The fall from Eden, critical theory, and The Teletubbies

Abstract

This essay demonstrates how the biblical story of Eden (Genesis chapters 2–3) illuminates contemporary critical theory and culture. Theodor Adorno and Walter Benjamin evoke the myth of the Fall in their studies of mass culture. Giorgio Agamben and Peter Sloterdijk show how modernity is defined by such extraordinary places as concentration camps and parks. But my reading of Genesis 3 reveals a subtle story even better suited to cultural criticism than the standard myth of the Fall. In an analysis of the children's television programme. The Teletubbies, I show how the Edenic world of Teletubbieland reflects the most sinister qualities of consumer culture. The interplay between Teletubbieland and reality echoes the dynamic tension between Eden and life outside it. Teletubbieland captures two motifs common to the biblical story and critical theory: extraordinary places and the human–animal relationship. By merging contemporary theory and culture with biblical tradition, this essay points out new directions for biblical studies.