Abstract

The science fiction novel Liking What You See: A Documentary by renowned author Ted Chiang portrays a technologically advanced future in which a neural modification technology known as “Calli” is developed to combat lookism. The deployment of this technology profoundly impacts the lives of numerous individuals. Through an interpretive lens grounded in the theory of ethical literary criticism pioneered by Chinese scholar Nie Zhenzhao, this paper argues that the work serves as a critical allegory for racism. First, by examining the ethical environment depicted in the text, it becomes evident that the pervasive lookism in the novel mirrors the historical and social conditions of racial discrimination in the United States. Second, through an analysis of the characters’ ethical identities—particularly in light of shifts in their social status—the novel’s critique of real-world racism and its speculation on future race relations come into sharper focus. Ultimately, Ted Chiang’s narrative deconstruction of lookism functions as a meaningful intervention against the enduring constraints of racism.

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