vekllei’s history is whatever I need it to be. I’m always trying to be realistic, but it’s all worked backwards from the setting. I’m not really “world-building” in the way some might understand it. Very little of it is published, most of it is retrieved on request. Just ask if you have questions.
Why does Vekllei call itself “petticoat socialist”? #
Vekllei is set in a culture of Marxist revivalism in the 50s and 60s. A lot of Vekllei’s lexicon is set in that context. Vekllei is a decentralised democracy that doesn’t use money. It’s a sort of participatory economy. It’s almost anarchic in that sense.
Why the “petticoat”? #
Vekllei is a female country. Womanhood is decommodified. It’s maternal, social and friendly where progressive utopian rhetoric is masculine, technocratic and historicist.
Who is Zelda? #
Zelda is another name for Tzipora. She has two names specifically to confuse you.
Be “petticoat”.
Futher Reading #
For those curious about what sort of things go into a place like Vekllei, these are some of my favourite books. I’ve been asked about them before, so I’ve included this section in the hopes you enjoy them as much as I have. There are many more than these, so if you’re interested, contact me. I’ll update this list periodically as more occur to me.
On the Origins of Modern Japanese Literature
Karatani Kojin | 1993
Karatani interrogates the appearance of Western conceptual artefacts (Landscape, The Child, Interiority) during the Meiji period in Japan. This book had a tremendous impact on my assumptions about the world and affected Vekllei tremendously.
Starting Point & Turning Point
Miyazaki Hayao | 2009 & 2014
These books are essentially a compilation of essays from Miyazaki’s years as a filmmaker. He’s an incredibly smart and insightful creative force whose work I have written at length about before. For me, it’s all really powerful, affecting stuff.
Three Faces of Utopianism Revisited
Lyman Sargent | 1994
This is the defining taxonomical look at the phenomena of utopianism and how it works. His breakdown of ‘utopia’ into both dystopian and eutopian elements is also my preffered descriptor and use of ‘utopia’ as a concept.
Towards a New Architecture
Le Corbusier | 1936
Vekllei is a postmodern mess, but also deeply sympathetic to the modernist instinct. I like the utopianism of the 20th Century, and Le Corbusier typifies that ‘utopian’ futurism we saw in that period. I like how single-minded he is about it. His buildings remain beautiful, many years on.